Bigotry That Hurts Our Military

[thedrifter]

Bigotry That Hurts Our Military

By Alan K. Simpson
Wednesday, March 14, 2007; A15

As a lifelong Republican who served in the Army in Germany, I believe it is critical that we review -- and overturn -- the ban on gay service in the military. I voted for "don't ask, don't tell." But much has changed since 1993.

My thinking shifted when I read that the military was firing translators because they are gay. According to the Government Accountability Office, more than 300 language experts have been fired under "don't ask, don't tell," including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. This when even Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently acknowledged the nation's "foreign language deficit" and how much our government needs Farsi and Arabic speakers. Is there a "straight" way to translate Arabic? Is there a "gay" Farsi? My God, we'd better start talking sense before it is too late. We need every able-bodied, smart patriot to help us win this war.

In today's perilous global security situation, the real question is whether allowing homosexuals to serve openly would enhance or degrade our readiness. The best way to answer this is to reconsider the original points of opposition to open service.

First, America's views on homosexuals serving openly in the military have changed dramatically. The percentage of Americans in favor has grown from 57 percent in 1993 to a whopping 91 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds surveyed in a Gallup poll in 2003.

Military attitudes have also shifted. Fully three-quarters of 500 vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan said in a December Zogby poll that they were comfortable interacting with gay people. Also last year, a Zogby poll showed that a majority of service members who knew a gay member in their unit said the person's presence had no negative impact on the unit or personal morale. Senior leaders such as retired Gen. John Shalikashvili and Lt. Gen. Daniel Christman, a former West Point superintendent, are calling for a second look.

Second, 24 nations, including 12 in Operation Enduring Freedom and nine in Operation Iraqi Freedom, permit open service. Despite controversy surrounding the policy change, it has had no negative impact on morale, cohesion, readiness or recruitment. Our allies did not display such acceptance back when we voted on "don't ask, don't tell," but we should consider their common-sense example.

Third, there are not enough troops to perform the required mission. The Army is "about broken," in the words of Colin Powell. The Army's chief of staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, told the House Armed Services Committee in December that "the active-duty Army of 507,000 will break unless the force is expanded by 7,000 more soldiers a year." To fill its needs, the Army is granting a record number of "moral waivers," allowing even felons to enlist. Yet we turn away patriotic gay and lesbian citizens.

The Urban Institute estimates that 65,000 gays are serving and that there are 1 million gay veterans. These gay vets include Capt. Cholene Espinoza, a former U-2 pilot who logged more than 200 combat hours over Iraq, and Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, who lost his right leg to an Iraqi land mine. Since 2005, more than 800 personnel have been discharged from "critical fields" -- jobs considered essential but difficult in terms of training or retraining, such as linguists, medical personnel and combat engineers. Aside from allowing us to recruit and retain more personnel, permitting gays to serve openly would enhance the quality of the armed forces.

In World War II, a British mathematician named Alan Turing led the effort to crack the Nazis' communication code. He mastered the complex German enciphering machine, helping to save the world, and his work laid the basis for modern computer science. Does it matter that Turing was gay? This week, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said that homosexuality is "immoral" and that the ban on open service should therefore not be changed. Would Pace call Turing "immoral"?

Since 1993, I have had the rich satisfaction of knowing and working with many openly gay and lesbian Americans, and I have come to realize that "gay" is an artificial category when it comes to measuring a man or woman's on-the-job performance or commitment to shared goals. It says little about the person. Our differences and prejudices pale next to our historic challenge. Gen. Pace is entitled, like anyone, to his personal opinion, even if it is completely out of the mainstream of American thinking. But he should know better than to assert this opinion as the basis for policy of a military that represents and serves an entire nation. Let us end "don't ask, don't tell." This policy has become a serious detriment to the readiness of America's forces as they attempt to accomplish what is arguably the most challenging mission in our long and cherished history.

The writer was a Republican senator from Wyoming from 1979 to 1997.

Ellie

[SkilletsUSMC]

All I can say is good luck trying to get anyone to re-enlist now... IM GETTING OUT....

[FistFu68]

IT'S A SICKNESS,LIKE RABIE'S;WHEN A DOG HAS RABIE'S YOU SHOOT IT

[drumcorpssnare]

The real problem right now, is that because these "bone-smokers" are in regular uniforms, they're hard to spot. They could be covertly "eyeballin" someone's junk...the victim being unaware.
Now, if these "gender-confused" fruitcakes wore uniforms that were pink and powder blue, they'd be easier to spot. This would allow REAL Marines to administer a forearm smash to the face of these fags, at every opportunuty.
Soon enough, they would realize they're better off in San Francisco than in my Marine Corps!!!
drumcorpssnare

[OLE SARG]

I like to refer to these FAGGOTS as "pelosi's pussies"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEMPER FI,

[CAR]

Now there's an idea ........

Let them be "open" in the all new San Francisco Army. They can wear their pink colors, fly their rainbow flag, and have Bannana boats for the waterborne units. Then get them trained, and send them over to sand box. Make THEM the first into the fight.

This way we can get all the real men out of the bay area and let them live in areas were they are respected. Let the panzy platoons be the first in so they can draw the fire of the insergeants and then the real men can do the real killing. Let those bannana boats hit the mines and clear the way for the wrath of the MEUSOC.

IF NOT: Then do your job. I for one am tire of the "should I DON'T TELL or TELL". You are in the military, not so you can be the social ground setter by "changing" the social structure. A military unit needs to be a cohesive unit. ANY external distraction from that hurts the unit. And NO that does not mean that the unit is full of bigots. If your gay and want to join the military then abide by the rules, keep your personal life personal and your professional job PROFESSIONAL. If you can't .....

The USS San Fran is looking for a few good 'sea-men'

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I want....to rack with the WM"s. And shower with em.

I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body. I'm coming out of the closet.

Fair is fair.

[FistFu68]

I'VE GOT MY (GAYDAR) ON,I CAN SMELL OR FEEL THE SICK;DOUGHNUT PUNCHER'S A CLICK AWAY!!!