That’s how many days it has been since the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy became history. Many people – Marine Corps generals, among them – warned that letting gay men and women serve openly would be a “distraction” that could lead to casualties on the battlefield. Others fretted that thousands would bail out of the military due to fear and loathing of serving alongside homosexuals. Recruiting would suffer, they warned, as young people refused to serve alongside gays. The recruiting numbers for November have just been released; every service achieved its active-duty goal. None of the doom and gloom predicted by those opposed to ending the ban has come to pass. Not a single newsworthy anti-gay event has taken place. Isn’t anyone just a little bit ashamed?
