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Oh yeah. A "special interest group". That's a common term that people use when they want to continue with the status quo and not address concerns of inequality.
Often but not always. In fact as often as not special interest group is the camouflage worn by lobbyists. They claim to be representing the best interests of the nation or a group when in reality they are a business and they are paid a great deal of money to sway the vote of our elected reps.
How is the Top Officer selected for the position? Is it because he maintains the highest respect from his peers?
Is it because he is the most qualified?
Is he selected by his peers?
The answer to all the above is no.
He is selected by politicians. Like all political appointee's it has less to do with actual qualifications than it does he knows how to get along with elected reps. In other words he is the Military's politician. This doesn't make him a bad man or unqualified. It does make him some what of a puppet.
And the American people chose Barack Obama to be their Commander in Chief.
Is it because he maintains the highest respect from his peers?
Is it because he is the most qualified?
Is he selected by his peers?
The answer to all the above is no.
But none of that matters. Obama repeatedly said he would work toward repealing DADT, and now it's being done. The American people knew where he stood on this issue. It wasn't a secret.
And the American people chose Barack Obama to be their Commander in Chief.
Is it because he maintains the highest respect from his peers?
Is it because he is the most qualified?
Is he selected by his peers?
The answer to all the above is no.
But none of that matters. Obama repeatedly said he would work toward repealing DADT, and now it's being done. The American people knew where he stood on this issue. It wasn't a secret.
You miss my point. My point is that Just because the CJCOS says it, does not mean that the majority of those who serve agree with him or that he is representing what the troops feel.
He is representing what his masters tell him to. That is the point. The article would have us all believe that he speaks for the masses and what he says reflects their position. That simply is not always true.
Exactly, but 10% is still a huge number. As I said earlier I would like to see a poll of active duty grunts and sailors. I would find that to be a more reliable measure than that of a political apointee.
Sometimes right is right and wrong is wrong. If a poll of military members showed the majority supported re-segregating the army (I'm not in any way suggesting it would) should that be the course of action?
I respect Colin Powell and Sam Nunn, but I think they're dead wrong on this issue (even if they eventually do support overturning DODT). It's never too soon to change something that is fundamentally wrong and incongruous with our basic principles:
Exactly, but 10% is still a huge number. As I said earlier I would like to see a poll of active duty grunts and sailors. I would find that to be a more reliable measure than that of a political apointee.
But that's not how military policies are created. They don't govern by a popular vote.
Sometimes right is right and wrong is wrong. If a poll of military members showed the majority supported re-segregating the army (I'm not in any way suggesting it would) should that be the course of action?
I respect Colin Powell and Sam Nunn, but I think they're dead wrong on this issue (even if they eventually do support overturning DODT). It's never too soon to change something that is fundamentally wrong and incongruous with our basic principles:
I don't disagree with you however, think about what happened after the civil war. Carpet baggers thought it amusing to make illiterate former slaves the mayor s of a few towns. What was the end result? Nothing good came of it. Carpet baggers used the situation to rape the southerners. Southerners already smarting from losing were further humiliated and they took it out on the former slaves. No doubt they would have to a point. However the approach used by the north only made things all the worse.
Today.
Today many if not most service members would accept if not willingly but because they are told to, openly gay people among their ranks. There will be troubled if it is done too quicklyor handled wrong. Slow and easy baby steps often work best. This is such a case.
I only got to the second page of this thread before I was moved to respond.
Only that far in, I'm already inundated with blanket statements.
"Open up a can of worms"
"They want to advertise"
"Sucks to be a republican"
Well, guess what?
I'm a registered Republican and a Bible-thumping Pentecostal. AND ex-Navy.
And it's my opinion that DADT was a stupid idea.
Yes, it was even stupider to discharge someone for being gay.
C'mon, we all knew who the gay guys were, on the ship. They worked in personnel, laundry, and the barber shop.
But they were (are) patriots in an all-volunteer military force. The best in the world, at that.
To ask these patriots to lie to someone/anyone about who they are flies in the face of why they are serving to begin with, and diminishes their integrity.
Nevermind the potential security risk this "secret" could create.
The "Bible-thumper" in me may not agree with, what so many refer to as, their "lifestyle"....But that has nothing to do with me or how they do their jobs.
Face it, closed-minded people, gay and lesbian 'lifestyle's are a part of our society and our workforce and our military.
Take advantage of the skill sets of these Americans and quit worrying about who is on top in the bedroom.
But that's not how military policies are created. They don't govern by a popular vote.
Sigh. I understand this, however will each gay person be supplied a body guard?
Look I was a rescue swimmer in the Navy. A good number of my swims were to rescue people who fell overboard. A good number of those rescued also happened to be gay. The code in the day was I am being discharged because I sleep walk. Now these men did not all slip and fall overboard. Most were helped but they refused to testify. As a swimmer I hated these rescues. Always at night always during a storm. That put my life at risk. Now I didn't blame the victim and I actually wanted them to tell what really happened. The point is what the troop thinks and feel really does matter.
Military policies are normally implemented with some concern for troop moral or what the consequences and impacts on troop moral will be.
Sigh. I understand this, however will each gay person be supplied a body guard?
Look I was a rescue swimmer in the Navy. A good number of my swims were to rescue people who fell overboard. A good number of those rescued also happened to be gay. The code in the day was I am being discharged because I sleep walk. Now these men did not all slip and fall overboard. Most were helped but they refused to testify. As a swimmer I hated these rescues. Always at night always during a storm. That put my life at risk. Now I didn't blame the victim and I actually wanted them to tell what really happened. The point is what the troop thinks and feel really does matter.
Military policies are normally implemented with some concern for troop moral or what the consequences and impacts on troop moral will be.
Sadly enough, I've seen my share of gays that "fell" down ladders.
I think we're in a far more tolerant age, though, and people are more accepting.
Last edited by hortysir; 02-02-2010 at 07:52 PM..
Reason: Forgot I'd multi-quoted earlier
Sadly enough, I've seen my share of gays that "fell" down ladders.
I think we're in a far more tolerant age, though, and people are more accepting.
We can only hope so. I heard that a gay man was thrown down the garbage shoot on the Nimitz. Not a good ending.
For none sailors. A ladder is a flight of steps. Much more steep than civilian steps and made of steel.
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That's a common term that people use when they want to continue with the status quo and not address concerns of inequality.
