The Death of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Last week, the policy of "don't ask, don't tell" was repealed in the United States through a law signed into action by President Obama. "Don't ask, don't tell" has been the policy in the United States armed forces since 1993. There are a few details that need to be worked out, though. For one, troops now need to be trained on "how sexual preference should be handled when army staff are organising sleeping arrangements in military barracks." Guidelines such as this need to be signed by Obama as well as important figures in the military. After that is done, there will be an additional sixty days in which the ban will still be in place before the new law in placed into action.

"'No longer will our country be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans who were forced to leave the military, regardless of their skills, no matter their bravery or their zeal, no matter their years of exemplary performance because they happen to be gay'" --President Barack Obama

The repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy makes me very happy. It is about time that equality is broadened even more in the United States. For a country that brags about how everybody is equal and is entitled to the same rights, there sure are a lot of restrictions placed on people that are seen as "different". I hope there won't be many problems encountered along they way to finalizing the law.

Source: BBC News--"Barack Obama signs gay military law"