Gays in the military

You know, I'm beginning to think that don't-ask-don't-tell should be a policy for the ignorant. But, then again, if you're ignorant it stands to reason you don't know you're ignorant, so you wouldn't be asking and how could you tell?
Well, it's pretty easy for most people to tell and it's apparent that some of the military establishment simply refuses to leave the past on the issue of gays and lesbians serving their country.
Recently a study panel made up of four retired military officers, including one who worked with President Clinton on implementing the don't-ask-don't-tell policy, determined that the presence of gays and lesbians in the service would not detract from the military's ability to do its job. Apparently the panel found no loss of discipline within the British and Israeli armed forces although gays and lesbians are allowed to serve openly in both.
But the military establishment may be on to something when they insist it is different in America. Methinks the difference is that there is more intolerance here.
I can recall the debate leading up to the 1995 enactment of the Rhode Island law prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals in the areas of housing, credit, employment and public accomodations. The law simply said you can't refuse to rent or sell a house, deny credit, refuse to hire or refuse to allow someone in a restaurant or public museum simply because of their sexual orientation. But if you listened to that debate you'd have thought passage of the law was going to be the death knell of our society. Now, 13 years later, I can't say as I've ever heard of one complaint about that law and, despite the best intentions of the Bush administration to put us on the road to economic ruin, our society seems to be faring well.
I recall writing a column before the law passed saying, in time, people would look back and say "What was all the fuss about?" I think that has pretty much come to pass. My guess is that eventually the American military establishment will be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century - although it might take until the 22nd century for that to happen - and realize that any able bodied man or woman who wants to serve their country should be allowed to do it no matter their sexual orientation.
Forcing them to keep their orientation secret only plays into the intolerance and hatred of those who seek to keep them under the establishment's thumb. I, for one, choose to be on the side of inclusion and against bigotry.