2009′s Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America, by Dr. Nathaniel Frank, provided an eye-opening look at the ban on gays and lesbians in the military known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Frank drew on hundreds interviews with government officials, military leaders, policymakers and those serving under the ban, recounted how the now-repealed policy was originally implemented, and the costs — financial and human — that this policy took on our military.

The ad’s not going over well. Not surprising, since insulting our soldiers and defining an entire religion based on your own narrow beliefs isn’t the American way.

Daniel Avila, a lawyer for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, has resigned over a column he wrote ascribing same-sex attraction to Satan. Church Lady jokes aside, Avila’s resignation reveals a great deal about the USCCB’s efforts to get religious exemptions to various federal regulations on health care and providing social services with federal money.

Avila’s apology seems more aimed at his former employers at the USCCB than to LGBTs, which says a great deal about the political priorities and goals of the USCCB.

So, if your high schooler comes home one day smelling of patchouli and wearing a peace sign amulet, and blames it on “the recruiters” — don’t worry, it’s not the Air Force Academy going soft. It’s simply the Army of One Hippie: the Peace Recruiters will provide a view of an alternative lifestyle to the video-game, shoot-em-up, go-to-war, get-your-education-paid-for, (did-I-mention-lose-your-legs?) United States Military recruiters.

The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was an all-out battle, at times tougher than combat. Military Veterans and Political Lobbyists, College Professors and Grassroots Organizers pushed the government in such a way that the issue could not be ignored, but that did not mean the coalition or the struggle was an easy one. We all learned many tough lessons about research, messaging, politics, and perseverance. The roller coaster of DADT repeal is brought to life from “the foxhole” perspective of Dr. Aaron Belkin of the Palm Center (formerly known as the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military) who has the deserved distinction and title: The Professor of The Movement.

At the GOP debate sponsored by Faux News in Orlando, the right wing audience booed a gay soldier when he asked Santorum about DADT.

In our response to the government’s petition for Writ of Mandamus, we argue that there are no grounds for relief and that the elements for filing a Mandamus Writ have not been met. The Government could have appealed Judge Facciola’s finding of prima facie proof of vindictive or selective prosecution instead of issuing the Writ; further the Government is not irreparably harmed by Facciola’s finding because the government had multiple opportunities to develop a case that would rebut any selective or vindictive prosecution defense put forth by the Choi legal team.

An email chain turned over by the Department of Homeland Security in response to a subpoena in the Dan Choi case reveal that it was the White House that tipped off the Secret Service with the information that 3 days later there would be a DADT protest in front of the White House. Brian Bond, Deputy Director of Public Engagement, sent an email to then-Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, Dan Pfeiffer, Melody Barnes, Tina Tchen, Dan Pfeiffer, Shin Inouye and others telling them he had it on “pretty good authority” that “Choi will be a part of it.”

In something which should be remembered – because I have a feeling that it may be the opening salvo to something huge and sinister – NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan has sent a letter to President Obama claiming that he is alarmed about recent actions by the President’s administration that supposedly “escalate the threat to marriage and imperil the religious freedom of those who promote and defend marriage.”

Today’s repeal of DADT is a day which many gays and lesbians have been fighting for and waiting to see for a long time.

And of course, there will be a lot of celebrations.

With that in mind, pardon me for being the “one who lapped up the water like a dog ” (it’s a Biblical reference from the book of Gideon) by checking out what folks on the other side of the DADT repeal feel about this historic day.