Actions Speak Louder than Words
On Monday night, I was home alone in my new apartment glued to the television set as I watched the Democratic presidential candidates debate. I was proud to see that every one of them supports repeal of the gay ban. In stark contrast, Wednesday night showed us that we have not come as far along as many of us think. Not a single Republican candidate supports repeal. Almost four decades after Stonewall and 4 years after the landmark Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, gay military men and women are still fighting for one of the most basic civil rights: the right to be.
In my New York Times Op-Ed, published today, I talk about my story and reflect on the gay ban. I was one of the 58 Arabic linguists discarded because of this policy. In a single year, those Arabic linguists could have provided more than 150,000 hours of translation services. There's a very real possibility important intelligence information was overlooked -- and the costs of the gay ban don't end there. 11,000 of us have been kicked out, and we can only imagine the number of gay men and women who don't re-enlist because of this law.
On the Army's 230th birthday [in 2005], Donald Rumsfeld told the crowd, "For over 200 years, the Army has been at the forefront of defending the freedom that makes our country such a very special place. The Army story is America's story, where men and women are judged not by race or religion or family heritage, but by merit; where anyone with a desire to serve and anyone with the drive and talent can excel."
Unfortunately for Mr. Rumsfeld, actions speak louder than words.
- Former Navy Petty Officer Second Class Stephen BenjaminLabels: in the news, linguists, veterans, your stories
-----06-08-07
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