Today President Barack Obama signed a landmark law repealingthe ban on gay men and women serving openly in the military, fulfilling one of his major campaign pledges and casting the issue as a matter of civil rights long denied.
It is a long-waited law, after decades of struggle, debate and discussion. Obama was prompted an option to issue an Executive Order to suspend homosexual conduct discharges, but he wanted Congress to change the law, and not had the change come from executive action.
I grew up in Shanghai, the most crowded and populous city in China, where housing has always been the compressing need of urban residents. In those old days people would rush for marriage certificates to be qualified for an apartment to live, producing fake marriages, and/or temporary ones for convenience.
I remembered myself back then wondering: “Why people who donot have a mate yet, or who decide to stay as singles are not entitled to thesame living space as of those who claim to get married?”
Once I moved to the U.S, a similar question keeps alive in my mind: “How is it fair that people with a different sexual orientation are beingdeprived of marriage benefits?”
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I feel lucky having witnessed one milestone after another ofour advancing civilization. It takes time, processes and patience.
