Just when I think something is a done deal and working well, some idiot simply has to decide to screw things up. I just got a call asking me to write or call my Congressman to ask him to vote against the repeal of "Don't ask; don't tell". I did and did so with full commitment to the policy. It's been working well and I am a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of gal as y'all should know if you read here regularly.
It's nice to know that that Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, agrees with me. You can read about it here. My take is that the military knows what the military needs. Besides, it doesn't cost us nickel to be tolerant of others.
My daughter Kate served in the Navy for eight years when the policy was passed and supports the policy completely and I figure she knows how it is and if it is needed.
Here is some thing she wrote a few years ago on gay rights on a forum of which we were both members.
"Let it be known right here, right now that I am quite proud of my up-bringing in that I have been granted the unique view that everyone has the right to suffer the 'rights' of marriage -- be they man and woman saying 'I do' or matched sets of males or females. My Mom and Dad taught me to be tolerant of everyone no matter what race, creed, color, religion, or sexuality.
I went to a college with a small but loud gay minority that made it clear what they wanted out of life was simply to be accepted and, in cases of commited partnerships, given the same respect as a normal married couple by the law. Nothing more; nothing less. The Vermont legislature and Supreme Court have made the first baby steps in assuring this respect. With hope and no doubt further legal action, this infant that is assuring the eventual guarantee of rights for 'married' homosexuals will take off like a typical toddler -- Hell bent and aiming for the door to front yard freedom!"
I am proud of her.
I think repealing "don't ask, don't tell" is a huge step backwards so I'm asking y'all to please let your Congress Critter know how you feel.
And oh yeah, stop by and see my dear friend Marty at TravelinOma and answer her blogging survey. It's interesting and will help her with a panel discussion in which she's participating! Thanks!!!!
Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!
Happy Blogging!!!!!
Kay
I agree with you 100%
ReplyDeleteYou brought your daughter up well. Good parenting, Kay!
Thanks for linking, Kay!
ReplyDeleteKay, I'm not sure I understand your position. Are you saying you want the "don't ask don't tell" policy to remain in place as it is?
ReplyDeleteIf I understand it, that policy in essence prevents gays from serving in the military because they would be discharged as soon as their sexual orientation was known.
I cannot support that position.
I agree, Kay, and I went to see TravelinOma too.
ReplyDeleteHow are you and how’s everything going? I hope all is well. What have you been up to these days?
ReplyDeleteI’m checking in to say hello.
I am a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of gal myself, and I agree with you.
My vote is for abolishing the MILITARY, but until then, i agree with Linda.
ReplyDeleteYou and I have discussed this before; so you already know I disagree. Many militaries from around the world do have gays serving openly and it works (like Israel). To ask people to serve under a lie is unfair and doesn't make sense. Do straights fear all gays will want them sexually? They are no different than straights where some appeal and some do not. Unless a gay is a predator, they won't go after someone who hasn't expressed interest. In my opinion gays should have a right to serve honestly and openly. If they feel uncomfortable doing so, they either won't stay or won't talk about their sexuality which is still their option. As it stands, if they are revealed to be gay, like say they were on a talk show or they want to marry a partner, they are forced out. That seems wrong to me. Obama ran on doing something about this and I think it's the right thing. Incidentally the military isn't always the best judge of what is right or wrong as at one time blacks could only serve in all black regiments... Change can seem threatening but this is one that I don't think will threaten the military as much as some fear. Also they won't really implement it until the head of the Joint Chief of Staffs, Gates and Obama think the military is ready for it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not sure where you are on allowing homosexuals to serve in the military. DADT, of course, was a compromise between the outright ban on homosexuals in the service and completely lifting the ban. My understanding of the current push is that the intention is to remove the ban.
ReplyDeletewhat i hate hate hate is the coverup that's required. straight persons can walk down the street and be totally accepted just for being straight--whatever else they're not accepted for. and your daughter says nobody in the service really cared if anyone was gay as long as they were good sailors. a recent washpost poll put "don't care" about gays in the military at something like 75% of the public and almost that many--73%--of the military. so if most people, in or out of the military, don't care, WHY the nonsense? sure, DADT is no skin off your or any other straight person's nose at all--just as it was no skin off my nose in 1940s north dakota if black children were not allowed to go to school with whites. but g&l's in the military suffer real-world consequences from this policy, even if it's discrimination lite, and it's plain unjust. back in the 1940s, harry truman said, about black and white persons, "the military will be integrated, period." i think barack obama should say the same about straight and gay persons. get rid of DADT. then he and the congress can spend their time on clearing up corruption, preserving what's left of the environment, and working against injustice. there's plenty of that work to do.
ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting to read your "political" posts, and their comments. As a member of PFLAG (formerly Parents, friends and families of lesbians and gays)I have strong feelings about inclusion, but I can't always define it.
ReplyDeleteI love what your daughter said, and commend her forthrightness.