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Well, it's obviously a cultural bias. I don't know of any evidence that says gay soldiers are worse at performing their jobs than straight soldiers, and all of the other advanced nations of the world are able to allow openly gay people to serve in the military. The U.S. Military is uniquely anti-gay. Agree?
Uniquely? No. The Military is possibly the best representation of mainstream America that can be found. It (Uniquely) is made up of folks who come from all walks of American life. The big difference however is unlike mainstream america there is no escape from your day to day lives.
Out to sea it is 24/7 and very little privacy. I can't speak for the other branches but I do know that on ship there are a few luxuries. One of the most guarded is that little bit of privacy. This is cause to build tension.
Imagine never being able to get away from your co-workers. Imagine eat, sleep and working with the same people no breaks. Imagine the only break from someone who annoys you is when you sleep.... Soon petty issues feel huge. Poor hygiene or snoring or farting. These things have started fights. Now add to the mix someone talking about what until now has been taboo. Their gay life style.
That is life on board a Navy war ship. Now for those of you who have never served you most likely still don't get it.
Uniquely? No. The Military is possibly the best representation of mainstream America that can be found. It (Uniquely) is made up of folks who come from all walks of American life. The big difference however is unlike mainstream america there is no escape from your day to day lives.
Out to sea it is 24/7 and very little privacy. I can't speak for the other branches but I do know that on ship there are a few luxuries. One of the most guarded is that little bit of privacy. This is cause to build tension.
Imagine never being able to get away from your co-workers. Imagine eat, sleep and working with the same people no breaks. Imagine the only break from someone who annoys you is when you sleep.... Soon petty issues feel huge. Poor hygiene or snoring or farting. These things have started fights. Now add to the mix someone talking about what until now has been taboo. Their gay life style.
That is life on board a Navy war ship. Now for those of you who have never served you most likely still don't get it.
The U.S. Military is uniquely anti-gay compared to other militaries in advanced countries. That's what my point was.
The U.S. Military is uniquely anti-gay compared to other militaries in advanced countries. That's what my point was.
Fair enough and maybe it is. But until mainstream America becomes more accepting the Military will reflect our culture. Its unfortunate that politicians use the Military for social experiments.
During Clintons time it was decided that females would join combat units. Not a bad idea. But it was bad execution. They lowered the standards for females. Still not horrible until it came to such jobs as Naval aviators. The flight deck is truly blind and does not discriminate or play favorites. As a result planes were crashed and pilots were lost. Why? Because of the rush to get female pilots carrier qualified. Instead of only the best getting the shot average got the shot. Carrier landings need the best.
Fair enough and maybe it is. But until mainstream America becomes more accepting the Military will reflect our culture.
More accepting in what way? A majority of Americans already believe that gays shouldn't be fired from jobs for being gay, and that they should be able to serve openly in the military. A majority of Americans support civil unions for same-sex couples. About 15 states offer civil unions or same-sex marriage. Sodomy laws have been struck down. There's now 460 openly gay elected officials in the U.S., up from about 50 in 1993. The country's fourth-largest city has a gay mayor.
I am not going to go back and read through all this forum but I did take some time yesterday to go around to the senior citizen center and VFW to talk to soldiers and vets and pose the question of gays serving openly in the military. Comments were numerious that when someone thinks of gays they also think of AIDS. The general comments was fat chance someone will aid them if injured (blood) and risk getting AIDS and h*ll no on any mouth to mouth if needed. "They better hope to hell they have another q**** there to help them"
My take, be careful what you wish for. I have changed my view, gays should serve openly.
Please let me educate you on something or at least the VFW members. Heterosexuals also get AIDS and are currently at a greater risk because they have this false idea that it is only a gay disease. I have never heard of anyone getting AIDS from giving mouth to mouth to a gay person or a straight person, now if one has lesions or sores in their mouth they can get or transmit many disease, not just AIDS.
“In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed,” General Powell said in a statement issued by his office. He added: “I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.”
“In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed,” General Powell said in a statement issued by his office. He added: “I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.”
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.
Hortysir - I want your input, you being in the navy.
My only worry is concern: I wouldn't want women showering with men. And applying that same idea, I wouldn't want straight guys showering with gays. I feel it would be a little uncomfortable. But I'm not in the military, so I'm not entirely sure how relative my concern is. What's your take on it Hortysir.
Outside that, We ARE NOT the United Straights but The United States. This whole gay business is divisive. And we need to get over it. No one should care about anothers sex life and or relationships.
The IDF has had openly gay members since 1993, they still kick the crap out of whoever attacks them and they have no morale problems. And there is no seperation of church and state, there are a lot of orthodox jews in Israel.
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U.S. Military is uniquely anti-gay. Agree?
We are not unique in that matter. Russia, India, China, and Brazil do not allow open gays in the military.
Again, the Armed Forces are leading the way in social progress, just as when President Truman (D) racially integrated the Armed Forces in 1948
Why did you have to go and make it partisan Mike. Allow me to remind you Eisenhower (R) sent in the national guard to protect the Little Rock Nine after the Democratic Governor Orval Faubus (D) tried to prevent them from attending class with whitey.
All right, I fell better. Back on topic.
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But then that proves that anti-gay heterosexuals soldiers are aware of the gay soldiers, which means that DADT is meaningless.
You can usually tell who's gay and who's not; sometimes you're surprised though, like I he rumors Ophrah is coming out this year. But DADT is all about not talking about it.
The hearings on this issue are taking place, at least in part, because of Obama.
he has been in office for a year, he promised to end this, he has done nothing until his polls starting to drop like a rock~~~ hummmmm?
pandering, you think?
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