Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Can't Serve

Four openly gay young people want to serve their country by joining the military. Today, they tried to enlist. For their attempts at patriotism, they were rewarded with a trip to the pokey (and not in a good way!).

Nine people were charged with second-degree trespassing Thursday after staging a sit-in protest when four openly gay college students weren't allowed to enlist in the U.S. Army.

The four students -- Jessica Arvidson, Stacey Booe, Matt Hill Comer and Alex Nini -- were participating in the Right to Serve campaign, a national effort by the group Soulforce protesting the federal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Recruiters cited the policy in their refusal, Booe said.

Members of the military must abide by the U.S. Code, said Maj. Stewart Upton, a press officer for the Department of Defense. "Under that policy, any person who has stated that they are a homosexual or bisexual cannot be allowed entry into the U.S. military services based upon the applicable laws and regulations governing sexual conduct by members of the armed forces."

We'll take their word for it that they actually do want to join and this is not some publicity stunt.

"The folks who are trying to sign up are folks who really do want to serve their country," said Jacob Reitan, co-director of the national campaign, which organized another event Wednesday in New York. "For folks who are gay or lesbian, who are not willing to hide the sexual orientation to serve, it's an unjust burden to put on someone who is willing to serve for their country."

Matt Hill Comer, a 20-year-old UNCG sophomore, said it took him two months to make his decision. Comer has been active in gay and lesbian rights issues for years.

"There's a war going on in Iraq," Comer said. "I knew if the military were to accept me, I'd have a good possibility of going to Iraq or Afghanistan ... In the end, I decided I love my country enough to defend it."

Because we all know gay people have never contributed to the defeat of evil and the defense of freedom before. Certainly not him. Or him. Or him (who the Mormons excommunicated twice -- one more time than the military kicked him out).

"When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."

Let them serve.