Gay Soldiers Get Powerful New Champion

When Rep. Patrick Murphy, a former Iraq-era Army captain and West Point professor, recently took over as the lead sponsor of House legislation to overturn the military's ban on openly gay soldiers, he called arguments that doing so would hurt unit cohesion and morale an "insult" to everyone serving our country in uniform.

"In Iraq, my men did not care what race, color, creed or sexual orientation their fellow paratroopers were," Murphy said. "They cared whether they could get the job done."

Murphy's decision to step forward is one of this year's most hopeful signs that the days of the wasteful and un-American "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law are finally numbered.

Catholic, married and a father, the Pennsylvania congressman has impeccable military credentials. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee's key military personnel subcommittee.

"I cannot tell you how long (repeal) is going to take. All I can tell you is that paratroopers ... get the job done," said Murphy, whose 82nd Airborne Division lapel pin honors 19 of his fellow paratroopers who have died in Iraq.

At 35, he represents the younger generation that polls show is overwhelmingly comfortable with gay Americans serving openly. And at a time when the military and the federal budget are stretched thin, Murphy stresses that it makes no sense to have wasted close to $1 billion kicking out 13,000 servicemembers over their sexual orientation.

"That is the equivalent of three and a half combat brigades," Murphy said in disgust. "The policy is not working for armed services, and it hurts our national security."

Murphy's bill, which needs 218 votes to pass, starts off with 151 co-sponsors. His push comes amid several other positive developments.

Revealing movement inside the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on June 30 that he asked his general counsel to investigate whether there's "at least a more humane way to comply with the law until the law gets changed."

A few days earlier, House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton, who has opposed repeal, indicated open-mindedness in agreeing to new hearings.

"If we conclude that repeal is the appropriate course, the success of the change will hinge on our full understanding of the implications of the change, and the development of a law and policy that will preserve the readiness and morale of our military forces," he said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Campaign and Servicemembers United are launching a national "Voices of Honor" tour to build support. Those gay voices include former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, whose leg had to be amputated after he stepped on a landmine in Iraq in 2003, making him the first U.S. soldier wounded in that war, and Alex Nicholson, a former U.S. Army intelligence expert fluent in five languages, including Arabic, who was kicked out six months after Sept. 11.

Sadly, no senator has yet introduced repeal legislation. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, a longtime supporter of repeal, has signaled he's in no hurry to hold hearings.

"It's going to take presidential leadership," Levin said on June 25, "and I think it's going to take some real kind of preparation work, perhaps with a survey inside of the services for us to successfully" repeal the law.

President Obama, speaking to gay-rights leaders on June 29, recommitted himself to repeal, adding he's told Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Michael Mullen "to develop a plan for how to thoroughly implement a repeal."

Murphy commends Obama, adding it's now Congress' responsibility to complete the mission. If Murphy can lead a successful charge through the House, the forces of repeal will finally have victory almost within sight.

Deb Price of The Detroit News writes the first nationally syndicated column on gay issues. To find out more about Deb Price and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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