Gays and generals / Top brass torpedo 'don't ask, don't tell'

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Tuesday, December 16, 2003 | editorial

[Willie Green]

It should come as a shock to no one that three retired military officers, two generals and one admiral, revealed last week that they are gay. What should be surprising is that, despite these and other stellar records, the Pentagon adheres to a policy that prevents known homosexuals from staying in the service.

[johnb838]

"The Gay Brigade!" "The Gay Brigadier!" Sounds like a musical!

[King Black Robe]

If the military is forced to go pc, as I suspect they will, then the lesbians should bunk with the men and the gay men with the women. The only problem remaining, as I said before, is that all the gays and lesbians will be bunking with at least some persons they might like to have sex with. Now, what do you think would happen if the heterosexual men and women all bunked and showered together?

[WackyKat]

ou sure are promoting the "gay" agenda. Not only (according to you) the Army stuffed full of homosexuals, but they are better soldiers than others! All at the top! Wow. Maybe the Army should be open ONLY to homosexuals.

You seem to be an expert on this subject; why don't you detail your military experience for us?

Those of us here who have served our nation in the military and have no problem with the "don't ask don't tell" policy would like to know why anyone should listen to your opinion on the matter

[johnb838]

We must stand strong against the PC Homosexual lobby, in support of the military. The state of being "homosexual" is by definition disordered and sick. It's more about being a sex addict than anything else. They don't belong in the military unless they are abstinent.

[King Black Robe]

You won't get an argument from me, but I bet you get pounced on by speech police trollers like WackyKat.

[breakem]

Your continued blind hatred of any homosexual doing anything is tiring and continues to shine a negative light on the free republic. I see the owner gives you license, so just my two cents worth.<p.In your opposition to the "agenda" you are letting these people off the hook and denying them one of the fundamental duties of citizenship. Let em fight and die for their country like everyone else who enlists. You should enjoy seeing them die for their country. Less of your enemy.

[yankeedame]

Imagine that. These officers reached higher ranks, while nobody knew that they were gay...

You're kidding, I hope. When an officer reachs those lofty ranks, and still aren't married (or widowed,or divorced) --and never have been -- everybody who knows/works for him (or her) has got a pretty good idea...

[GladesGuru]

Might I here raise the issue of the "Raise a family" phrase? Could anyone tell me how an avowwed homosexual "can "raise a family"?

Not to mention the issue of whether a child so raised may be denied a "normal" development as a function of being raised by two homosexuals instead of its biological parents?

There is, however, an outside chance that the Admiral knows something of human reproductive capabilities which has escaped the rest of us.

Just wondering.

[antiRepublicrat]

Given the bloody nature of warefare, it seems only right to ban them from serving.

All soldiers are regularly tested for HIV.

Then there is the issue of bunking & showering with those who find you sexually attractive.

Ah, the standard homophobe hubris. What makes you think you're so attractive to a gay person? Anyway, in war at least, everybody generally bunked and showered (when we got one) together. In one unit we had men and women showering together in the open once and there were zero problems (although command would have created a problem if they'd found out).

compromising other military rules

I have no problem chaptering a homosexual who actually does something contrary to the good order of the unit, or anyone else for that matter. But to chapter them before they do something wrong is kind of stupid.

No, I'm not pro-homosexual, but I'm not against them either. I don't care about their status as homosexuals as long as they don't push it in my face (figuratively or literally).

[antiRepublicrat]

So soon as he is known that all changes.A homosexual can be a good soldier so long as he is the only one who knows.

Usually a lot of other people know, other homosexuals and straight people they know don't care that they are homosexual. That's how I knew.

[antiRepublicrat]

Not only (according to you) the Army stuffed full of homosexuals, but they are better soldiers than others!

All I can speak for is my experience through seven years and several different types of units. On a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (best) of soldiers, they matched the general curve of soldiers, except I never met a 1 and only met one 5.

[Thud]

In my legal opinion, the Supreme Court's recent ruling in "Lawrence v. Texas" means the end of official military discrimination against homosexuals.

[joesnuffy]

I want no sodomites or women in my kids combat unit...and if the Army AirForce or Navy insists...
At least the USMC has bent over for the atheist marxist libertines....yet

[LincolnLover]

"In the standard range of people in the Army from "shouldn't be in the Army" to "super soldier" I never met any who were in the lowest class."

I have to agree. I had a company commander once who was gay--all those in leadership positions knew it--but she was as squared away, responsible and troop-focused a leader as any I'd met in my 6 years in service. Very bright person, though she did have quite the temper...

[KEVLAR]

The moment you used out the word 'homophobe', you lost all credibility.

[antiRepublicrat]

Now, what do you think would happen if the heterosexual men and women all bunked and showered together?

Been there. Nothing happened. You seem to forget that a person can be a soldier first and a homosexual/woman somewhere further down the line of importance. You've got priorities screwed up. When I was in the Army I wasn't a heterosexual first and a soldier second. I was a soldier, period.

[SJSAMPLE]

Not at all. He got what the deserved.
I'm just contrasting the effects of the current policy, which forces soldiers to keep their behavior "discrete", and that of those who decide to practice a particular behavior publicly.

[antiRepublicrat]

You should enjoy seeing them die for their country. Less of your enemy.

Watch out when using logic with emotional issues. Like George Carlin said on another issue (paraphrased), "The religious are against abortion, and who has fewer abortions than homosexuals? You'd think they'd be natural allies."