At the risk of being branded un-American, or a hater of the troops, I must confess that I have never understood why anyone would join the military, no matter what your sexual orientation. Even my earliest understandings of the Bible and the Christianity in which I was raised, seemed to warn against warring — and definitely against killing.
As a high school student I was heavily recruited by the several branches of the service and finally told the recruiters that I was a conscientious objector who would have nothing to do with guns, no matter what kind of sweet job they wanted to offer me to get my signature on their papers. Learning to shoot a gun at other people in the hope of wounding or killing them made no sense to me. I've always believed that there are better alternatives to war or killing your enemy. I agree with Clement of Alexandria who wrote: "As simple and quiet sisters, peace and love require no arms. For it is not in war, but in peace, that we are trained."
The exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the military then, to me, was not an issue. I never wanted to serve, so it didn't bother me that the military didn't want me. It was all good. However, that all being said, there are gays and lesbians who wish to serve our country in the military. Christian and non-Christian gays and lesbians hold a different opinion of war and national security than I do and they want the chance to serve "the country that they love," as President Barack Obama said in his State of the Union address.
For those seeking equality in the military ranks, the president's words were welcome:
"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are."
Gay and lesbian people should have equality in all areas of life, including military service. I, too, support the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) – a messy law that encourages dishonesty from gay and lesbian people who wish to join the military. Right from the start, gays and lesbians are expected to break every code of honor in the service just to get the chance to do what they feel called to do. That's unfair, as well as immoral. If gay and lesbian people are willing to give their lives in service to this country, they must be able to honest and open about who they are. Anything less is cheapens their lives and their courage.
It's a promise the gay and lesbian community has heard from Obama already. He promised in his campaign to repeal DADT during his first year in office. Obviously, that did not happen. Gay and lesbian people are angry and discouraged these days after marriage equality defeats in Maine, New Jersey, California, and New York. Even a victory of the passage of the hate crimes law can't seem to ease the sting of these rebukes for some in our community.
While I refuse to pick up a gun to shoot my enemies down, I realize that, ironically, I am a warrior – a soldier fighting for the equality of all people who have been oppressed and marginalized by government and other institutions, including the church. It's good to hear that we have an ally, at least in the repeal of DADT, in President Obama. It remains to be seen if he has the courage to actually use his political ammunition to bring about the equality victory he has promised.
"We applaud the President tonight for his call to Congress to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' this year. We very much need a sense of urgency to get this done in 2010. We call on the president to repeal the archaic 1993 law in his defense budget currently being drafted, that is probably the only and best moving bill where DADT can be killed this year," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Sevicemembers Legal Defense Network. Rezv 1000
I wrote this article before the right wing sent out all their reactions to Obama's call to end DADT. The most ludicrous comes from Tony Perkins at the FRC.
In an email blast he writes: "Forcing soldiers to cohabit with people who view them as sexual objects would inevitably lead to increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault."
Of course, Perkins and his ilk want to reduce gay and lesbian people to nothing but sex - purporting the lie that all gay and lesbian people crave is sex. Why else would we turn others into "sexual objects"?
It reminds me of when I worked at CNN. A female colleague confessed that she was uncomfortable working with me, basically because she thought I was seeing her as a "sexual object." I asked her, "Are you attracted to every man you see?" She replied, "Of course not." I told her, "Same for gay and lesbian people."
Then, she was offended that I WASN'T attracted to her. You just can't win with some people - like Perkins. Gay and lesbian people are not sexual predators, just waiting for someone to fall asleep or drop the soap so they can pounce. Gay and lesbian people are already serving in the military and with honor and there is no epidemic of homosexual sexual harassment.
In fact, the military is already rampant with sexual harassment - male on female harassment. In 2008, it was reported that a third of women in the military were sexually harassed.
A study of 20,000 women in 1990 revealed that nearly 2 out of three women had been sexually harassed.
The military already has a problem with some members seeing other members as sexual objects - the heterosexual men see the women this way.
Perkins isn't done yet. He also asserts: "America's military exists to fight and win wars --not to engage in radical social engineering."
That's what people said when black people were finally integrated into the military. The armed forces survived that integration, and it will survive this one, despite all the fear mongering from the religious right.
Well done, Candace.
An ABC poll in July found that three-quarters of Americans supported allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military compared to 44 percent of Americans who expressed the same support in 1993, when President Bill Clinton approved "don't ask, don't tell" as what he called an "honorable compromise" that nevertheless bitterly disappointed his supporters in the gay community.
Andy hgh
As a current member of the armed forces, I agree that discrimination in any form is wrong, but I also believe the military has harbored, and at times, encouraged a hostile attitude toward gays. I think attitude change through education needs to occur before policy change will be effective.
Muscle Max Xl
It's either kill or be killed. Nevertheless what right has anyone to pop into someone else's back yard and start shooting!
Then again if someone popped into my back yard and started shooting, you can bet I wouldn't sit back and attempt peaceful negotiations.
Anyone who saw all the news reporting on the issue last night, know that the pro-dadt people came off looking very bad.
Also, in addition to Gates and Mullen being very supportive of the Pres., FBI chief Mueller came off very much on his side on the terror issue.
The GOP is getting dragged way over to the silly far-right by their primary process. The independents aren't going to stick with them for long.
The fact is, in addition to the human issues, this policy is costing us millions of dollars we can't afford to be wasting.
As a current member of the armed forces, I agree that discrimination in any form is wrong, but I also believe the military has harbored, and at times, encouraged a hostile attitude toward gays. I think attitude change through education needs to occur before policy change will be effective.
Where to Buy Ipad
It should be repealed, it is horribly unfair and disrespectful of the gay members of the military.
Acai Ripped
What truely needs to be done is a nationwide FOCUS by Americans to KEEP barack HUSSEIN obama from being elected. Click the link to be enlightened about the REAL barack HUSSEIN obama.
Acai Extreme Plus
Best president since Dwight David Eisenhower. President Obama is fresh air.
"Anybody who is willing to serve our country and die on a battlefield for us and our patriots, that’s the criteria for whether or not they should be able to serve in our military. England doesn’t have this policy. Israel doesn’t have this policy. It’s an outdated policy."
Go White Teeth
The bulk of Obama's SOTU we have heard before - a lot of nice sounding rhetoric but with promises that were never kept. Obama does the talk, but not the walk. Again, tonight's SOTU was a collection of old speeches that date back to the 2008 campaign.
Get Rid of Pimples
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