Don't Ask Don't Tell

The question of what it means to be “normal,” has always dictated societal rules and even laws and today is no different. The “don’t ask don’t tell policy” is an example of how people are trying to control society. “Don’t ask don’t tell” restricts the military from asking questions about service member’s sexual orientation provided that the service members refrain from homosexual acts and keep their sexual orientation secret. The policy was put in place in 1993 in response to the ban on homosexual’s ability to serve in the military. Since its implementation the law has received backlash and support from a divided country, however, recently a federal judge ruled that the policy was unconstitutional, providing a win for the Obama administration. Although this ruling is beneficial for the gay and lesbian community there are still battles to be won. The complex game of politics may prevent the Democrats from rallying the 60 votes needed to appeal The Defense of Marriage Act, which makes it legally more difficult for people of the same sex to marry. The reality is that few Democrats want to use all their political capital on one social policy, especially in states that are more socially conservative. Although there have been recent wins for the homosexual community they still have multiple obstacles in their path.

Policies generally reflect the societies that develop them. The “don’t ask don’t tell” policy and others like it reveals American perception of “normal.” Vast numbers of Americans believe that gays and lesbians do not have the basic legal rights as other American, like getting married or serving their country. Why is our society so obsessed with preserving this kind of normality and why do we see anything outside the perimeters of our views a threat? The human brain naturally categorizes and groups everything and feels comforted familiarity. This need for normality leads humans to create policies like “don’t ask don’t tell.” Humanity must strive to break these boundaries. Although this article proves that there is hope, society has a long way to go.

The Evolution of “Don’t Ask” and After Ruling on Gay Policy New Questions For Obama, The New York Times: National, 9/11/10.