With President Barack Obama and top military officials pleading for the abolition of the barbaric “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule regarding gays in the military, the stage has officially been set for a new wave in the gay rights’ movement. From service in the military to marriage, it’s time for America to catch up with the rest of the civilized world and grant equal rights to our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens in all areas of the law.

Regarding the military, to tell a member of the armed forces they can’t serve their country and be who they truly are at the same time is ridiculous. Regarding adoption, paranoid homophobic rhetoric claiming that gay couples can’t provide stable homes or the proper love for a child is ignorant (although not as ignorant as the idea that they will somehow turn an adopted child gay). Regarding marriage, to tell two people who love each other they can’t officially recognize that love because they happen to be of the same sex is appalling.

Along with marriage, gay and lesbian couples should be granted all of the rights heterosexual couples are granted, including Social Security benefits, tax benefits, medical decision making rights, citizenship for immigrant spouses and all other benefits.

The current (largely) religion-induced homophobia, claiming moralistic “family values” is anything but moral. Denying the civil liberties of our fellow citizens based on who they love is as immoral as it can get. The fight for homosexual rights should be fought by every American with an inkling of moral fiber until we are brought out of the dark ages and into the 21st century.

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