Gays in the Military: Does a Sailor's Murder Signal Deeper Problems?

From Time Magazine:

Even as Pentagon lawyers begin trying to ease the "Don't ask, don't tell" prohibition on gays serving openly in the U.S. military, the murder last week of an apparently gay sailor at California's Camp Pendleton has raised new questions over the readiness of the armed forces to accept openly homosexual personnel.

Seaman August Provost of Houston was shot and killed while standing nighttime guard at his base on June 30. His body was found at about 3 a.m. after his guard shack had been torched, apparently to destroy evidence surrounding his slaying, according to Navy officials. Provost was gay, according to his family, gay activists and his MySpace page, and had reportedly "come out" to some of his Navy colleagues. Two California Democratic members of Congress, Susan Davis and Bob Filner, have asked the military to investigate whether Provost's sexual orientation was the reason for his murder. Local gay activists have also asked for such a probe, and are planning a candlelight vigil outside Camp Pendleton's gates this Friday, several hours after memorial services for Provost are to be held in Texas.

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My Comment: First and foremost this killing has to be treated as a murder, and the perpetrators of this murder be brought to justice. Second, if this act was done by an individual or a conspiracy of individuals and the motive was the victims sexual orientation .... justice must still be applied.

But to take this murder and use it as a poster child for Gay Rights in the military .... you lost me. The issue is his murder, not a political agenda. But having said that .... I know that it will still be used in the political arena, and it will galvanize both sides in their positions.