Mike Royko is much more ignorant than the 48-61 percent of Americans whom polls have identified as favoring that the ban against gays in the U.S. military forces be lifted (Jan. 14). As his authorities favoring the ban, he cited various military men such as Gen. Colin Powell and Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis. Surely both men must know, if they are as smart as Royko thinks they are, that gays and lesbians have been serving their country for as long as the United States has been involved in wars.
I’d like Royko to know about a gay friend of mine, a lieutenant commander in the Navy, who is now serving in the reserves. All I can say is that he and other gay and lesbian soldiers, sailors and marines would never have partaken in the Tailhook scandal-and not just because they are gay, but because they are decent human beings who respect and love their country and are willing to fight for it, even if their country consistently rejects them and even kills them once their sexual identification becomes known.
Despite Royko’s ravings, they are entitled to total social acceptance and gratitude for their patience with people like him.
