washingtonpost.com - Editorials

IN A MARCH 4 missive to state colleges and universities, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) argued that the schools had overstepped their legal bounds by enacting nondiscrimination policies that include protections for sexual orientation. Under Mr. Cuccinelli's reading of the law, the schools must refrain from offering more protections than the law requires unless the Virginia General Assembly explicitly authorizes them. The attorney general admonished the schools to "take appropriate actions to bring their policies in conformance with the law and public policy of Virginia." ...

DO NOT underestimate the significance of this day. The District of Columbia is now the sixth jurisdiction in the United States -- the first below the Mason-Dixon Line -- to legalize same-sex marriage. It is a day of celebration for the gays and lesbians who have pushed for recognition of their relationships. It is also a day to mark the progress society has made.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL of Maryland does not have the power to legalize same-sex marriage; the legislature almost 40 years ago determined that "only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this state." His opinions do not carry the weight of law; only legislative pronouncements and court rulings do.

FORMER SECRETARY of state Colin L. Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1993 when he opposed efforts by President Bill Clinton to repeal the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military. On Wednesday Mr. Powell announced, "I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense [Robert M.] Gates and Admiral [Mike] Mullen." That new approach is a carefully considered one that officially starts the clock ticking on the end of an unjust policy.

PRESIDENT OBAMA has been clear about wanting the reversal of the prohibition on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military. He said so during the campaign. He repeated it at a gay-pride event at the White House last June. He reiterated it at a gay rights organization's dinner in October. And he was unambiguous when he told the nation during his State of the Union address, "This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It's the right thing to do." The ball ...

GAY RIGHTS organizations across the country hailed the District's recent decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Among them was Equality Maryland, the state's leading gay rights organization, which celebrated what it called the "historic vote" in the District.

WHEN IT COMES to District voters having a say in their governance, congressional Republicans are a curious lot. They -- with a major assist from weak-willed Democrats -- refuse to give voters a voice in the House of Representatives. Yet 37 Republicans from the House and two from the Senate have risen in righteous indignation to defend the people's right to vote on same-sex marriage. Pardon us while we roll our eyes at such flagrant grandstanding.

THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY Bill of 2009 is an ugly and ignorant piece of legislation being considered in Uganda. If it is approved, the gay people of that nation would be subject to life in prison. This retreat from the death sentence originally proposed should neither be celebrated nor considered a concession by the government in response to pressure from the United States and other nations. The proposal is barbaric. That it is even being considered puts Uganda beyond the pale of civilized nations.

VIRGINIA GOV.-ELECT Robert F. McDonnell's ethically tone-deaf insistence on choosing a commerce secretary who refuses to forfeit his seats on several corporate boards is deeply troubling. It suggests that neither Virginia's incoming chief executive nor his pick for the state's top trade official cares much for ethics in government, the potential for conflicts of interest or the idea that public service entails personal sacrifice. Why in the world would Mr. McDonnell want to send those messages on the eve of his inauguration as the commonwealth's 71st governor?

SLOWLY BUT SURELY, the groundwork continues to be laid for the overdue demise of "don't ask, don't tell." The latest move came on Dec. 22 when Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) and 95 House colleagues sent a letter to the Pentagon requesting statistics on troops discharged for violating the wrong-headed ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. They want everyone to see the effects of the policy on the military and the national defense. This has the added benefit of reminding Americans of the law's absurdity.