"We are now stuck with sexual deviants serving openly in the U.S. military... If historians want a fixed marker pointing to the instant the United States sealed its own demise, they just found it."
– Bryan Fischer, American Family Association
"The American military... has now been hijacked and turned into a tool for imposing on the country a radical social agenda."
– Tony Perkins, Family Research Council.
"This action will be overturned in the next Congress."
– Matthew Staver, Freedom Federation
"The repeal of the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' law is a disaster of historic proportions and it must be reinstated. My organization and others will to fight to make sure that happens."
– E. W. Jackson, Stand America PAC
Yes, the end of the military has come again. The first time it ended was when the United States decided to desegregate white and black soldiers (which came before the desegregation of public schools in America, FYI).[1]
Desegregation of the United States armed forces was commanded as an executive order by President Harry Truman in 1948.
On a side note; it wasn't until 1967 that the Supreme Court declared anti-miscegenation laws a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.[2]
Will it take 19 more years for gay and lesbian Americans to have full marriage equality?
Back on the topic of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, were you all aware of the thousands of gay and lesbian service members who were already serving in the military? I mean, you cannot have discharges under DADT without LGB-identified service members. They must have been there the whole time. They have been forced to stay silent about their spouses back home and keep their mouth shut about what they did on their days off. They have always been there, so-- it may just be me, but I'm having trouble seeing how the American military will be coming to an end just because these brave heroes are given permission not to have to lie about their lives.
I have heard the argument made time and time again that openly gay soldiers will be a distraction during training and on the battlefield. Um, does that mean that these gay people will be distracted by an overwhelming lustful urge for their fellow soldiers? Going back to what was stated earlier, gay people have always been serving in America’s military, so no, lustful urges will probably not be a problem for them (unlike their heterosexual male counterparts who apparently cannot control their lustful urges).
Honestly, I think the only people who will be distracted by the sexual orientation of these service members would be those people who are plagued by what we call “homophobia.”
Just like integrating blacks into the armed forces presumably caused a massive distraction for those people who harbored racism; the ridiculous assumptions and beliefs in unwarranted stereotypes about a people they were ignorant about, these men will be distracted by their own homophobia.
Is it the gay person’s fault? No. If a person is being so overcome by hate and discomfort because the guy next to him in his foxhole is gay that he can’t fire is weapon straight, that is his own fault. His feelings are his problem, and less and less people in the United States are able to relate to his sentiments. Homophobes, you are in the minority. If you cannot play nice with the guy next to you in the foxhole, despite their religion, way of life, political beliefs, or otherwise, what are you doing down there, man?
It was about time America eliminated this archaic, discriminatory policy. It is good to see us catching up to the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Canada, and at least nineteen others that allowed openly gay and lesbian service members before us (their militaries still seem to be up and running, FYI).[3]
Sources:
1. http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/WireHeadlines/2010/10/31/desegregation-in-military-offers-lessons-8.php
2. http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0388_0001_ZO.html
3. http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/CountriesWithoutBan.pdf
On Another Side Note:
I realize there is so much more going on in America’s military than crouching in foxholes and firing weapons. I was just using that example because it is similar to an example Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe liked to talk about when discussing DADT.
