The repeal of DADT marks a major milestone for civil rights in America. Over its nearly 235 year history, the United States has made steady if uneven progress towards equal protection under the law for various minorities―slaves, women, immigrants, and the descendants of slaves―but rights for gays have been some of the most elusive.
It’s a disgrace, and counter-productive to national security, that gays who put their lives on the line for our country had to live secret lives and lie about their sexual identities. Equally disgraceful is the fact that gays in many states do not have basic civil rights that entitle them to hospital visitation rights, custody of their children, rights to inheritance, and many of the tax breaks enjoyed by heterosexual couples.
The end of DADT may signal that the march towards full civil rights for gays has begun to accelerate, and will ultimately include recognition of gay marriages. Given the steadily increasing acceptance of gays, especially among the young, it is only a matter of time. The end of DADT will bring into focus how absurd it is to discriminate against a large cross-section of the population—with members existing in a sizeable percentage of American families, in urban centers and small towns, in all sectors of society, including the U.S. military. The first openly gay three or four star general will prove a powerful symbol that opponents of gay rights will find impossible to marginalize.
While DADT was just one element of anti-gay discrimination, the fact that it was sanctioned by the military made it especially potent. Now, with its repeal, it’s possible that within twenty years such discrimination will be viewed in the same light as laws banning interracial marriage and other odious relics of a more intolerant and bigoted past.
Credit must be given to the Obama Administration, to the Democratic Congressional leadership, and to military leaders, especially Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen. It was their heartfelt insistence that DADT was un-American and an affront to our values that led to its demise. As much as it pains me to praise Joe Lieberman, the same can be said for him; the senator from Connecticut was a tireless champion of DADT repeal.
One wonders if the fight for gay equality could be the last major chapter in the American civil rights saga. In many ways it probably is, and its ultimate completion will bring the country that much closer to the “perfect union” we strive to be.
It will also be a great day when those who lack religious convictions—the agnostics and atheists among us—are likewise given the respect they deserve, and are not essentially disqualified for national office because of what they believe or don’t believe. If there is another minority group more discriminated against than gays in America, it is non-believers. The day we elect the first atheist president will be the day that America has truly embraced reason and fulfilled the Enlightenment values that inspired this great country.
For now, let’s enjoy what is truly a holiday blessing. Our gay brothers and sisters are one step closer to realizing true equality.
Jason Scorse