President Obama said Saturday night in a speech to thousands of gay rights supporters at a Human Rights Campaign event in Washington D.C. that he will end the military ban on gays.

"I will end 'don't ask, don't tell,'" the President said. "That's my commitment to you."

We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country. We should be celebrating their willingness to show such courage and selflessness on behalf of their fellow citizens, especially when we're fighting two wars.

The President did not, however, give a timetable for when such a change to the military's ban on gays might be overturned.

The President received several large rounds of applause during his speech, in which he also talked about working toward recognizing same-sex marriage and the House's widening of hate crimes legislation to include anti-gay violence.

Still, Obama said, 'despite the real gains that we've made, there's still laws to change and still hearts to open."

Obama said he had a simple message: "I'm here with you in that fight."

The President also compared the gay rights struggle to the civil rights movement. "It's not for me to tell you to be patient," Obama said, "anymore than it was for others to counsel patience to African Americans petitioning for equal rights a half century ago."

Still, the Obama administration has been criticized by some in the gay community for not moving fast enough to repeal the military ban on gays. And while Obama acknowledged that "progress may be taking longer" than some would like, he insisted that "my commitment to you is unwavering."

"Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach," he said.

Here's the video of Obama's speech:

Editor's Note: This post has been added to since it was first published.