Kiss seen 'round the world

There has been a lot of buzz in the last few days about the kiss seen ‘round the world!  Two marines, one coming home from a 4 month long deployment, shared a kiss.  So far not newsworthy, however they are both men.  Now I will admit it was a passionate kiss but what is most telling to me is the people in the background of the photo.  No one is looking.  No one cares.  Not that they don’t “care” but they don’t care.  You know what I mean.  It is no big deal.  It is a couple greeting each other after one has been in harm’s way. 

It doesn’t matter if a “deployment” or “TDY”, as the military lovingly refers them, is to Afghanistan, Iraq or Michigan.  You have been separated from your loved one.  Out of touch, out of sight and often out of even phone or email contact.  You missed them.  You are glad to see them.  You are glad they are safe.  You want to hug them and never let go.

Yes, I speak from experience.  I have been married to my husband for over 24 years.  In that time he has been on 30+ deployments.  In fact, he got home yesterday from one.  Now this one was short, 7 days, in comparison to months or years but we’ve done that too.  It doesn’t matter how long he was gone, I was glad he was home.  I kissed him and held him and I didn’t want to let him out of my sight.

To me as a “fellow” military spouse, I was thrilled by that picture!  There is no reason that a man or woman for that matter should not greet, with love and affection, their significant other upon returning home.  In fact for years I have felt awkward knowing that some in my husband’s unit couldn’t do just that.  I know that they felt awkward too. 

The end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell had nothing to do with gays serving in the military.  Nothing!   They were already there, proudly serving right beside my heterosexual spouse.  Some of them we knew, some of them we didn’t.  But either way they were his brothers and sisters in arms and part of our extended family.  It just didn’t matter.  What does matter is that they have the right to love and be loved.  To kiss their partner (and hopefully someday spouse!) upon returning from a deployment.  To cry and laugh and love just like we all do.  Each and every spouse, partner, lover and friend has earned that right. They have also earned the right to receive a flag along with the words, “On behalf of a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.” As well as the support, caring and sympathy as a result of the ultimate sacrifice. 

You see that man or woman, gay or straight, signed a blank check that said “up to and including my life”.  The bullet, sniper, IED, or bad guy didn’t ask if he was straight.  The car wreck, cancer, heart attack, AIDS, or slip on the ice didn’t either. 

It’s not black or white.  It’s not green or purple.  It’s not straight or gay.  It’s human and as humans we have the right (yes I said the RIGHT) to love and be loved.  Isn’t that what the constitution says, “pursue happiness”?  Isn’t that what the Bible says, “love one another”?  It doesn’t say, only if…..