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Posted Thursday, January 08, 2009 3:12 PM

Should Gays Serve in the Military?

Kurt Soller
In Dan Ephron's story this week, he mulls whether the new administration might overturn the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy that prevents those who are openly gay from serving in the military. A 2008 Washington Post–ABC News poll put public support for gays serving openly at 75 percent, showing a real opportunity for the new administration to change the current law. Obviously, it's a hot-button issue, and one that had thousands of readers coming out on both sides to speak for or against, often evoking religious arguments. Since we've gotten into the religious aspects of homosexuality before, let's move on:

One of the principal arguments for allowing gays in the military was that more than a dozen countries allow gays to serve in their infantries, and have had few problems. "I believe gays should be in the military openly," says one commenter. "Other countries do it with no problem. Gays are just like you and me. It's as if we are saying if you're blond you can't serve in the military. It makes about as much since." Many also responded to a fearful argument from the other side that allowing gays into the military would mean allowing lewd activity -- stares in the shower, or what have you -- to occur among a cohesive squad. "The more I have thought about the comments from heterosexuals in the military the more angry I get." writes one commenter. "These big strong men say they wouldn't feel comfortable sleeping or showering in the same quarters with homosexuals. Well, [with Don't Ask, Don't Tell], they've been doing it for years and didn't know it."

That's true. And as one soldier puts it, service -- not sexuality -- should be everyone in the military's top priority: "I served for 23 years and would rather have a soldier or sailor at a high performance level than be forced to work with a lesser qualified person just because of sexual orientation," says one reader. "I was trained to keep sexual harassment out of my workplace, now just apply that idea to same-gender relationships." As another puts it, given the declining rates of enlistment: "The military has enough trouble finding good men without having prejudice entering the picture."

But what those about issues of troop unity? On the flip side, many argue that cohesion among troops -- brotherhood, if you will -- would be fragmented if gays in the military were allowed to express their sexuality. "If they can serve with respect and truly want to fight for their country and beliefs, then yes, they should be allowed to join the military without having to hide their sexual preference," offers one reader. "But then again, that opens up another set of problems such as the machos of the world not being able to handle a gay person. What happens when there are sexual harassment suits?" Another reader echoed that concern, saying that "it would be a HUGE mistake to allow one's gay status to be openly acknowledged. Discounting the typical sleeping or showering discomfort, the more real issue is the attitude of most straight soldiers toward gays. Whether one wants to acknowledge it or not there is a prejudiced attitude against the gay lifestyle in the military, for several reasons, and one's openly admitting their gay preferences is a huge blow to the morale and cohesiveness of a unit's integrity." Or put simply by another comment: "many men and women in the services either hate or dislike gay men and women. This causes conflict."

It's a debate that caused many veterans to chime in, including a few who questioned what would happen to those who are intolerant of gays to the point of wanting to leave the military if Don't Ask, Don't Tell gets repealed. "Many of those men and women that do not like gay people WILL NOT work beside one" and "those members who joined the Armed Services who are against homosexuals serving, for whatever reason, do not have the ability to quit their job or even protest against the change in policy. So finally, here's my point: if a major policy change occurs in the military, in fairness, shouldn't those opposed to that change be allowed to honorably separate from service?"

I think that's an interesting way to drive this discussion forward. Assuming that the new administration does change Don't Ask, Don't Tell, what should be the solution for soldiers who are already enlisted? Sound off below.
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Member Comments

Posted By: KizunaKurogane (March 25, 2009 at 12:18 PM)

As a response to WTL=JC: Really? Gays are forcing others to become gay? Honestly, as a person with many gay, lesbian, and bisexual friends, I have never had any of them force themselves on me. They show respect towards you. You should do the same. Also, read about King David and Jonathan.

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Posted By: GLUAD_STAFF (February 9, 2009 at 6:23 PM)

Sadly many of our members of the community that are LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) feel as if they are no longer an American. For many reasons such as, their rights are being banned. Just a few rights that are being confiscated would include Marriage, Domestic Partnership, Disability benefits, health benefits, and so much more. Statically, over 1138 rights are banned just because a person(s) is "homosexual" Youth that are homosexual are up the four times more likely to successfully attempt suicide then their heterosexual peers! Hate crimes are a huge outcome of someone's hatred to someone's sexual orientation (ex: The Matthew Shepard Story ; Prayers for Bobby). LGBT couples DO NOT have the legal right to visit a spouse in the hospital and can be barred from entering the room by any medical staff/personnel. The LGBT community also faces critical issues such as being unable to make medical decisions. In other words, they have no legal authority to make critical treatment decisions for their loved one, even if they are seconds away from dying. One that is homosexual can't ask or receive domestic violence protection orders.

I am hearing stories from others saying they are being harassed, abused, neglected, and so much more! I also found that many of us are afraid to express ourselves, because we are uncertain of the outcome in which one may respond to us being ourselves. Hate crimes are a huge issue that we face along with harassment. On record according to the FBI's statistics in just the year of 2007, over a thousand reported hate crime offenses were committed JUST in cause of someone's sexual-orientation. That number will only continue to rise and increase if we do not immediately take action. Statistically speaking, many hate crimes based on someone's sexual orientation are un-reported. Also many of the members of the LGBT community commit suicide, because they are always put down, and they feel no need to live as they are discriminated upon, and frequently abused or beaten by the community that has negative views on the LGBT community. Sadly LGBT youth are up to four times more likely to successfully attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers! Our gay community is and should be part of the one community called "Americans" Whether you be African American, Hispanic, Christian, Gay, Straight, or Disabled. We are all citizens, better yet human. As citizens of the United States of America we all have freedom and the right to express ourselves, as our rights are guaranteed in our state, and United States Constitutional Amendments. Banning these rights and marriage between the LGBT community, is absolutely discriminating, un-constitutional, and unjust! Rights should not be taken away from any individual because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. A very heartrending memory back in history, not too long ago when the Caucasian race was treated better then the African American race. Is that honestly the definition of freedom and equality? Now with the LGBT community we are repeating history and facing some of those habits and problem once again. Currently, one of the main changes would be that it's discriminating on someone's sexual orientation, rather then their race. I feel that this issue can be changed as we can re-solve this problem as a community, working together! We need to make our schools, offices, and all public places more friendly towards all people, no matter what someone's sexual orientation is, and so forth. This is a very important issue, that must be acted upon now, before more of our community and citizens are injured, commit suicide, or get brought down, and lose their self confidence.

--Team Members @ Gay & Lesbians United Against Discrimination

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Posted By: WTL=JC (February 2, 2009 at 10:59 AM)

harley if you are so against the views of christians then why are you reading the bible?  ( just a thought)  for the record christians are not the aggresors here. gays and gay activist are. do you think were just going to sit back and let you force your ungodly marriages into our churches and teach our kids in school that gay is ok. no certainly not. thats where it ends for you. we would be sinning if we gave into that. and while you were reading in your bible did you happen to read the part on marriaige. where it said a man and woman should come as one.did you also read the part about the sodemites in the old testament? i guess you forgot to mention that in your article right. please dont tell me what to read in my bible. especially when you obviously havent read the entire bible yourself. if your going to cling to those verses at least read the rest. then will talk.

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