Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

An author of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which declared that states do not have to recognize same-sex marriages from other states, Barr captured Americas attention recently by publishing an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal calling for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“As a conservative Republican member of Congress from 1995 to 2003, I was hardly a card-carrying member of the gay-rights lobby. I opposed then, and continue to oppose, same-sex marriage, or the designation of gays as a constitutionally protected minority class. Service in the armed forces is another matter. The bottom line here is that, with nearly a decade and a half of the hybrid “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy to guide us, I have become deeply impressed with the growing weight of credible military opinion which concludes that allowing gays to serve openly in the military does not pose insurmountable problems for the good order and discipline of the services,” wrote Barr in June 2007.

“Because the military can’t fill its slots, it has lowered its standards, extended tours of duty and increased rotations, further hurting morale and readiness. Conservatives are supposed to favor meritocracy — rewarding ability — especially in the armed forces. Instead, the military is firing badly needed, capable troops simply because they’re gay, and replacing them with a hodge podge that includes ex-cons, drug abusers and high-school dropouts.”

If Barr wins the Libertarian Party’s nomination, he would join both Democratic nominees, Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY), in favoring repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the Republican nominee, has publically stated “it would be a terrific mistake to even reopen the issue” and that the ban is “working”.

-Victor Maldonado