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In a rare confluence of bipartisanship and sanity the United States Senate, by a 61-35 margin, passed the House approved bill to repeal the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy requiring gays to keep their sexual preference hidden from the military.
Today, December 18, 2010, the United States joined its allies around the world in allowing gay people to serve the country openly as gay men and women. As accepting gay soldiers on equal footing with straight soldiers has never created issues for our allies, the policy will become a non-issue and routine even in these sexually repressed United States of America.
Since coming out 40 years ago I’ve been fortunate to have witnessed a revolution of equality for gay people. The June 1969 Stonewall riot was the seminal (excuse the pun) event in the struggle for gay rights. A mere four years later I was on the floor of the NYC Council Chamber pushing for passage of NYC’s gay rights bill – the first of many defeats before it finally passed many years later. That the US Congress took such a huge step is mind-boggling for those of us old enough to remember the early days of the struggle. The repeal of DADT is not just a victory for gay people but a victory for humanity.
The passage of this historic legislation is a tribute to the passion and hard work of all those who have fought for equal rights for gay soldiers. Daniel Choy comes to mind. Thank you.
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