This Blog Gives a Thumbs Up to Ending Don't Ask Don't TellApparently, Obama is going to end the controversial policy. It's difficult to make the argument that ending DADT will mean homosexuals are going to be doing anal and singing show tunes while they are supposed to be engaged in combat. Because, men and women have been serving together in stressful situations and while there's been sexual tension a-plenty. It can be problematic and undercut morale if there is poor leadership, but having a policy that outright bans gays from openly serving is silly and archaic this day and age. The media is going to be asking former generals about the impact of the policy, but they should be asking senior enlisted (y'know, the people that run the military) for how this will impact their units. IMHO, I don't really see how it's going to have a big effect from personal experience. There were gay dudes on my boat, and no one really gave a shit.
What I'm really interested in is these Ivy League schools who have been so averse to the ROTC progra, supposedly because of DADT, that they won't let them back on campus. Has it been a convenient excuse to continue their Vietnam-era policies of being anti-military. Smart money say yes.
What I'm really interested in is these Ivy League schools who have been so averse to the ROTC progra, supposedly because of DADT, that they won't let them back on campus. Has it been a convenient excuse to continue their Vietnam-era policies of being anti-military. Smart money say yes.
See what the others have said:
10 comments:
About damn time. I'm writing this post on mine soon.
Dammit, I wrote a bunch and it deleted it. I predict LOTS of problems. We'll see. I don't think it will be like your boat. The problems will be with communal showers and in units that have low ASVAB scores and few security clearance requirements. Some guy will get accused of meat gazing and it will turn into a fight. I don't think it's worth it IMO. I don't think the SF gays are the ones wanting to join, so I don't think there will be a gay pride parade on base.
One more thing, what exactly will/can the leadership do about it? I tell you what, they will make us watch stupid GMT on NKO. Does that shit ever work? They can't/won't do what the did when they integrated the service. Remember how blacks could only be cooks and whatnot? I don't see that happening. On the bright side, maybe they can use a few of them on Task Force Uniform and we'd actually get some decent duds for once.
This is a good call.
The elite/liberal schools still won't let ROTC on campus though. The fact is that faculty on those campuses mostly don't know anyone in the military and when they look at you and me, they see Abu Ghraib/My Lai/[insert six-sigma tragedy/massacre here]. It's all a case for students getting to vote on this stuff rather than faculty, but something tells me at a lot of those places it wouldn't make a difference. It's a shame considering how tied Columbia and vets were, 60 yrs ago.
By your writing, I thought that you swing both ways, albeit secretly. I agree with the low ASVAB comment above. It'll be ugly if it's overturned.
I don't see the big deal in it. There's always at least one or two fairly openly gay guys on my husband's boats and it's never been a big deal. So what, now they'll be able to tell? Whoopdie Doo. I don't really think anything is going to change if it's repealed. They all shower together now, they're just not allowed to talk about it.
LogicallyLocked - you hit the nail on the head when you said, "They all shower together now, they're just not allowed to talk about it."
Bingo!
Olgreydog in respect to you I hear where you are coming from and I agree I don't think those who will be meat gazing will be the ones signing up.
I spent 10 years in the submarine force and I didn't have too many issues. I will be honest and say during boot camp, which is the only place I experienced "open showers" I did look here and there. But "Gaze?" C'mon as Retired General Honore would say, "Let's not get stuck on stupid." I mean straight guys look here and there, it happens - pure curiosity.
There were not many I was interested in anyway and if I were I still had the discipline to know - you don't cross that line. Most folk who join the military and are gay understand the responsibility we have not to do something stupid.
I think the repealing of DADT will be a breath of fresh air to a lot of men and women who are serving this country and I welcome it. I was proud to serve my country and would do it again, esp if they lift DADT.
Don't we all look out of curiosity? I had a friend whose boyfriend's size was of urban legend. She never talked about it, so one day I just asked her. She confirmed, but said he didn't really know how to sling it. My point being, if she never talked about it, how did everyone know? It couldn't possibly be from his fellow football players in the shower!
Anon and Ms. K, you make great points. I'll be the first to admit, and I often joke about it, that you can't out gay the sub guy. There is alot of homoerotic stuff that happens underway. The Helicockter, the Flying Squirrel, and everyone's favorites from Waiting, the Brain, the Chicken Leg, the Road Map, ect. Guys will think twice about whipping it out now I guess. But, I still don't think the major problems are going to come out of the sub force. They will come out in the more, for lack of a better term, macho units like infantry where your man hood is your strength. They run guys out for going to the doctor. What are they going to do when they find out you like men? I guess there will still be alot of DADT going on, just now it won't be a requirement.
I just think folks in a combat unit shouldn't be having sex with each other. It's hard enough when your battle buddy gets blown apart; what happens when it's your lover?
What about lovers' quarrels in a platoon? Joe drops Dave for Mike; does Dave frag Joe and / or Mike during a firefight if he thinks he can get away with it? Or, instead of actively harming, what if Dave just no longer cares to risk his life or anything else for Joe or Mike?
None of this is anything peculiar to homosexuals. It's exactly the kind of thing you'd have to worry about if men and women served in mixed-gender infantry units.
Also, the psychology of men and women serving together on a ship, or in a rear area, is quite different from the psychology of an infantry unit in daily combat.
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