So, it’s come down to this. The burning question as the Pentagon grapples with implementing the new law allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military appears to be, at least for some people: Should straight troops be “forced” to shower with gay troops?

Andrea Stone
Senior Washington Correspondent
(Nov. 10) — Garrison Phillips hasn’t worn the uniform of the United States Army since he returned from Korea more than half a century ago. He calls his time in the military “a very prideful period of my life, and I can’t imagine not having gone to do it.”
To show his pride, […]

Whether there’s an appeal or not, the congressionally-mandated discrimination against homosexuals is going to end. Most of the country, and most of the military for that matter, has moved on. There may be an injunction issued. Congress may or may not act. But the writing is on the wall.

Marines can be asked to do a lot of tough things, but rooming with a fellow marine who is sexually attracted to his or her own sex is not one of them, says the top Marine. So I tried to imagine why that would be so hard…

At the end of the day, that IS what the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” debate comes down to, ending discrimination. You either believe gays should be discriminated against, or you don’t. I believe they should not be. Not in the U.S. military, or anywhere else.

The nation’s top military advisors are not the Joint CHEERLEADERS of Staff. It is not their role to publicly applaud or deride the political policies of the civilian leadership. Their job is to salute smartly, and carry out their orders.

What critics miss is that the President can’t change the law that forces gays in uniform to cover-up their sexuality. Only Congress can. It’s Congress, not the President, that’s ignoring the growing sentiment in America to end discrimination against lesbians homosexuals in the U.S. military.