The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is an issue conservatives need to clearly explain and articulate. Conservatives want what is best for the military, since national security is one of the direct responsibilities of the federal government outlined by the Constitution. Additionally, it’s their lives on the line, not ours. We need effective policy to ensure they’re comfortable as they defend our freedoms.

There is a mentality among liberals to brand conservatives as defenders of the status quo. But in reality, the conservative movement exists to preserve, articulate and execute our founding principals within American society. Regarding “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” conservatives want two things: First, military personnel living underneath the rules put down by Congress need to be given input, and any decision should make sure their concerns are met; and second, any change made in the current policy should be implemented in a way that doesn’t disturb current military operations.

Since conservatives are interested in the military’s best interest, we are open to ideas both from within the military and outside of it. The American fighting force is the greatest the world has ever seen and with the ever-present threat of Islamofacism, it’s important that Congress, not activist court judges, listen to the leaders and average soldiers to provide them with the most comfortable working environment possible. If the military supports repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s fine too. However conservatives do not support change in response to pressure from outside radical groups or to mirror foreign militaries — after all, this is America, not Europe or Australia.

If a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is passed in the future, it should be executed in a way which isn’t disruptive of day-to-day military operations. Special care should be taken to make sure it isn’t psychologically detrimental or physically manifest for any soldier, especially those serving overseas. Since military men and women know this issue best, they should be in charge of implementation. Hopefully this would ensure a safe and smooth transition between past and present policy. Issuing a change in policy without a thoughtful and reasonable transition time could cause unforeseen and unpleasant consequences.

It isn’t within the nature of the conservative to simply defend the status quo, because we stand up for our principals. Consequently, we don’t necessarily oppose the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Rather, we support what is best for the men and women of the U.S. military who put their lives on the line everyday to protect our freedoms. Conservatives should support whatever the military and Congress feel is an appropriate policy. Further, any change in policy should be carefully executed in order to ensure that the excellent work of our military men and women isn’t affected and that they can continue to do what they do best — keep our country safe.