CNN iReport

Gays in the military?  No thanks.  I don't want to die for a country that views me as a second class citizen and denies me my civil rights.  What rights do LGBT people not have?  In most states, a person can be fired from their job or evicted from their apartment for being gay (or even perceived as being gay).  I have been in a committed relationship for 8 years, yet if my partner ends up in the hospital unconscious, I would be nothing more than a stranger.  We have to pay more taxes because we have to file individually.

I do not categorically oppose the repeal of

"don't ask, don't tell". Watch the video again if you missed that.

A recent CNN/Research corporation poll found that 79% of the

public support allowing gays in the military. However, 76% oppose

gay marriage and 43% oppose both gay marriage and civil unions._*Moreover, in 37 states it is legal to fire someone for being gay or

lesbian, and in 48 states it is legal to fire someone based on

gender identity or expression. We are also in danger of losing our

children.*_

In light of these facts, why on earth would I want to go to

war for this country? What the above data indicate is that the vast

majority of the American public believes we should have the "right"

to serve in the military (or be drafted if it ever comes to that)

and get shot in the head, but they don't believe we should be

protected from getting fired from our jobs and evicted from our

homes. They think we are good enough to get shot in the head

defending this country (especially now with the military having

recruitment problems because of our occupation of a country that

was NEVER a threat to us), but we aren't good enough to be free

from discrimination in housing and employment. Nor are our

relationships important enough to allow us the right to visit our

partners in the hospital no matter how long we've been together,

and we are barred from receiving spousal health care benefits,

income tax breaks, inheritance rights...ad infinitum.

Allowing gays to serve in the military while denying us all

other rights enjoyed by heterosexuals is, in my view, the height of

hypocrisy. Ironically, if and when don't ask don't tell is

repealed, the ONLY way a gay or lesbian person can be assured of

equal treatment in terms of employment and housing would be to join

the military.

To those who would say "go to Iraq or Afghanistan and see how they'd treat you", you seem to be operating under the illusion that LGBT people have it better in the US than anywhere else in the world.  You are wrong.  Canada, most of Eurpoe, and South Africa are way ahead of the US.

Again, why would I want to fight and die for one of the few countries in the Western world that views me as a second class citizen?  If and when DOMA is repealed and ENDA is passed, then maybe it would be worthwhile for LGBT people to die for this nation of homophobic bigots (see comments).