We need many more good folks like senator udall but I too agree that its good news indeed that were finally making progress.

The intolerant military policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' must be repealed. Mark Udall is doing the correct thing by condemning that policy and by sending a letter to the President stating that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' must be repealed. That intolerant military policy is of a previous era in which that intolerance was tolerated, but that era is over. Most hopefully, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' will get repealed and replaced with an anti-discrimination policy for LGBT soldiers this year or 2010.

Here is a letter I sent to Obama yesterday. It is slightly edited from the origial for privacy reasons. Long story, but I have good reason to believe that it will be handed to him via private channels within 10 days....We need to keep the pressure on from all directions.

Dear President Obama,

                I write you concerning the "Defense of Marriage Act" and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" laws that you promised to defeat. I know that much of the response around the country on this subject has more to do with personal opinion and feelings and religious convictions than it does with civil law. I too have my personal views as a religious social conservative, but I am begging you to accelerate your action on having these matters repealed.

                I am not writing you to fight for the rights of Gay Americans, I am writing you to fight for the rights and liberties of all Americans. It is a grave diservice and threat to civil freedoms guaranteed by our founding fathers and our constitution by allowing the federal government to continue to meddle in what should be private matters.

                I don't want the government involved in my faith telling me what I must practice and what I must say and what I must believe. To me, such mixing of civil and religious authority is an abomination of my faith and a source of corruption of the civil function of government. It is also a grave overreaching of government authority and sets a dangerous precedent for further meddling in private affairs.

                That being said, having the government enforce what are esentially religious and social beliefs upon Americans is government meddling in religion and a violation of the concept of separation of church and state.  I view my marriage as primarily a religious thing that receives no validation in the religious sense from the state. My marriage as it exists under civil law is simply a definition of legal rights and responsibilities that my wife and I have. Really, as far as I'm concerned, you could call the legal aspects of my marriage a civil union. As far as I am concerned, I don't care what the government calls it as long as all Americans have it. Granting these same protections under civil law to same sex couples has no bearing on my religious and social views.

                The same goes for DADT. In civillian life, I deal with Gay people in work and other situations regularly. Whether or not I share their beliefs has no impact on me doing my job or in treating people with respect and dignity at all. I think most of our soldiers are capable of doing the same thing regardless of their personal feelings. I believe it is not for government to be applying a religious standard to determine someone's right to serve in the military.

                Although the religious and social debates on the issues will continue on into the foreseeable future, allow us to have those debates as free Americans as we see fit. Of course, government must be there to guarantee that such debate and differences do not cross the line and deprive fellow Americans of their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I may choose my own path towards those goals, with varying degrees of success or failure, but it should be my path to choose. It is time that our country lives up to those founding ideals for our gay Americans too.