Playing Footsy

It's always warms my heart to see a local blogger gain national recognition. So you can imagine how pleased I was to open today's WSJ and find this piece on the opinion pages:

Why Columbia Should Welcome ROTC

By LEARNED FOOTE

For nearly four decades, Columbia University has excluded Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) from its campus, a decision made in the wake of student unrest in the late 1960s. But this Sept. 11, candidates John McCain and Barack Obama reignited the debate before a crowd of 8,000 students when they both came out in favor of ROTC's return.

Last week, this latest argument over ROTC ended when results of an undergraduate referendum were tallied. The pro-ROTC side lost by 39 votes.

A few gay students, I among them, publicly supported the return of ROTC. Today, opposition to ROTC's return focuses predominantly on the federal law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which prevents gay people from serving openly in the armed forces. Columbia Students for Naval ROTC, a coalition of roughly 30 students, included four gay people. Notably, the other three gay members were veterans, men and women who had served under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Every member of Columbia Students for NROTC -- gay and straight -- opposes that policy, and yet we strongly believe in NROTC's return. Why?

It's good to see the proprietor of The Kool Aid Report expanding his repertoire beyond the usual bounds and willing to be so honest and open about his personal life. It's not easy to step outside your comfort zone and take risks in this manner.

What? The straw that stirs the KAR is Foot not Foote? D'oh! We regret the error. Carry on.