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A recent Newsweek article states that seventy-five percent of Americans favor the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. This federal law requires Lesbians and Gays to be discharged from the military of it comes out that they aren’t straight. Yet fifty percent of those same people still don’t think Lesbians and Gays should be “allowed” to get married. The article goes on to give three “reasons” for the change of heart about Lesbians and Gays in the military. And while I understand what the author, Sarah Kliff, is saying, it’s straight out BULLSHIT!
The first reason is that discharging military experts because of their sexual preference is a National Security Risk. I remember when DADT was being drafted, some of the lame arguments for not allowing Lesbians and Gays in the military were that we weren’t “tough enough” or would try and “recruit or sexual attack and harass other soldiers.” DADT didn’t stop us from serving in the military. It stopped us from talking about our sexual orientation. So exactly how did DADT prevent that from occurring? It didn’t! That argument was another red herring in the lies told by bigots to prevent Lesbians and Gays from openly serving in the military.
The ironic thing about this issue is that many of the soldiers discharged because of DADT are people we can ill afford to lose at this time. They are Arabic linguists. And to bring even more light to this issue, an Out and Proud Gay Arabic linguist, Daniel Choi, was discharged from the military because of DADT. He was recently brought BACK INTO THE MILITARY and is waiting to be deployed because his skills are in demand, but few people have them.
The second reason for the changing opinions about DADT is because other Super Powers allow Lesbians and Gays to serve openly in the military. And have been doing so for DECADES! That alone proves that DADT was silly when it was created and that the “experiment” to see what would happen if Lesbians and Gays served in the military has been completed. The outcome? The decision to lift the ban on homosexuals had no impact on military performance, readiness, cohesion or ability to recruit or retain.” REALLY? Go figure!
The last reason for the change in repealing DADT is because employment discrimination is wrong but marriage doesn’t fit into that category! Discrimination is discrimination REGARDLESS of what arena it occurs. Another red herring in the mind-boggling, head-scratching, nonsensical, hogwash that has been brought forth as “arguments” against Same Couple Marriage. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE!”
As Janet Jackson said in a song, “What have you done for me Lately“, seems to be the reason for the sudden and momentum building need to repeal DADT. When “straights” didn’t need the skills and talent of Lesbians and Gays in the military, DADT was needed to “protect America.” But after 9/11, those same people are now seeing that “protecting America” has nothing to do with Lesbians and Gays. We are NOT the enemy within! If you want to know who the “enemy within” is, research Timothy McVeigh, not Rupaul!
DADT has forced THOUSANDS of people to lie, pure and simple! LIE in order to keep their jobs. Lie in order to keep their benefits. Lie in order to get proper medical care. But we are supposed to be happy to risk our lives for a country that prides itself on FREEDOM, yet those same FREEDOMS are denied to me when I come back home! And no one seems to see the irony in a situation like that? I liken it to Black soldiers who went into WW2 to free Europe from the Nazis only to come back home to face discrimination and HATRED at home. But you’re right, the Civil Rights struggles are not the same! Only if you are an IDIOT and refuse to see it!
Getting rid of DADT. Gee, who would have EVER THOUGHT OF THAT!
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