Allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military was once unthinkable, a topic that dredged up prejudice, fear and worries about armed forces morale. The best the nation could muster was a pathetic compromise known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” that permitted gays and lesbians to serve as long as they kept their sexual orientations hidden.
This compromise, crafted by President Bill Clinton when he took office in 1993, may soon be retired as an anachronism….
The public’s mind has changed, signaling a new acceptance of homosexuals in uniform. Also, a number of distinguished military leaders think it’s time to drop “don’t ask, don’t tell” while policy-institute studies indicate that the presence of gays in the military doesn’t undercut effectiveness….
There are other indicators worth noting. The California Supreme Court in May overturned a ban on same-sex marriage. A statewide poll found a majority of voters now favors allowing same-sex couples to wed. This growing acceptance is at odds with unworthy and outdated military law….