thedrifter
06-19-09, 08:19 AM
MILITARY: Oceanside forum calls for allowing gays to serve openly
By MARK WALKER - mlwalker@nctimes.com
OCEANSIDE ---- The debate over whether gays should be allowed to serve openly in the armed services came to the heart of North County's military community Thursday evening.
With Camp Pendleton and its 60,000 Marines and sailors just a short distance away, about 40 people at a forum in Oceanside heard strong criticism of the current policy of "don't ask, don't tell" adopted by Congress in 1993.
"It's the worst kind of law imaginable," said Michael Magee of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund, which provides free legal aid to troops who come into conflict with the ban on gays serving openly. "It says that no matter how great your contribution, how great your service, you are not welcome. It is ridiculous and it is immoral."
The defense fund's Web site notes that 255 service members have been expelled from the military since President Barack Obama took office. More than 13,000 have been kicked out since 1993, including 18 Marines from Camp Pendleton and four from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego.
"Don't ask, don't tell" essentially says that gay service members risk being booted out of the military if they openly declare their sexual orientation or are seen engaging in homosexual activity.
Conversely, the policy dictates that the armed services will not actively seek to learn someone's sexual orientation unless a service member discloses that he or she is homosexual or a complaint is brought to a commander.
Obama vowed during the presidential campaign to work to repeal the Clinton-era law. But gay rights activists are criticizing him for not pressing the issue in the current Congress and said his order this week extending benefits to partners of federal employees doesn't do enough.
Magee said the policy is not only wrong but is sexist, because while women comprise only 15 percent of the military, they account for 40 percent of the expulsions.
Newly elected San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria told the forum sponsored by the North County Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Coalition at the Sunshine Brooks Theater that the arguments against allowing gays to serve openly make no sense.
"We must speak out for those who can't," he said, calling for people to support a bill now in Congress that would change current law to allow open service.
Before being elected, Gloria worked as a military liaison for U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, and said he consistently had younger troops tell him they had no problem with gays serving in the military. The resistance, he said, comes from officers, primarily generals and admirals who cite "unit cohesiveness" as their reason of opposing it.
Next week, the San Diego City Council and the state Legislature are scheduled to consider resolutions calling for the policy change.
Turkey and the U.S. are the only two NATO countries that do not allow gays to serve, while 24 other countries in the mutual defense alliance have no such prohibition.
One of the panelists, Ben Gomez of the San Diego chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights, told how he hid his homosexuality during his Navy career.
It wasn't until another sailor introduced him to a group of gay sailors, Gomez said, that he felt comfortable.
Pastor Madison Schockley of Carlsbad's Pilgrim United Church of Christ said he believes Obama has simply failed to carry out a commitment he made. The heart of the opposition on the issue is a matter of recognition, he said.
"The truth is they don't want gays to serve openly because that would normalize those persons and they don't want that," Schockley said, comparing the current debate to integration of the armed services in 1950s. Those who opposed that, he said, also didn't want blacks to serve along whites in all ranks because it would "normalize" them.
Thirteen years after the military's current policy on gays was made law, Magee predicted the issue will not be resolved in favor of open service anytime soon.
"It's daunting to think about far we still have to go," he said.
Call staff writer Mark Walker at 760-740-3529.
By MARK WALKER - mlwalker@nctimes.com
OCEANSIDE ---- The debate over whether gays should be allowed to serve openly in the armed services came to the heart of North County's military community Thursday evening.
With Camp Pendleton and its 60,000 Marines and sailors just a short distance away, about 40 people at a forum in Oceanside heard strong criticism of the current policy of "don't ask, don't tell" adopted by Congress in 1993.
"It's the worst kind of law imaginable," said Michael Magee of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund, which provides free legal aid to troops who come into conflict with the ban on gays serving openly. "It says that no matter how great your contribution, how great your service, you are not welcome. It is ridiculous and it is immoral."
The defense fund's Web site notes that 255 service members have been expelled from the military since President Barack Obama took office. More than 13,000 have been kicked out since 1993, including 18 Marines from Camp Pendleton and four from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego.
"Don't ask, don't tell" essentially says that gay service members risk being booted out of the military if they openly declare their sexual orientation or are seen engaging in homosexual activity.
Conversely, the policy dictates that the armed services will not actively seek to learn someone's sexual orientation unless a service member discloses that he or she is homosexual or a complaint is brought to a commander.
Obama vowed during the presidential campaign to work to repeal the Clinton-era law. But gay rights activists are criticizing him for not pressing the issue in the current Congress and said his order this week extending benefits to partners of federal employees doesn't do enough.
Magee said the policy is not only wrong but is sexist, because while women comprise only 15 percent of the military, they account for 40 percent of the expulsions.
Newly elected San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria told the forum sponsored by the North County Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Coalition at the Sunshine Brooks Theater that the arguments against allowing gays to serve openly make no sense.
"We must speak out for those who can't," he said, calling for people to support a bill now in Congress that would change current law to allow open service.
Before being elected, Gloria worked as a military liaison for U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, and said he consistently had younger troops tell him they had no problem with gays serving in the military. The resistance, he said, comes from officers, primarily generals and admirals who cite "unit cohesiveness" as their reason of opposing it.
Next week, the San Diego City Council and the state Legislature are scheduled to consider resolutions calling for the policy change.
Turkey and the U.S. are the only two NATO countries that do not allow gays to serve, while 24 other countries in the mutual defense alliance have no such prohibition.
One of the panelists, Ben Gomez of the San Diego chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights, told how he hid his homosexuality during his Navy career.
It wasn't until another sailor introduced him to a group of gay sailors, Gomez said, that he felt comfortable.
Pastor Madison Schockley of Carlsbad's Pilgrim United Church of Christ said he believes Obama has simply failed to carry out a commitment he made. The heart of the opposition on the issue is a matter of recognition, he said.
"The truth is they don't want gays to serve openly because that would normalize those persons and they don't want that," Schockley said, comparing the current debate to integration of the armed services in 1950s. Those who opposed that, he said, also didn't want blacks to serve along whites in all ranks because it would "normalize" them.
Thirteen years after the military's current policy on gays was made law, Magee predicted the issue will not be resolved in favor of open service anytime soon.
"It's daunting to think about far we still have to go," he said.
Call staff writer Mark Walker at 760-740-3529.