The country has changed

Seventeen years ago, when Colin Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he declared that "open homosexuality" was "incompatible" with military service. At the time, he was defending the policy of "don't ask, don't tell," which forced gay and lesbian soldiers to hide their sexuality or leave the service. But now he thinks that policy should be repealed.

"Today we've changed," he told ABC's "This Week." "The country has changed."

Powell is right. When it comes to sexual orientation, this is a far more open and tolerant country. It's time to end a policy that has ended the careers of...