With the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal wrapped up in a defense bill that faces a vain filibuster attempt by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Lady Gaga is the only one who seems to be able to stand up and help get the repeal through.
Implemented by President Bill Clinton in 1993, the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy prohibits people of homosexual orientation from serving in the armed forces. It was seen as a compromise for the polarized sides of the debate allowing for gays to serve in the military, quietly.
What should be going on is a serious debate over why gays and lesbians can’t currently serve in the military and why it could or couldn’t benefit the armed forces as a whole.
What shouldn’t be happening is hoarding the attention paid to America’s servicemen and women for Lady Gaga. We’re talking about the pride and sense of service of people willing to risk their lives for the protection and edification of the country. Is the performance artist known as Lady Gaga really qualified to garner support for the cause?
Maybe she is. And if she is and my mind can’t fathom the positive impact of her solo campaign, then that is the limitation of my understanding and I will readily admit it. For all I know, her music is the sound track for the entire movement, but I don’t know.
Regardless of your views, the bottom line is that since the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” policy was enacted, military personnel with combat knowledge, experience and other vital aspects to the war on terror have been discharged for no better reason than sexual orientation. Something that cannot legally be used to discriminate for any other job field in America is being done in the military.
When you get rid of qualified and trained individuals, you disrupt morale more than you would by opening the floodgates and allowing all the qualified and willing to participate. With the most disciplined and well-trained combat troops in the world, why would the face of the military look any different with the inclusion of gays and lesbians?
There won’t be some great influx of technicolor gays to distract our entrenched forces. Give our soldiers a little more credit than that. I hope they are well equipped enough to worry about other things, like actual combat.
Part of the pride we take in our military is the strength in diversity that they share. We don’t see our armed forces as a single cultural or racial entity. We take pride in how the military reaches out to all aspects of America and turns them into disciplined citizens.
It’s all still the same uniform, the same code of honor, the same duties and drills.
Maybe gays and lesbians will be picked on, but that’s no different than what has happened for decades in the military. Anyone knowledgeable about Marine Corps boot camp knows the drill sergeant calls half the recruits gay slurs before they even run an obstacle anyway.
What I think is a pivotal aspect of the argument that is being ignored is the psychological impact gay warfare would have on the enemy. In the extremely fundamentalist Muslim culture of the terrorists we are fighting in Afghanistan and worldwide, how does it affect their mind set to be chased and killed by homosexuals? Think about it.