The repeal of "Don't ask, Don't tell"

[Kiddgreen]

"The U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

This historic vote follows the successful vote earlier today in the Senate Armed Services Committee. The issue will now move to the full Senate floor sometime this summer.

After years of fighting to end this law, these two votes are a thrilling step forward, not just for lesbian and gay service members – but for each and every American who believes in equality.

Through all of this, the most impactful thing to me is how repeal will affect the men and women who are serving in silence now as well as those who desperately want to rejoin. HRC's military consultant Jarrod Chlapowski relayed this story to me that should remind us all why we do this work:

This morning a friend still on active duty called me to ask what I thought about today's votes. "We got it, man," I responded. He didn't believe me and frankly, I didn't quite believe it myself. As I tried to tell him how good a position we are in, the phone became silent. I asked if he was ok, only to realize he simply couldn't get the words out to respond. He was crying. We both were. Finally, a whispered "thank you."

It's incredible to be faced with the thing you've been longing to see since taking the oath to serve and defend the country against all enemies foreign and domestic. I – and many like me – long to take the oath again. And because of events this week, I believe we will. So this is what history feels like."
-taken from the Human Rights Campaign email in update to the repeal.

Video report of the repeal

whee  

[colon bracket]

It's a big step in the right direction.  

[Fatima al-Faqadi]

I am ecstatic that the House has made this move. However I have cautioned all my friends in the military, there is still much to be done before they can actually come out and serve openly without threat of dismissal. First, the Senate still has to vote for repeal. Second, the pentagon still has to actually implement. Third, it has to survive long enough for those who still favor the policy to not find other reasons to work against those who come out. And fourth, there is still an outside chance that (especially after the midterm election) the congress could still repeal the repeal. So, while this is a great achievement and huge stride forward, this fight is far from over.