"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; Mixed Messages from Our Armed Forces

It is February, 2007 and the United States is in a "war". A new presidential race is just kicking off! Has anyone heard about the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy lately? Or, has gay marriage become the new homosexual "soap box topic"?

Are gays and lesbians brave and courageous enough people to fight and die for their country? It seems to be acceptable when there is a "war" or conflict, but what about in peacetime? While the military trains people to become killers, they also want to be a moral compass to hide homosexuality for better unit cohesion? If that's not an oxymoron!

Throughout history gays and lesbians have served with honorable distinction in many military conflicts. While there will always be gays and lesbians in the military, the current policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will keep these warriors in the "closet". Reportedly, the first known case of a soldier being discharged for homosexual activity was in February 1778. In the 19th century, the U.S. military discharged members only for homosexual acts, even though the conduct was not officially against regulation until World War I. In World War II, homosexuality was thought of as a mental illness, and in the post-war period homosexuals were thought of as a security risk due to their clandestine lifestyle. Starting in the 1980's, the new proposed policy highlighted the fact that an open homosexual person would have a detrimental impact on unit cohesion (meaning, not everyone could live and work together as a team).

Currently, several allied countries of the United States allow open homosexuals to serve in their military. Studies have indicated that gay and lesbian personnel adapt to military life just as well as their heterosexual counterparts.

According to the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military, there is no evidence that the inclusion of open homosexuals is a cause of decline of performance. To this day, the "unit cohesion" argument remains the principle justification for the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.