Brody's Notes & Scribbles... Arlington-Memorial Day 2010

Arlington Cemetery Memorial Day 2010   
Photo By Brody Levesque

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) May 31 | This morning I attended the wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns and the attendant ceremonies & speeches by the Vice-President of the United States, Joe Biden, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, afterward in the amphitheatre behind the Tombs in remembrance of those killed in the service and defence of the United States. As has been my experience over the many years I have attended these ceremonies at Arlington, I was touched by the dignity and solemness of the proceedings as the American government and people gave thanks and remembrance to the countless soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who have paid the ultimate price for liberty and freedom that is enjoyed by every aspect of American society save for this;

The fact that Gay & Lesbian Americans cannot serve their country openly and without fear of reprisal and dismissal from the armed forces of the United States.

Prior to the ceremony, my assistant Mark Singer & I walked through the thousands of graves that stretch as far as the eye can see in the rolling hills of Arlington National Cemetery, and the thought did occur to us: 'Just how many Gay & Lesbians were buried under those simple starkly white headstones?' Mark asked me,

"Brody, do you think that there will ever come a time that a Gay Pride Flag could be flown proudly next to the national colours beside a headstone of a Gay brother or sister?"

I answered him honestly; 

"No, and I'd hope not Mark. What I'd rather see is the never ending lines of American Flags decorating the graves of these brave Americans as they have for decades but taking comfort in knowing that Gay & Lesbian Americans were able to proudly serve their country with dignity and honour. I'd pray that the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' would assist in propelling the LGBT folk into full assimilation as members of American society, as just a variant of humanity not unlike say hair colour. To me, that would be the greatest singular honour, that those Gay & Lesbians in uniform would be buried here at Arlington as simply American soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen Mark... just simply  as Americans."