GOP Congressman Mark Kirk's gay nightmare

Welcome to what it's like to be gay in the military, Congressman Kirk (R-IL). To be more precise, welcome to what it's like for any military member, gay or straight, living under the military's anti-gay Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. People talk. And you spend a lot of time worrying what people are saying about you, whether you're going to lose your job, whether your career is now in doubt, rather than focusing on your job. Wouldn't it be nice if no one cared if you were gay, Congressman?

Then again, you care if people are gay, Congressman. You think that gay people shouldn't serve in the military. But you're an officer in the Navy Reserves. And now some people are saying that you're gay. If you are gay, you're quite possibly violating the DADT policy, Congressman. A policy you defend. That puts us in the uncomfortable position of not caring if you're gay, but caring very much if you're a hypocrite.

So which is it, Congressman Kirk? Is your sexual orientation irrelevant to your job performance in the military, or are you, Congressman Kirk, a potential threat to the morale and cohesion of the United States armed forces during a time of war? By your own standards, the American people deserve a straight answer.