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Sunday, January 31, 2010
Scrap Don't Ask Don't Tell
I've brought this up here on the site before, and I realize that it is not a popular view with some. But the President is right to urge Congress to scrap "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (yes-keep in mind it is a CONGRESSIONAL creature). I'm no gay-rights activist, and I don't have any particular sense that I missed out on something by not having gays serve openly alongside me on active duty. What I do know is that a significant number of highly qualified and highly trained Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines--had come to choose the "gay" ticket out of their military obligations. Realizing that there was little or no social stigma attached to a discharge as a result of DADT, gay service members who came to find the military life not to their liking simply found a quick, easy way out. Ladies and gentlemen--there IS no witch hunt ongoing for gays in the military. It simply doesn't exist. What does exist is a small percentage of gay servicemembers VOLUNTARILY outing themselves to return to the civilian life virtually penalty free. We need to close off this loophole, and the best way to do it is to scrap DADT.
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About time to scrap DADT. It's also time that Gays and Lesbians should be able to serve their country as who they are are and not stay closeted. How much brain power are we potentially missing out on? How many potential outstanding leaders - leaders in battle if you will - are sitting on the sidelines because of our policies?
Pull your weight, be a team player, think outside the box, be heroic when/if the time calls for it, protect our nation from all enemies both foreign and domestic, help project America's might and policy, do your part to show that America cares deeply about people who are hurting (Haiti), be a good person, be an ambassador who shows the rest of the world we are good people, and that we have a heart. Also let them know you have no qualms about "killing them dead" then let artillery bounce their bones around if that's what it takes.
Those are tall orders. I don't care who you sleep with, who you don't sleep with, whether you love Liza Minnelli or k d lang. Just like in the civilian world, I want the best person for the job - the most qualified person. If my special ops guy loves show tunes, collects Swarovski crystal figurines, sleeps with his boyfriend and has a perpensity to say "Fabulous", SO WHAT. As long as he can pull his enemies heart from his chest and show it to him before he collapses...he's da man!
The military, and Navy imparticular, has a hisory of leading progressive, positive social change and this is another opportunity to lean forward. It was a cop-out...I mean compromise...when enacted and is long overdue for elimination.
'Don't ask, don't tell' should absolutely be removed.
Can't wait for the first Gay and Lesbian EO observance ceremony.
Any who may oppose gays in the military need to ask themselves these questions. If I am surrounded or wounded on the battlefield, would I reject assistance from a gay soldier? If I am about to drown in the ocean as my ship sinks, would I reject assistance from a gay sailor? If I am about to be captured as my aircraft goes down in flames behind enemy lines, would I reject assistance from a gay Air Rescue person? It is an entirely different argument to object to the gay lifestyle on religious or moral grounds than to object to an otherwise qualified individual based on their sexual preference.
Remember it is what strength that person’s abilities add to the team that is of import, not what they do in the privacy of their homes.
Couldn't agree more. Another way that DADT goes **against** good order and discipline:
Three or four young men/women of my division _may_ have been homosexual (I had varying degrees of suspicion of each). They were outstanding sailors, well respected by their shipmates.
Then, a new transfer came who was simply a bad egg. Late, lazy, slovenly, bad attitude -- the whole nine yards. He wasn't particularly homophobic, I don't think, but he realized that he could make trouble and disrupt what had been a cohesive unit by attempting to expose his shipmates.
We (divisional leadership with some help from a great DH) were able to resolve the situation well, but the only reason it became a situation to begin with was because of DADT. I hope the follow-through is there and that it goes the way of segregation very, very quickly.
One other thought -- I hate the "good order and discipline" argument for DADT. It's a projection of bigotry and hatred for fellow servicemen/women that I simply haven't seen in my twelve years in uniform.
It disgusts me that people (to include notable politicians) -- especially those who haven't served -- think that our Armed Services are a bunch of knuckle-dragging bigots who cannot function with diversity in our ranks.
CW, do you think this will finally clear the way for us to confess our brief, but oh so delicious, weekend in Bangkok several years back?
Ah...Bangkok....whoops.....What are you talking about....never been there. Hrpmph.
Truman integrated the military with an executive order. Obama could do the same thing, but will not for some reason. What is that reason?
I'll bet he didn't want to distract from other pieces of his domestic policy agenda that valued more. He probably thought the social conservative antibodies would have reacted quickly and violently and jeopardized health care, climate change, etc.
Big Fred--Obama can't end it with an EO--DADT is law--congressional language. Truman overturned POLICY.
I think that he has not "done" anything in his year as POTUS shows how little influence over the Senate and especially the House he really has. I mean Pelosi is from San Fran, so she for sure would have constituent backing, and she sets the agenda and could have moved something forward. On day one he could have written a letter to her "asking" to get the ball rolling, or introduce some sort of legislation. Again, nothing like that has happened, as far as I know. I have been Navy for 16 years. I do very much agree with Mr. Wahoo that is is more a loop hole or a way for those who want out, or for those who don't like a service member, who is gay, to get him or her out, no pun intended. The only problem I have, and its not really a problem, is those who wear their sexuality on their sleeve. I think is unprofessional for guys to talk all about all the stuff they do to girls, or want to, ie being a flamboyant hetero-sexual. I am just not looking forward to when its ok to be out, the "locker room" or "water cooler" conversations that will then be happening. It won't be right, but it will happen. Next issue will be the who husband/wife/domestic partner type thing. The military has "Cadillac" type benefits that will be very attractive to fight for. Sometimes I feel as those they are more of a "Chevy Malibu or Citation" type of plan, didn't you all know that Ibuprofen is a cure all. I digress, and that is a whole different topic.
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