On this day when Canadians pause to remember and pay tribute to those who served in our Armed Forces to defend the democracy we cherish, there is some good news coming from our neighbours.
A Pentagon study group is prepared to find that the military can end its ban on openly gay service members without significant ill effects to the U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The panel, which was created by President Obama in February, will present its findings to the president on Dec. 1.
The report will cite the results of a survey sent to 400,000 active-duty and reserve soldiers on the effects of ending the military's current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Over 70 percent of respondents replied that lifting the ban would have a positive effect on the military or no effect at all. The authors concluded that the remaining opposition would fade away once soldiers had firsthand experience living with openly gay service members.
link: FP Passport | FOREIGN POLICY
Perhaps too cynically, I imagined the United States military establishment believed the survey would show that allowing gays and lesbians to serve would be too disruptive, especially for a nation at war. That 70% of respondents believe there would be a positive or no effect is a pleasant surprise. This information should give the president and the justice department reason not to appeal the recent court decision that the current law is unenforceable. The incoming congress would be advised to refuse to interfere with the law's demise and ensure the injustice ends.
I firmly believe that once gay men and women are serving in the US forces the remaining legal barriers to equality will fall quickly. It is inconceivable to me that a country that respects its military personnel as much as does the USA would continue to deny them their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I hope, that newfound respect will trickle down to society in general so that harassment will fade from schools and other institutions of state as well. That would be the kind of progress for which our veterans served and fought.
