Support For the Repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell Legislation

"It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual
orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed." (Jackson, Par.2) These words,
spoken by President Barack Obama resonate with supporters for the repeal of Dont Ask Dont
Tell legislation. I want to encourage continued support for recent repeal of this legislation by
analyzing the effect it has had on my past, present and future. Currently, we see uprisings and
revolutions for equality amongst various cultures around the globe. It is distressing to observe
complacency taking roots on the battlefields of equality and justice. Traditionally, the military
has illustrated a lengthy history of lugging old stereotypes and unsupported findings to create
obstructions in the pipelines for change. The military has symbolized the great divide in our
nation throughout history. The divide has been expressed through the segregation of military
units by race, gender and sexual preference, supposedly out of fear of affecting morale and
mission readiness. Such apprehension hasnt produced credible research to support these claims.
I am a firm supporter for the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell.
I have not always been certain of my view on this topic. As a child I grew up with
unexplainable anxiety and hostility towards the gay and lesbian community, partially due to
misconceptions of my own religious beliefs. Failure to interact with the homosexual community
produced my greatest error, misunderstanding what it meant to be a Christian. I later had to
confront my fears when I served in the U.S. Navy as a Reactor Propulsion Maintenance
Technician. I had many hardships, facing racial discrimination and hazing during my time in the
military. I was always told by more senior African American sailors, you arent the first and
you wont be the last to face discrimination. I was convinced that it was my obligation and a

moral cross to bear as a black male, to endure the path that I had chosen. My perseverance
would ensure that the journey for the next person would be easier. Finishing my naval career, I
found that the bonds and friendships I developed were bizarre to some outside observers. To my
surprise, I found that it would not be fellow blacks, or Christians that would stand behind me for
support. Unaware of their alternative lifestyle, I discovered that my two closest friends on board
the USS George Washington were homosexual.
I shared my pains and my disappointments with two individuals, who were great people
first and great shipmates second. I thought to myself, how can I consider myself a Christian,
and yet I will only love as Christ did, selectively. Falsely imagining I was impervious to
exhibiting prejudice, I realized I had never extended an invitation for dinner or offered to assist
my openly gay coworkers during my naval career. Closer self-examination exposed that my
values, principles, and morals were fraudulent in nature, and lacked authenticity. I only imagine
if those gay service members thought to themselves, I cant pray with him, or encourage him
because he is heterosexual. During my lowest point a gay coworker said to remember James
chapter one verses two and three. At the time I didnt know the verse by memory. I later
examined the scripture, and I realized that those words would come redefine my perspective on
life. The scripture reads, my brethren count it all joy when ye enter into divers temptations;
knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect
work that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
For the man I am today, and the man I will become, I owe my gay and lesbian coworkers
a debt of gratitude. I attended church services every Sunday; it was common to hear words like
abomination when discussing alternative lifestyles. I appreciate that Gods love falls on the just

and unjust, and that it is neither my place, nor interest to understand Gods relationship with
others. Ive learned that loving my neighbor is inclusive of 100 percent of the individual.
What if I was only tolerated by percentage? What must it feel like to have people accept
only a portion of who you are? What if my job qualifications and personality were desirable, but
my black skin was offensive? What message is sent to the world, and future generations when
we fight to protect legalized discrimination? Is the pain from the gay and lesbian community any
less valuable, simply because the discrimination isnt as obvious as the parts located between our
legs, or as readily identifiable as the amount of melanin in our skin?

Intolerance is the clot in the bloodlines of enlightenment. Within life it is clear that
injustice anywhere is truly injustice everywhere. It is obvious that the plight of black males may
be hard to understand for the upper class white female, and it is the same for anyone who
chooses to belittle and exacerbate the overwhelming dearth of concern for a people. Formerly a
homophobe and mindless product of the over conservative media and religious machine, I held
on to the chants that homosexuality was an abomination, which truly rang out as a word of hate.
I didnt know that my entire argument for perpetuating these views was overwhelmingly antiChristian at its core. Jesus love for the poor, murderers, lepers, and whores and subsequent use
of those men and women to further ministry only reduced this formerly logical explanation for
approved discrimination.
All men are created equal, with certain inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness, as stated in the Declaration of Independence. How can our coworkers and family
members pursue happiness, when they are mocked, belittled, and disrespected openly, by the
country they have sworn to defend?

Homosexuality is no easier to change than my skin color. We cant dehumanize our flesh
and blood. Homosexuals are not statistics, or bills on the senate floor. They represent more,
because they are our brothers and sisters. We should honor their voluntary commitment to
protect the freedoms we enjoy each day. Their sacrifice should be honored by a commitment to
guarantee that they share in the same opportunities their bravery has granted each and every
American citizen.

Works Cited
Jackson, David. "Obama Praises Senate for Repealing 'don't Ask, Don't Tell' - The Oval:
Tracking the Obama Presidency." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports,
Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.
<http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/12/obama-praises-theimminent-demise-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/1>.
"James 1:1-8 - Passage Lookup - King James Version - BibleGateway.com." BibleGateway.com:
A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James 1:1-8&version=KJV>.