DADT repeal is a step in the right direction

Civil disobedience is an American pastime, as dear to us as baseball or apple pie. When a great injustice is observed, it has to be fought. From the earliest days of the country all the way up to Rev. Martin Luther King, injustice was fought and it still must be diligently and persistently combated.  

Thankfully, 18 years of injustice were overturned this past week. A small victory in a battle for equality was happily won.

The rights of gay and lesbian servicemen and women have been impeded far beyond what military code should have ever allowed.  They were forced into hiding by a law commonly known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT).  The policy was part of a number of governmental policies which expressly banned gay and lesbian citizens from being open about their sexuality while serving in the military.  Under this program, soldiers were asked not to reveal their sexual orientation, and conversely, they were never to be asked.

The law was like walking on eggshells, and it led to the discharge of many servicemen and women, who will now be eligible for reinstatement and full benefits.  The overturning of this law was a definite victory, but sadly the fight for equality is far from over for the gay community.

The gay community will still be refused full military benefits for their partners.  Furthermore, when the Navy tried to train its chaplains years ago to perform same-sex unions, it was purposely halted on the objection of lawmakers.

So while the repeal of DADT is a success, it is far from the larger issue here.  In this country, which is still the wealthiest and most developed nation in the world, our government continues to deprive certain Americans of freedoms that the rest of the country enjoys.  

Gay marriage is a sticky issue for people.  I once heard a student on this campus say that "being gay is evil and you are going to hell if you're gay."  The close-mindedness and ignorance that permeates even into a college campus can be overwhelming.

The fact that we are at an institution of higher learning and these sort of backward, offensive and sickening opinions can go unchallenged is absurd.  I am sorry if I offend any of you who may think this way, I truly do like to take all opinions into consideration.  However, I draw the line when an opinion dictates that you think another human being is ‘evil' because of the way they were born.

I am a staunch believer that being gay is not some lifestyle choice or some personal expression. For a person who is gay, choosing to love whomever you want is as natural as breathing.  In this country, our government dictates that these people, who willingly want to commit their lives to one another, are expressly forbidden to do so.  While some states allow gay marriage, virtually no state allows gay married couples the full benefits of a traditional married couple.

The government cannot and should never force churches to open the door to gay couples, but it is certainly the duty of the government to open the courthouses and grant to all married couples the many benefits only traditional marriages enjoy.  Addressing this great injustice has become taboo in our country today, but it is an issue that has to be addressed.  I have no fear or ill intent when I say that if a courthouse can perform a marriage for a willing couple, then a courthouse should perform every marriage for every willing couple, regardless of sex.  

I am overwhelmingly happy that DADT has been repealed.  The military reports that 97 percent of the armed forces have been fully readied for the repeal of DADT, and the upper echelons of the military have concluded that the repeal of the law will do nothing to undermine the resolve and combat readiness of our troops.  

So while there are still many battles to be fought in the struggle for total equality, at least we can celebrate one victory.