When I think of Lady Gaga, one of the first things that come to mind (after her insane wardrobe and catchy lyrics) is gay rights. All of her little monsters know that it is a subject she is truly passionate about, so her choice of guests at the Video Music Awards should not have surprised anyone. Gaga arrived with four former servicemen and women on her arm - all discharged from the military for being gay. Gaga called for a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and encouraged everyone to call his senator. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid responded via Twitter that there will be a Senate vote on the issue this week, and he said, "Anyone qualified to serve this country should be allowed to do so." I must say, I agree.
The policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) was created in 1993 as a compromise between then President Clinton and Congress. Congress wanted to maintain President Reagan's Defense Directive that stated, "homosexuality is incompatible with military service," and Clinton argued that any citizen should be able to serve in the military, regardless of sexual orientation. The result was a policy in which military servicemen cannot be asked about their sexual orientation, and any openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual person will be discharged.
Proponents of DADT argue that allowing openly gay men and women to serve would undermine unit morale and render the armed forces less effective. A 2006 Zogby International poll of military personnel revealed that 67 percent of respondents that had knowingly served with homosexuals believed that allowing gays to openly serve in the military would have either a positive impact or no impact on unit morale, while only 27 percent responded that it would have a negative impact. Furthermore, in 2007, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John Shalikashvili, stated that, "
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