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The President has stated his intention of seeking the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
And today, Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared he supports that decision.
This is one of the few issues that I am at odds over with most of my conservative brothers and sisters.
But I have to be consistent and fair.
How would a heterosexual serviceman feel about hiding who they really were? What if even a picture of your wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend could get you BOOTED out of the military?
What if a simple conversation about who you were going to spend Christmas with (if you were lucky enough to BE home for the holidays) could have your career in the military TERMINATED?
Would that be fair?
And yet many gays and lesbians in the Armed Forces of our great nation face this every day.
They have to LIE about who they are. That is something NO ONE should have to do.
The stereotypical scenarios of a man in pink fatigues in a foxhole or of inappropriate conduct between two lesbian soldiers is really a figment of the collective imagination.
No such thing would happen. Nor would such behavior be tolerated.
Gays and lesbians who put on the uniform of their country should not be made to live a lie.
This might be one of the few things I agree with the Administration on.
To those who argue this will destroy the morale and integrity of the military, I ask, if the policy to ask people to lie about their true selves hasn’t accomplished that…how could THIS?
And if it DID (which it WON’T), don’t you think the military would REVERSE its decision in the name of national security?
Common sense. It’s all just common sense.
Whatever happened to that?
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The "don't ask don't tell" issue, as with all things in Washington, is a HUGE financial and legal issue, and is much more than meet the eye. If it were only about openness, it would be much easier. Here's the truth:
(1) The UCMJ prevents cohabitation and sexual relations between non-married people (although "having a roommate" is allowed), so a gay lifestyle would be in violation of the Code.
(2) Further, allowances for housing are provided at one rate to those with legal dependents, and another rate to those without. Roommates do not receive the higher "with dependent" rate and are ineligible for the larger "married" quarters in base housing. If gays are officially "let out", they will want housing and allowances that married heteros get, as well as the complexities of being stationed with their mate, claiming they are denied them due to "unfair" marriage laws. Currently, the federal government does not recognize any gay marriage unions, regardless of state of origin.
(3) Notably, they used to discharge women from the military if they got pregnant OR EVEN MARRIED. Changing that law was a pretty major process, but NOTHING compared with the pandora's box this would open.
(4) Hence, this issue is MUCH bigger than "keeping secrets" since it involves a hot political subject that the federal government is not ready to solve, and could also impact housing and troop movement costs substantially.
After serving in the military for 11 years now, I can say that they don't ask don't tell issue is far enough. Many military members do not like the fact that there are homosexuals in the military but are comforted by the policy of not knowing. Furthermore, how would the country procreate if all people were homosexuals? It is unseemly and unnatural.
We finally have something we can agree on, Spencer! This is the most rational I've heard you be in a long while. I wish you would show this much compassion and common sense all the time. As for Claire, repealing don't ask-don't tell is a separate issue from gay marriage and housing equality. The "slippery slope" argument is overplayed and holds no ground. As for Andrew, if you are uncomfortable with homosexuals, that's your problem, not theirs. Nobody is trying to force you or anybody else to be gay. Procreation is not in danger here. Worry about your grammar, not what other people do behind closed doors.