I COMMEND President Obama for reaffirming his commitment to end don't ask, don't tell, to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to sign a comprehensive hate-crimes bill. Unfortunately, he forgot another form of invidious discrimination: It's illegal for gay men to donate blood. I was reminded of this several weeks ago while visiting a church that was hosting a blood-drive.
I was told the Red Cross was required to enforce the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule established in 1983 to prevent the spread of HIV through transfusions. All blood is now screened for infections, yet it is illegal for me, the minister of the historic First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, to donate blood because of my sacred sexuality.