Bucks Congressman Featured In 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Documentary
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - A former Bucks County congressman is part of an HBO documentary that tells the story of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It debuts tonight at midnight to coincide with the repeal of the law.
The documentary tells the story of the U.S. military's ban on gays and lesbians from its implementation to protests and debates and finally to its repeal late last year. Former Congressman Patrick Murphy, an Iraqi war veteran, played a key role in Congress, leading the fight to repeal the law (see related story).
"I just saw so many great leaders -- people who were willing to take a bullet to die for our country -- get thrown out just because they happened to be gay. And it was wrong and to right that wrong was important to me."
He says people ask him all the time whether this battle cost him his seat in Congress. "I was the second Democrat to ever hold the seat in such a tough district. You know, it shouldn't be about re-election, it should be about what's right for the country."
More than 13,000 active service members were discharged over the 17-year battle to overturn the law. The documentary, "The Strange History Of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," debuts tonight at midnight and plays in prime-time tomorrow night at eight.
Suburban Bureau Chief Brad Segall, KYW Newsradio 1060
