Day 349

Just read two good articles about how Senator Joe Lieberman is pushing for Don't Ask Don't Tell to be repealed before the Republican majority takes over. You can find the articles I read on The Day and AFP.

On December 1 they are releasing the final results of the study they've done on the issue. To my understanding the study will show 1) how the military personnel and family view the issue, 2) what would be the effects of lifting the ban, positive or negative, and 3) how best to acclimate soldiers and educate them on working with homosexuals.

And my response is "Oh, please." I can answer those right now.

1) Don't care.

2) None.

3) Already there.

I've done a lot of reading, and those are the answers I've come to find. Even if noone is asking or telling, most people know. So they are already working with gays, know they're gay, and don't care that they are gay. Even in a normal work environment, lifting the ban would make common sense.

And there won't be a rise in hate crimes. Why? Because those crimes will be tolerated even less once it's acknowledged that gays have the right to serve openly.

Also because we're gay - not stupid. We can feel when someone is not ok with any expression of our preference, just like I can tell when someone thinks less of me for watching Star Trek.

Loves of my life.

So you won't have more people "outing" themselves. Those people are already open as much as they can be without getting kicked out.

Now, there might be an increase of gays serving in the military. But you still have to think, gays represent a very small fraction of the US population. The only workplace that will ever be overrun by gays is a gay bar.

In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing what they produce on December 1! And maybe we can again get the ball rolling on the repeal!

Day 9: Someone you didn't want to let go, but who drifted away

I can't think of any one person in particular. There aren't people I've stopped being friend with, but there are those who I have drifted apart from because of distance and life differences. Sometimes I regret it, but I know that I haven't lost the friendship. It's always there should either of us need it.

But, essentially, I'm a bad long-term friend. I'm usually the one who stops making contact.

The people I've drawn away from... I feel like they haven't changed (not that it's a bad thing!), but I have changed drastically through the years. From 13 to 15, 16 to 18, 18 to 20, 21 to 23 - those girls are all nothing alike. Only a basic underlining identity and circulating dreams hold them together.

Some of the friends I made, I no longer have commonality with, and I'm ok with that. I realize it as inevitable.

And the friends I have now, I can only hope they stay as strong in the future as they are now. They are seriously the best, and I don't think I could ever do better.