Colorado Sen. Mark Udall and Rep. Jared Polis are correct to push now for a repeal of the military’s ban on homosexuals serving openly.
We praise the lawmakers for their stance and call on President Obama and Democrats to reject the politically expedient course of waiting to attempt a repeal until after the November elections.
Though the Pentagon’s top two officials have called for repeal, Obama’s plan is to give Congress a pass on action until the military completes a study in December on how to integrate the change.
Udall and Polis, who is openly gay, are trying to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule through the defense re- authorization bill scheduled for mark-up next month, according to The Denver Post’s Michael Riley.
“The sooner we can end this policy, the better,” Polis told Riley. “There have been plenty of studies about this policy and how it continues to weaken our military every day that it exists.”
Indeed. The rule has been around since 1993, and the military has been well aware of Obama’s desire to repeal it since his days on the campaign trail.
Nearly 14,000 men and women have lost their careers in the service due to this policy and untold thousands of others have been unfairly forced to serve as second-class citizens.
Waiting until after November may avoid putting Democrats in a controversial role that bothers some voters. But with the party expected to see its majorities in Congress eroded this fall, now is the best chance to end this disgraceful rule.
We called for an immediate repeal after learning of the president’s plan to wait, so we’re pleased to see leadership coming from Colorado on this issue.
It is unconscionable to require gays to serve in secret, and it is beyond reckless to keep them waiting for a day that might never arrive.
