Evan Bayh: “I would be interested in Senator Levin's reaction to this, if he has a moment to think about it.”

In all likelihood there were gay Americans serving at Valley Forge, there were gay Americans at Gettysburg, there were gay Americans on Normandy Beach, there are gay Americans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan today.

If there are Americans who are willing to lay down their lives for our country and make that kind of sacrifice, and we can enable them to be that kind of patriot without harming our national security, not only is it better for them, it is…

I believe is discriminatory. Times have changed since then and it seems to me we should respond to those changes, changes in the attitude of our people, the acceptance of gay and lesbian people in the workplace.

It's time now to allow men and women to serve their country and to do so without having to conceal their sexual orientation.