Don't Ask, Don't Tell

I'm having an issue with this whole debate on whether to repeal the 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that was passed during the Clinton Administration. My delima here is that I don't know where I stand, or know what I believe is right. I don't believe that people should be discriminated against, but I also don't believe that we should do anything that will affect our military and its mission, especially during a time of war.

I'm an Army brat, which just means I grew up as a daughter of a solider (actually of two soldiers, until my mom got out to stay at home and raise my sister and I.) I describe myself as a "real" Army brat meaning that I moved a lot....I went to three different high schools in four years, so I grew up and was raised in the military community. Fact of the matter is that I love the military and the members that serve our great Nation. I also have gay friends and think that they shouldn't have to hide who they are if they so choose to join the military.

So here I am struggling with which side to stand on. On one hand I feel that someone's sexual orientation shouldn't prohibit them from fighting for this country, but on the other hand I don't want to have a policy taken away that could possibly be detrimental to the structure of today's military.  

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr has said, "The young company commanders and midlevel non-commissioned officers — the ones who would have to implement this policy — when I talk to them, they're kind of in the mode of, 'My God, what else do you want us to do right now?' Those are the folks that are frankly the ones that are most at risk. If the midlevel and non-commissioned officers start walking, they're the ones that take a decade to grow. I don't want to overdo that, but that's a possibility."

I have so much more to say on this matter and I think that means I know where I'm siding.