So Sir Elton John
ties the knot now that same sex marriages — or civil partnerships — are
allowed in the United Kingdom. Good for him and his partner, and I only hope
we’ll see the same finally come to the US.
I’ve got several very close friends who are gay, including one who is
godfather to my children. It simply astounds me that should any of them finally
find someone they want to share a life with, they wouldn’t be able to marry.
I voted for President Bill Clinton both times he ran, but one of my biggest
disappointments beyond him failing to get universal health care going was his
decision in 1993 to go with "don’t ask, don’t tell" for gays in the military.
For me, it just seemed clear cut discrimination. The idea that you’d say to
someone who was Black, or Jewish or a woman that they could be in the military
as long as they didn’t reveal their race, religion or sex wouldn’t just be a
laughingstock — it would be roundly attacked as discriminatory.
But for gays, this is OK? This is equality and fairness, especially to people
pledging to defend the country? It simply seemed wrong for a US president to
endorse discrimination of this nature.
