At last- the repeal of DADT!

Back in September, I posted a post calling for the repeal of the US “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law in America, http://anthillel.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/freedom-of-sexuality-now/ , also adding this heartfelt poem to reflect my views:

Why do you judge the feelings of the heart,

We cant control it when it beats for another,

When the blood rushes, the face blushes,

Love is still love.

 

Why should we hide the feelings of the heart,

Love comes in many guises,

The heart makes no distinctions, no barriers,

Whether male of female, it still flutters,

Love is still love!

Today sees the excellent news that the US Senate has voted 65-31 to overturn the 1993 “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, which bars gay people in the military from revealing their sexual orientation.

The House of Representatives had already approved the repeal bill. President Barack Obama, who supports the move, will sign it into law, at last allowing openly gay people to serve in the US military. As I said back when I did the original post “why should people who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for their country be forced to hide their sexuality or risk being barred from doing the job they love,” and this repeal today restores America’s image of being the land of the free as soldiers are now free to be proud of their sexual orientation! AT LAST!

At last,

No more hiding the feelings of our heart,

When the blood rushes,

No more denial, unchained and liberated now is the heart.

At last we are free to serve,

Free to follow our heart as it races,

Free to love without barriers, without fear,

Free to serve this country we love,

Free to fight for those we love,

Free to serve as we truly are with pride,

The day of liberation at last!

How to solve a problem like Korea!

I hear thunder on the 38th parallel,

Exchange of fire, the artillery bombards the air,

Kills the silence with its thunderous noise,

A storm brews on the 38th parallel,

Deadly, the hurricane builds,

Threatening to spread to lands across the water

For a moment, we all feel the wind from the 38th parallel.

This morning it was revealed that the bodies of two civilians have been found on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, shelled in yesterday’s attack by the North. Two South Korean marines also died, and many were injured when dozens of artillery shells hit the island – most of them striking a military base.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called it one of the “gravest incidents” since the end of the Korean War and The US president has pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder with South Korea. So where does this leave us and HOW INDEED do we solve a problem like Korea?

Well part of answer comes in the shape of this report on the BBC website, that the two countries are due to hold “joint military drills beginning on Sunday, with a US aircraft carrier with 75 warplanes leaving a naval base south of Tokyo on Wednesday, bound for Korean waters. The nuclear-powered USS George Washington has a crew of more than 6,000 while the US has a total of some 28,000 troops stationed in the South. Let’s hope this may act as a detterant to any further actions and lets hope this may calm down tensions enough to bring both sides to the table again for talks.

Let us hope this storm doesnt spread and bring a full on war. Surely no-one really desires this!

Freedom of sexuality now!

Tonight, US senators have rejected attempts to open a debate on a bill which proposed lifting the ban on openly gay people serving in the US military.

 In the US military, gay people can serve, but face expulsion if they reveal their sexuality. US President Barack Obama has promised to scrap the policy and Democrats could still try again later this year to pass the legislation. However, opponents say repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law could adversely affect morale in the armed forces and the vote to repeal the law was defeated.

This has angered me as it has angered many. Why should people who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for their country be forced to hide their sexuality or risk being barred from doing the job they love.  I do hope the democrats do try again to push this law through, in the “Land of the free” there should also be freedom of sexuality!

Why do you judge the feelings of the heart,

We cant control it when it beats for another,

When the blood rushes, the face blushes,

Love is still love.

 

Why should we hide the feelings of the heart,

Love comes in many guises,

The heart makes no distinctions, no barriers,

Whether male of female, it still flutters,

Love is still love!