
Toby Talbot/AP Photo
Navy Lt. Gary Ross and Dan Swezy exchange wedding vows in Duxbury, Vermont on Tuesday.
At 12:01 am ET today, the military's repeal of its Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy took effect. Top Pentagon officials declared in a statement "gay and lesbian soldiers may serve in our Army with the dignity and respect they deserve" from this day forward.
This moment marks tremendous historical progress for the United States after 18 years under a policy that prevented scores of service members from being themselves. We discussed this "end of an error" with Dan Savage last night.
Many of these soldiers are now harnessing the bravery they always display on the battlefield and applying it to their personal lives by coming out to their friends and family. Navy officer Gary Ross immediately married his long-time partner in Vermont. And a young soldier called his father to tell him he was gay and recorded the whole conversation in this highly emotional video.





I have noticed that the stories that get the most comments on this site are almost always the ones that consist of personal attacks on Republicans. Once Lawrence "Unleashes the Hounds" they all come out in perfect Cover and Allignment. It's a sad affair when a feel good story such as this gets no comments because their is no one in particular being attacked. Now you know why I say the Left is engrained with anger and hate.
I think this is a great story. It is time for this country to accept people as they are.
This is the first time I've heard of a story of this nature where a son tells his father that he is gay! However, in the homes of New York families these stories do exist and are even very common! Gays are in our families/schools/businesses and share in our hopes/dreams/goals. Opening up gays to the American equality system is something that should have been done a long time ago since this is the land of the free and the home of the brave! The thing about liberals is that we've known this for a very long time and have learned to do the right thing about it! Conservatives have no clue what the term equality means or that gays are children of GOD! QUICO!
This is truly a time of great progress in the United States! A progressive leaning forward for Human Rights. This time a people who are indistinguishable by race or religion are now be elevated to and have rights as defenders of their country without penalty or shame. BRAVO AMERICA!
I am so happy that this young man's father was as tolerant and understanding as he was. I remember my step-daughter agonized for years before coming out to her father. She should have known he would do exactly what he did. He simply asked her, "are you happy?". That was all he wanted for her. In an ideal world, that would be all any parent would want for their child. I hope that more young people find equally loving receptions, and that those who do not are able to seek that acceptance in their friends and in others who love and understand them, even if their parents do not.
Kurt, what are you talking about? Look at all the posts celebrating this decision.
4 posts. If it was a worn out story about how evil Palin is there would be 100 posts by now.
and the right isn't engrained with anger and hate? your post above #1.
fox news does the same thing to president Obama that you say we do to republicans, and they do it all day long, starting with "fox and friends" all the way through "red eye".
and how about that worn out birth certificate story?
i am sure you view that as not being "worn out".
Wow, #1, I don't let news programs influence my thinking and #2 I did happen to watch FOX yesterday for 1 hour, and all of the news concerning this article was very positive. I have not heard the Birth certificate thing in ages. Find something else to worry about. Wait I will save you some time, here are some things you should concern yourself with:
1. Gitmo still open
2. More War's for oil (Libya)
3. Poverty at all time high (15.5%)
4. Gas and energy prices at all time highs
5. Unemployment at all time highs
6. Obama's job czar moving his own company's jobs to China (GE)
7. Government money going to bankrupt companies to get photo ops for the VP.
8. 80% of recent college grads moving back home with mommy and daddy.
Or maybe we should just worry about why Candidates use their Middle Names.
Oh my goodness, what a brave young man ..in more ways than one! I would be proud to call this young man son!!! His parents did a great job.