That “Don't Ask Don't Tell” is a broken policy is well documented. It is unbelievable in a culture based on supposed equality for all. That the equality clause of the Declaration of Independence and later the US Constitution have a long way to go is also well documented – from race relations to gender and of course to sexuality.

While Americans still have a long way to go before racial or gender equality are realized, these biases at least have the decency to remain largely undiscussed. It is no longer fashionable to be an open racist in most parts of the country. And it is no longer fashionable to openly deride women. That these two things occur on a regular basis is not unknown, nor is it, really, unacceptable to lapse into bigotry.

Bigotry is alive and well in two arenas. It is acceptable, even patriotic to be anti-Muslim, or anti-Arab, and it is acceptable to be homophobic. A lot of this mentality stems from the US military. We take our cultural cues from our heros in cammo. In-and-of-itself this theory is not a bad one. Our military is excellent, well trained, and respected both at home an internationally because it is very, very good at what it does.

Being the role model of respectability that it is, the US Military should take up the challenge put to it. The armed forces should recognize their role as moral leaders in the world. Part of reestablishing the US as a moral world leader, a role we have unfortunately lost over the last six years of disastrous behavior on the international scene, is presenting the internationally visible face of the US as the moral leaders we want. Part of this is embodying equality and justice in all levels of the military.

In a world where racism continues to be rampant, we have a unified, multi-racial military. This integration represents the kind of tolerance America wants to encourage in other countries. Repealing “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” will have a similar effect. There are already militaries that allow openly gay service members – Britain and Canada, two of our closest allies. Britain and Canada the US is not. I realize this. But I refuse to believe that Americans are so completely backward or weak that we are unable to handle out service members here.