Saturday, December 14, 2010 at 3:30 EST:
The Senate in an historic vote of 65 to 31 (including all Democrats and 8 Republicans) authorized the repeal of the military Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy ending the discrimination against gay and lesbian members in the military after a long struggle.
As I watched the vote unfolding, my thoughts returned to a time more that fifteen years ago and the death of a young man from AIDS. In his memory, his family created an AIDS Quilt honoring his life with words, images, and symbols. One of the photographs was of this young man at an earlier time in a soldier's uniform as he served his country honorably while unable to be his authentic self. That sacrifice by others will no longer be required as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the military begin to implement this policy in an orderly fashion.
Andrew Sullivan, a strong advocate for this policy change, expressed its meaning best in his blog The Arc of History by reviewing some of the history of the struggle that led to this day. It is clearly a case where facts and testimony and truth prevailed. It is an affirmation of fundamental American values as we continue our march toward a more perfect union.
