Ten-Year Anniversary of the Glorious End of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)

 Ten years ago, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, aka, DADT, was no longer, officially, the "law of the land," in terms of those who served in military service. 

DADT was signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton as a "compromise bill," bringing an end to the outright ban on LGBTQIA+ people serving in the military, in 1993. What it meant was that as long as no one talked or mentioned anything about a person being LGBTQIA+ while serving this country in the military, (aka, don't ask a person if they are LGBTQIA+, and don't tell if they are, kind of thing), the then-closeted LGBTQIA+ person could continue to serve. An estimated 13,000 military service people were discharged between the date that then-President Clinton signed the bill to the date that the repeal bill came into effect on Sept. 20, 2011. Then-President Obama had signed the new repeal bill in December 2010. 

This is what President Biden said today: "Ten years ago today, a great injustice was remedied and a tremendous weight was finally lifted off the shoulders of tens of thousands of dedicated American servicemembers," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. "It was the right thing to do. And, it showed once again that America is at its best when we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example."

Along with this anniversary celebration, the Department of Veteran Affairs also is in the process of correcting a great wrong: Department of Veterans Affairs issued a policy clarification on Monday stating that veterans who were given other than honorable discharges based on homosexual conduct, gender identity or HIV status may be eligible for VA benefits, such as home loan guaranty, compensation and pension, health care, homeless program and/or burial benefits, among others. The department said the clarification offers guidance to VA adjudicators and to veterans "who were affected by previous homophobic and transphobic policies" who "have not applied for a discharge upgrade due to the perception that the process could be onerous."

For more information go to: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/biden-recognizes-10th-anniversary-dont-ask-dont-tell-repeal-rcna2086.

What an incredible, gracious gift! This is the US government doing this.

Wow.

Just imagine if the Church, universal, were to say to the clergy and members who are LGBTQIA+--both those who are living and posthumously for those who are no longer with us--who were excommunicated and defrocked, along with institutions of higher education connected with the church who denied us tenure because we are LGBTQIA+ (me, in this case), a word of apology for the outdated, hurtful, hateful politics and skewed biblical hermeneutics and constitutional, institutional hate that caused our removal from the Church.

Second, imagine if the Church, universal, then switched the "status" of all of us, making us clergy and people in good standing in our various communities of faith. Our names would be read in all the churches. Feast days would be made "in memory" of what we went through, with all those church trials. 

Then, third, the Church, universal, would now provide us monetary benefits that we were excluded from because we are LGBTQIA+! That would include health care benefits, retirement benefits, compensation benefits (like lost wages, lost honors), and covering even burial benefits. 

Would this not be the way of Christ? Would this not be a right and good way to begin the deep healing that needs to go on in the life of the Church to attend to the wound inflicted upon the body of Christ?

Imagine.

As I write this, I am envious of what is being done in the name of the US government in terms of reparation with LGBTQIA+ military service personnel.

Dear Church: take the hint, for what it's worth. Consider making a similar move that the US government is taking. 

And make it quick. 

Amen.