End The Ban Now

Here's a simple challenge to the Democrats. Your two leading candidates do not believe that homosexuality is immoral; another, Bill Richardson, is calling for an end to the ban on openly gay soldiers in the miiltary. Discharges for homosexuality are at a record low, as they often are in wartime, when gay soldiers are needed. (Isn't that in itself a refutation of the policy? That the gay ban is more enforced when we are at peace? If gay soldiers are a real threat to military effectiveness, shouldn't discharge rates go up in wartime?) The public overwhelmingly supports openly gay service. The U.S.'s closest allies, including Britain and Israel, allow openly gay people to serve. And the Democrats have an obvious opening to achieve this: attach an indefinite suspension to the ban to an upcoming defense spending bill. If HRC were more than a financial wing for the Democrats, they'd be pushing this proposal on the Dems right now. Many moderate Republicans might support it. Even Ramesh Ponnuru does. So why not?