The ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue’ law is a supposed compromise for the military’s 1980’s ban of homosexual personnel. With this law, military personnel would not be asked about their sexual orientation, and would not be discharged simply for being gay, as long as they didn’t engage in sexual activity with someone of the same sex. Even back then, most people thought the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law (DADT) was a failure. It was labeled as such by Al Gore, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and many others, especially after the murder of Pfc. Barry Winchell, which hyperbolized the failures of DADT. Since then, DADT has been hotly debated. However, I believe DADT should never have been enacted, as banning homosexuals from serving in the military never should have been. What idiot thought up the idea of banning someone who’s willing to serve, fight, and die for their country based on their sexuality? What someone does in the privacy of their home should not be a factor in deciding who gets to fight for the United States. We’re supposedly a free country, yet we still have this level of discrimination.
Article IV, Section 2 of the United States Constitution states: “The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.” Amendment 1 of the Bill of Rights: ”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” By prohibiting someone from serving in the military because of their sexual orientation is a violation of their privileges as citizens of the United States as defined by the Constitution, and banning them from saying anything about their sexual orientation is a violation of their 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech. Therefore, the DADT law is both unconstitutional and an explicit failure. I personally feel that those of us who are something other than heterosexual should take this case to the Supreme Court, and have it ruled as unconstitutional. There shouldn’t be any ruling against something that is entirely up to the individual to decide.

There’s supposed to be a separation of Church and State in the United States of America, anyways. It’s certainly violently held up in public schools, so why should this be a principle for the military, which by its very definition is the forces protecting the United States of America, its people, and the ideas governing it? I don’t know about anyone else, but I think that an outdated part of Christian religion does NOT, in fact, belong in the military. There shouldn’t be any Church values in it, as the homosexual fear stems from Christianity. I think we saw enough of Religion in positions of martial power – did anyone learn about the Crusades? They’re a perfect example of why religious zealots should not be given military rights.

Another thing about DADT that I have a major problem with – why did the Senate attach the repeal to the Defense Spending Bill? I didn’t think that repealing a horrible idea cost money. That was just a cleverly diabolical action by supporters in the Senate of DADT, which will be ineffective in the long run. People like John McCain are detrimental to the idealism of our country, the idea that everyone who is a citizen of the United States is equal and will have equal rights and opportunities. Why wouldn’t that extend to homosexuals and serving our country? There isn’t an invisible metaphorical line, at which people stop and say “Hey, everyone on this side of the line has equal rights, all the homosexuals and Muslims on your side don’t.” That’s just not morally right. As a matter of fact, there’s nothing morally right about DADT. Anywhere from 5-10% of the population is homosexual, and we have equal rights to freedom of speech and freedom to live how we want. The Constitution guarantees Americans the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I honestly don’t see how restricting gays from being who they really are just to serve their country is even coming close to that guarantee.

At the end of it all, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was a horrible idea from the get-go, and the repeal needs to go through as soon as possible. For the sake of liberty and the upkeep of the American ideals, it has to.