Of course it is never my intention to offend anyone, but I somehow manage to do it without even trying. Especially when I discuss controversial topics. But I guess that comes with the topic, not everyone will agree. Please, just don’t take this personally, it’s just me spouting an opinion.
Good, not that I’ve got that disclaimer out of the way….
On the AM talk radio show I listen to on my way to work, they were discussing the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. A man called in to voice his opinion on gays in the military. He said that in the military they are trained to function as a unit. Every man (person) covering everyone else to protect everyone in the unit to the best of their ability, especially in a combat situation. He went on to say “I don’t want to be in a combat unit where one guy is going to protect some guys better than others just because he’s attracted to them.”
At that point I decided that person was a total idiot. Why? (this list is in it’s simplest form. I understand on many levels the military is different than any other job, but doesn’t there have to be some basic level of rules/regulations that apply to every employer/job?)
- In it’s simplest forms, the military is just like any other job. It’s just that, a job.
- I don’t know of any other job where sexual preference can get you fired. That sounds a whole lot like discrimination.
- In a combat situation I find it truly hard to believe that with the enemy attacking you your mind will be on who’s got the cutest ass, and who you’d like to bunk with. I mean, I can not remember a time ever in my life when I was in a stressful situation and all I could think about was sex.
- What if the roles were reversed? What if it was a woman in the unit? Wouldn’t he be just as concerned that she couldn’t do the job as well for the same reason? She was too busy focusing on which guy she was going to get naked with later?
- Or, would a man protect her more because he was attracted to her, or less because she had turned him down.
I guess I just kind of want to know, why does sexual orientation, sexual gender, sexual preference have to come into play here.
Equal rights for all; Special privileges for none ~Thomas Jefferson
That doesn’t just apply to gays in the military. It applies for everyone. We should all have the same rights, live by the same rules. The Declaration of Independence says
When did we lose sight of that? When did we forget that?
I had a conversation with my brother who is a member of the military (AIM HIGH) about this. He told me there are many levels about this policy that he is not at liberty to talk about. I believe that. But at it’s basic core, I think it’s wrong.
