Archives » Thursday, January 08, 2009
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Kurt Soller
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Jan 8, 2009 03:12 PM
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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