Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

It is so basically against the American political ideals of honesty and transparency to ask someone who devotes their life to serving our country to lie about who they are from the day they begin to serve. Not only is it morally wrong to force a soldier to lie, even as they take on an oath swearing honesty, but it is detrimental to the armed forces to limit who can serve to people who fit the extraordinarily limited ‘traditional’ definition of who should serve be allowed in the military.

Lt. Dan Choi, who is fluent in Arabic, was discharged from the military for being gay after an appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show where he came out. The skills and experience Choi brought to the armed forces were vital, and without loyal, patriotic, and talented people like Choi, our military will crumble.

The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy made some sense in the early nineties, when the social climate in America was decisively anti-homosexual, and the military is, in general, more conservative in its policies than mainstream America. However, although it may not be true for everyone, America is becoming more tolerant and accepting. It is time to change an old policy that weakens our military, divides our troops, and causes our soldiers to lie.

Regardless of how you feel about gay rights, it is not good for the military to lose qualified service members because of social differences.