Gay men and women in the military are willing to die for their country, but their government still refuses them the right to live openly.
Most of their comrades, most of their superiors and most of the American public agree that the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy — the egregious measure that forces gay and lesbian soldiers to serve in the shadows — should be repealed.
But when the matter came up for debate in the Senate today, did we get inspiring displays of political courage? Senators speaking up passionately against a blatantly unfair system? Republicans willing to cross party lines in order to take a stand?
Nah. What we got, according to news reports, was exactly one Republican, Susan Collins of Maine, willing to buck her party. But her passion, and that of Democrat leader Harry Reid, seems to have been reserved mostly for arguments about procedures and timing.
