The topic seems so quaint (rather 90s) amidst the prospect of gay marriage, the borderline psychotic disconnect between reality and perception of the Iraq war, and the speacter of mad cow. MTV News is airing a follow-up half hour that graphicly demonstrates just how screwed up the decade old policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is.
Recall Real World: New Orleans and the house's pretty young gay boy, Danny, and his GI boyfriend, Paul. I remember thinking at the time that the ever-present blur covering Paul's face was the single best indictment of DADT ever presented. All the fear mongering worst-case scenarios about allowing fags in fatigues out of the closet seemed so absurd every time the distorted voice under the pixelation spoke. I also figured Paul was Danny's age, enlisted, and a short-timer.
Wrong on all counts.
Paul was career. A bit older than Danny, he was a captain, a Ranger, and had served on the ground in Bosnia. Third-generation military with a field of ribbons pinned on his dress uniform. So, after the show aired, he ended up backed into a corner with a choice, career or love. He picked Danny, and the US Army lost what appeared to be an excellent officer (he certainly made the right call on this decision).
Their statements are here:
http://www.mtv.com/bands/r/real_world/news_feature_122403/
The follow-up show is rerunning several times this week:
http://www.mtv.com/onair/schedule/airdates.jhtml?channelID=1&SeriesID=11942
It's easy to forget there are still lots of lives being ruined by this policy, to say nothing of the fact it's costing the military valuable personnel when they're already stretched thin.
Don't forget.