Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell If You’re Gay

Barack Obama promised to address the issue during his campaign. For 12 months, it was not addressed. But now, 17 years after the establishment of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy — which forbids those who want to be in the military to speak of their sexual orientation — the president has decided that it is time to abolish the measure that impedes men and women who are openly homosexual from enlisting in the armed forces.

Of course, the initiative to eliminate this controversial law has stirred great debate in Washington. There are those who see Obama’s intentions not only as a commitment to fulfill a promise he made to the gay community, but as an effort by him to get in the good graces of the Left. Every day, [these critics] seem to become more impatient and disillusioned with him.

Nevertheless, there are many people, even members of his own party, who believe that with his popularity ratings in decline and with the administration involved in two wars, the subject of homosexuality in the military could become a political trap for the president, since it is an emotional matter that has recently divided the nation completely.

It all began in 1993 when Bill Clinton, the last Democratic president in the White House before Obama, decided to put an end to the more than half century-ban that prevented homosexuals from being admitted into the ranks of the Pentagon. But the initiative was faced with strong opposition from both the public and military officials.

In return, Congress proposed the current regulations: Officials do not ask and recruits do not talk about their sexual preferences — if they really want to be admitted. But even though officials put an end to interrogations about sexuality, they continued to investigate those already enlisted. From 1994 to the present, it is estimated that they have discharged more than 12,000 members of the Army, the Marines and the Air Force combined on the basis of sexual orientation. Some of them were valuable interpreters or officials with exceptional abilities and training.

Currently, it is estimated in the U.S. armed forces that there are at least 65,000 gay, lesbian or bisexual people who serve their country, fight for their country, and in many cases die for it, on the condition that they hide and keep their sexual orientation to themselves.

In his recent report to the nation and before the petrified looks of present military commanders, Obama promised that this year he will eliminate the law that “denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.” And a recent opinion poll revealed that 69 percent of Americans are with him.

However, there are many conservatives who do not agree, starting with the ex-presidential candidate and Arizona Sen. John McCain, a former Navy captain and prisoner of war in Vietnam. In a document signed by more than 1,000 generals and high-ranking military officials, he established that the current policy “has been an imperfect, but effective policy,” and should not be changed.

The U.S. ban that prevented homosexuals from enlisting began in 1916. During World War II, those in high command who were considered effeminate were investigated and discharged. And during Vietnam, many men feigned being homosexual to avoid being enlisted involuntary, although they were not disqualified in all cases.

Throughout history, during the Napoleonic Wars, English marines with homosexual tendencies were hung, and in 1778 George Washington killed American soldiers for the same reason.

But it was not always like this. According to historians, the matter was not as important to the ancient Greeks. In fact, many speak of the supposed homosexuality of Alexander the Great, while Plato wrote that, “a state or army which was made up only of lovers and their loves would be invincible. For love will convert the veriest coward into an inspired hero.”

It is evident that this enthusiasm and much of this attitude has faded with the passage of time. Even so, there are currently 25 countries in the world where anyone can serve in the military and be homosexual without a problem. Mexico is not on that list.