Letter to the editor: Labeling based on sexual orientation un-American

On Feb. 2, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Forces Committee that the "don't ask, don't tell" policy should be repealed. He said: "Allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do."

The issue of allowing gay and lesbian Americans to serve openly in the United States Armed Forces is a simple issue when viewed from the proper perspective.

The keyword describing these men and women is not "gay" or "lesbian," but "American." It is another test of the notion of freedom and equality upon which our nation was founded.

As a nation, we have not always done the right thing when it comes to equal rights and discrimination, but we have the ability to change. We can do the right thing now. Our freedom that we hold dear is rendered cheap and hollow when we deny those freedoms to other law-abiding citizens.

I have served in the United States Army. I was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, served a tour of duty in Iraq and was honorably discharged.

Though I am heterosexual, I've never had a problem with anyone being gay or lesbian. It is a personal choice, and the notion of freedom that we adhere to requires us to protect someone's rights to engage in legal behavior.

There are many claims that supporters of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy make. Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is in favor of keeping the ban. He says that dropping it will cause "disruption" and "serious problems."

These are not new arguments. They were used after World War II to oppose the integration of our armed services. President Harry S. Truman made the right decision by signing Executive Order 9981 that declared "equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin."

President Obama has the same opportunity. A similar executive order would override the arguments of those such as Sen. John McCain, who during the same meeting with Admiral Mike Mullen, argued against the admiral's position.

In doing so, McCain went against a 2006 statement he made in which he said, "The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy, then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it.'"

Mullen is the highest-ranking military officer in our country. By law he outranks all other heads of the service branches. I would ask McCain if there is anyone else he is waiting to speak to before he will stand by his word.

I believe in the concept of freedom upon which our country was founded, even if the founding fathers had a different understanding of what that meant. I believe it means freedom for every law-abiding citizen.

Our practices have not always been faithful to those ideals, but we have the ability and the duty to make sure that the dream of real freedom in America can come true.

Allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve our country is another step in the right direction. It is a question of doing what's right. It is about disagreeing with someone yet defending his or her right to express an opinion.

That is what my America looks like: a place where people can come and be free from oppression and tyranny. That's the country I swore an oath to protect and defend, and there's no place in freedom for discrimination.