In Washington, lawmakers will vote on repealing the military's controversial policy known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell. At the center of the wind-up to the vote is an unlikely figure, pop singer Lady Gaga. More than 2,000 people attended a rally at Deering Oaks Park, Maine where the Grammy Award-winning singer stood alongside Air Force, Army and Marine veterans who were discharged because of the policy, which prohibits service members from revealing if they're gay and recruiters from asking about people's sexual orientations.
Lady Gaga railed against what she called the injustice of having goodhearted gay soldiers booted from military service while straight soldiers who harbor hatred toward gays are allowed to fight for their country. She suggested a new policy should target straight soldiers who are "uncomfortable" with gay soldiers in their midst.
"Our new law is called 'If you don't like it, go home!"' she said. The rally was organized by Washington-based Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. The organization is trying to pressure Republican Sens. Olympia Snoweand Susan Collins of Maine to vote to allow a repeal of the "don't ask" policy, put in place in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton.
