"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Takes Effect

The United States military repealed its "don't ask, don't tell" policy Tuesday morning, allowing openly gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals to serve in the armed forces and marking a noticeable shift in the recognition of gay rights in America.

The policy, which did allow gays to serve in the military so long as they kept their sexual orientations hidden, began under the Clinton administration and had been the object of intense scrutiny for almost two decades. The policy's repeal was the culmination of several years worth of back-and-forth debate between the executive and legislative branches, the Department of Defense, and many members of the armed forces.

"It's always a significant moment in history when the government moves to enact policies that match the values held by the public," said freshman Rhett Gopaul. "In this case it's especially important given the ongoing debate concerning same-sex marriage; it's a step in the right direction and I hope it causes the tides to turn."

The repeal of DADT still remains unpopular among some members of Congress. However, the Department of Defense has made it clear that the law's repeal will not affect the actions of the Army, whether at home or on the battlefront. The Pentagon called for "business as usual" Tuesday, encouraging members of the armed forces to remember the values of respect and fairness.

Military services halted the processing of applications from openly gay recruits until the law's repeal took effect Tuesday morning, a strategy which will give prospective servicemen an equal opportunity to serve their country regardless of sexual orientation.

The law's repeal received hearty support on GW's campus from students on both sides of the political spectrum.

"Though I am a Republican, I support the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell,' because those who are fighting for our country should be able to practice the rights that they've sworn to protect," said freshman Edric Chung. "This isn't a matter of gay rights; it's a matter of freedom of speech."

Anti-DADT advocates held celebrations around the country in honor of the controversial law's repeal Tuesday. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a watchdog organization which aims to end discrimination of gay and lesbian military personnel, hosted a party a few blocks off campus in honor of "Repeal Day."

The law's repeal marks a noticeable shift with regards to the recognition of gay rights in the United States.

Westboro Baptist Church Comes to GW

Students swarmed on Washington Circle to counter-protest the controversial, gay-bashing Westboro Baptist Church’s picketing of GW early this morning.

The GW Patriot sponsored the event in response to claims made on the church’s website that “parents and teachers, including college professors, are responsible for raising a generation of God-hating heathens.”

The counter-protest received sizable support from the GW student community, with over 1,800 “attending” guests for the Patriot’s Facebook event. Though the initial Hatchet report estimated the actual crowd size at 200 attendees, Patriot writer and creator of the Facebook event, Dan Keylin, claimed there were as many as 350 protesters.

Four members of the Westboro congregation casually paced the outer rim of the George Washington University Hospital side of Washington Circle with their now famous “God Hates Fags” signs, while passionate students took to the Patriot’s designated protesting space, on the Northern half of the of the circle, with signs attacking the church members’ anti-gay sentiments. One protestor wandered the crowd dressed in a Jesus getup and held a “No I Don’t” sign to counter the Westboro slogan.

Despite the occasional cry of “You suck!” or “Go back to Kansas!” the crowd was relatively tame.

Westboro’s picketers smiled while flashing their signs to passing cars and zealous protesters. They even sang a version of pop star Lady Gaga’s single, “Telephone,” replacing the outspoken gay rights advocate’s words with their own lyrics.

The event ran without incident, ending with a raucous send off of "Na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye" as the church members left Washington Circle for their Veteran's Day protest at Arlington National Cemetery.

-Joseph Rabinowitz