West Hollywood Marks End to Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Tonight, the City of West Hollywood will mark the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell—the United States military policy banning gay and lesbian service-members from serving openly and honestly. The victory is a long time coming, but is not the end of the road.

Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has taken way too long and it is great to celebrate the freedom to serve with others across the country.

“Freedom means freedom for everyone,” according to former Secretary of Defense and Vice President Dick Cheney, and there is no greater freedom than the freedom to serve one’s country.

In addition to our local members of Congress, Congressman Henry Waxman, Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, there are several California Republicans who voted for the bipartisan repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: David Dreier, John Campbell and Mary Bono-Mack.

Forty months ago, West Hollywood celebrated in the very park where we will celebrate tonight, when all Californians won the freedom to marry. But we must not rely on hope alone that today’s victory will be any more permanent.

Seven years ago, on constitutional grounds. Not many people thought the lawsuit had a chance, but one year ago, thanks to the determination and skill of Dan Woods and his team at White and Case, a district judge in Riverside found that, indeed, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell violated the constitutional rights of our men and women in uniform.

Some, including the Department of Defense, said that this court decision provided motivation for Congress and the President to take action—the result of which we celebrate today.

Yet to prevent a future President or Congress from undoing today’s victory, it is critical that victory in Log Cabin versus the United States of America be the final nail in the coffin of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Next week, . His Justice Department continues to defend the legality of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell—meaning that those who were discharged under the policy have no recourse, and that today’s gains could some day be reversed.

We are our fiercest advocates, and we must speak up. We must ask the President to drop his defense of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the courts so the freedom to serve is and enduring freedom for all Americans.

The City of West Hollywood, LAMBDA Legal and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network will host a celebration in recognition of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at , 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.