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To Honor Those Who Can Not Serve

I’ve said this before so it’s old news. But I feel that I don’t fit in on this national holiday to honor all the men and women of the Armed Services. When I go to this public ceremony I feel out of place. And that’s because the Armed Services has made me and many other gays and lesbians feel unwanted and undesirable to serve our country. The army didn’t want me many years ago because I was a homosexual. I had a letter from my psychiatrist. So I got a 4-F status on my draft card. Embarrassing. But I lived with it. And now years later the Armed Services is still not allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve their country with policies of discrimination and hate. But many gays and lesbians have served honorably and many have died for this country. And a large number have been dis-honorably discharged in spite of their accomplishments. So I hold these folks in my thoughts on Veteran’s Day But “Don’t ask, don’t tell” doesn’t work anymore. Because silence equals death. Just as surely as a bullet. -Nick Kelly

Labels: guest blogger, nick kelly

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11-11-07