To the Editors,

I am writing to you in response to last week’s article about the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. There were some key provisions governing the repeal that need to be mentioned and those provisions were omitted from the article.

First of all, it is necessary to mention that DADT remains in effect. Both the Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal have advised gay soldiers, marines and sailors to exercise extreme caution as they can still be discharged under DADT for being openly gay.

The policy will be fully repealed 60 days after the president, secretary of Defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff can certify that repeal of the policy will not hamper our wartime efforts. Before anyone who is openly gay rushes to the Armed Services Career Center or to ROTC, they should be aware that it is not yet allowed to be openly gay in the U.S. Armed Services.

Next, I would like to comment on Mr. Homar’s comments at the end of the article.

He somehow makes the assertion that allowing our gay soldiers to serve openly would damage the reputation of the U.S. Armed Forces. This is a completely ridiculous idea.

Since the year 2000, the United Kingdom has allowed openly gay soldiers to serve in the military. This is inclusive of the entire LGBT community. The U.K.’s reputation certainly has not been compromised on the international stage and their military remains among the strongest and most respected in the world today.

Suggesting that we, as gay men and women, should somehow be forced to keep our sexual orientation to ourselves is antiquated and an extremely heteronormative stance to take.

I, as a gay man, am constantly bombarded with heteronormative imagery in advertising, film, television and even just going out with my friends here Uptown. God forbid I ask a straight couple to refrain from making out on the street or at The Boot or any other popular college location.

If we should be forced to remain silent or keep who we are to ourselves, I suggest that those of the heterosexual persuasion do the same.

The end of DADT has been a major victory in the Gay Civil Rights movement. We can now proudly and honestly serve our country in the most patriotic of ways. I hope that this is a sign of the changing times and we have more victories to look forward to, even marriage equality right here in Louisiana.

Sincerely,

Joey J. Macasieb

Political science sophomore