From AOL:
“During the debate Saturday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was alarmed by the number of Arabic and Farsi linguists who had been discharged under the policy at a time the military needs them most, noting that nearly 10,000 of the 14,000 men and women forced out since 1993 were language specialists.
“ ‘I don’t care who you love. If you love this country enough to risk your life for it, you should be able to serve as you are,” Wyden said. “Today the Senate has the opportunity to be on the right side of history. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is a wrong that should never have been perpetrated.’“
In effect since 1993, the policy was a huge step for the civil rights of gays and lesbians. Until then, entry into military service was effectively barred due to harsh penalties and strong stigma against homosexuality. The new policy in 1993 made military service possible for gays so long as they didn’t flaunt their sexual orientation, and laid the ground work for today’s total liberalization.
