An American soldier once told his family that he would die for his country and those who lived in it, but what this American soldier did not know was that he would die on foreign soil with a secret he could not bear to share with his family; the secret of loving another man.
He will never know the feeling of embracing his loved one on their wedding because it was deemed illegal, wrong, and perverted. He will never have the chance to watch his own normal, American family grow before his eyes. He will never know that he fought for freedoms for those who hated him for his own sexuality, and would only regret that he ever lived in the first place.
Although the story above was fictionally written, this is not to say that this did not happen.
On Sept. 20 2011, the 17 year long battle of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was finally over, and the service members everywhere in the American armed forces would finally get to live as equals with those who fought along side them.
14,000 service members were discharged before the repeal took place, not for the lack of a limb, or the lack of sanity, but because these service members happened to fall in love with the same gender.
While these brave soldiers are fighting across seas, Americans are waging their own war at home; a war on love, equality, and true freedom.
Many see the repeal as a great leap in the right direction for equality amongst the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Others have spoke against it.
Richard Phillips, an openly gay member of the American Military, posted a video on YouTube of himself coming out to his parents. One comment, left by a member, known as GrandInquisitor7, said, “If he was my child I would have disowned him! He is a perverted reprobate! It is our duty to Almighty God to pray away the gay; just for starters, if necessary we should take stronger action! His mother should have told him either to choose the rectum or choose his family! Either choose heaven with the elect and the Lord. You can tell his mother doesn’t accept it and knows it is wrong, but shame on her for not putting the fear of God in Him! Amen!”
The Center of Military Readiness said, “This is not a legitimate victory for anyone; it is being imposed on the armed forces to deliver on President Barack Obama’s political promises to LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender) activist groups. The high-powered campaign for gays in the military was fueled by sophistry, administration-coordinated deception, faux “research” from LGBT activist, and misuse of the military’s own culture of obedience.”
While others see the negative side of the repeal, many sources such as Gallup.com, TheHill.com, and many more say that around 68 to 70 percent of Americans agree on the repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell.
So when you see a solider, whether they are female or male, straight or gay, black or white, religious or not, I hope you find yourself in the greater percentage of those who agreed with this repeal, and I encourage you thank those who have fought for your freedoms, and have given you the ability to call yourself  American.