by Charles Moskos

About the author: Charles Moskos is a professor of sociology at Northwestern University.

President Bill Clinton has joined the bandwagon against his own “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on homosexuals in the military. In a radio interview, Mr. Clinton cited the brutal murder of Pfc. Barry Winchell at Fort Campbell, Ky., as evidence that the policy doesn’t work. Earlier Hillary Clinton pointed to the increase in the number of people discharged for homosexuality to make the same point.

The claim that the policy isn’t working does not stand up to scrutiny. Consider the Winchell case. Pvt. Calvin Glover was convicted in a court-martial last week of bludgeoning Winchell to death; other soldiers testified that Winchell had been the target of vicious taunts...