Don't Ask, Don't Tell
As a former Army officer who served with closeted soldiers that often worked twice as hard and were ten times as strong, it's time for a change.It. really. shouldn't. matter.
What should matter is their intelligence, their training, and their qualifications.
I mean really, in a foxhole with a gas mask on, do you really care if your buddy loves differently than you or do you care that they will get your back?
More importantly, if they are going to risk their lives defending us all in war, isn't it the right thing for benefits, housing, and family pay to be given to their partners? They risk their lives and their lives are just as worthy as any other soldier.
I've since had some Army friends come out to me and nothing changed. They are my friends. I would still trust them with my life. I wish they didn't have to hide their true selves to me all those years ago.
I just don't understand why this is so hard to understand and why people want to keep others closeted, especially people who have never served our country, taken that oath, and risked their lives themselves.
Why? Can someone explain this to me?
13 Witty Comments For Me:
A-freakin'-men.
I don't understand it. And my husband, a soldier--a conservative one who strongly feels homosexuality is a sin--doesn't understand it, either. He doesn't particularly care who his soldiers are sleeping with as long they're good soldiers.
I have never heard a good reason why this policy is necessary. It's stupid. Plain and simple.
I knew I loved you two.
Brandi: I love that no matter what your and your husband's personal religious/moral beliefs are, you realize they are your beliefs and don't push them on others. That is what this world needs: Tolerance. Co-existence. Live and let live for it is not for us to judge. I think there would be so much violence and war in this world if there were more people like you.
Dumbblond: Yes, stupid today. I almost get it's first implementations. It was ground breaking in earlier years. Baby steps. However, it's time has passed. I just cannot fathom we still institutionalize discrimination against someone because of their sexual orientation even though they risk life and limbs to ensure we all have the freedoms that they don't...
Sigh...
~Scout
Brandi: Oops. Fast fingers. I meants there would be so much LESS violence and war in this world if there were more people like you and your husband. :)
Scout, you've hit the nail on the head. Another fantastic entry.
You said it better than I ever could.
~wordtoyourmother (SU)
aka Amber
Has never made sense to me either. Obviously, gays who are able to serve without being detected have served our country well and honorably, it's a moot point that "allowing" them to serve would cause a breakdown in the order of things. The hypocrisy being women in combat are subjected daily to the unwanted advances by the same "manly-men" who want to keep gays out. What's "okay" for the goose would be "bad" for the gander? Hello...
The only thing I've been able to figure out is that it was a half-step towards not caring that those who DO care would accept. A jump straight over to "don't care, don't care" would not have made it back in the 80s. Not sure it would now, either. But this 1/2 way compromise (compromise on one side only, really), opened the door a crack, and now, we're gonna push it open. It's a discussion I've had with my husband since we met, but I always bring in the third party, women, as well. If you can do the job, well, why does it matter?
Great post, H.
It's just simple...fear. I don't get it and I hope that things change in my lifetime!
Bravery, patriotism and toughness have nothing to do with sexual orientation. Great post!
OH YEAH! I totally agree. What is the difference? All are men and women of honor, who and how they love is not for me to judge.
I totally agree. What the heck is wrong with this world we live in now-a-days?
It's a cruel double standard to shun those who happen to be gay when you have other soldiers who certainly aren't even half the man some of the "closeted" soldiers are.
Well written.
And I completely agree. There will be a day when we look back on this issue,like so many others, and wonder what the heck took us so long.
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