Don’t Ask Too Fast

NEWSWEEK

« Return to Article

Discuss

Member Comments

  • Posted By: KSGDN @ 01/08/2009 11:41:26 AM

    If gay's are to be allowed who in there right mind is going to encourge there kids to be all they can be,
    I have three kids yes one right now is in ROTC in high school no way would i encourge my son go in the service
    if gay's are allowed. But if chooses to I can't stop him. I served from october 5, 1992 to october 5, 2000 in the Army & Air Force exchange service an I injoyed it. but I wasen't out in the field, which is totaly different. When it comes down to it if really I mean really go to war is it going to matter. The only thing there going to be thinking about is hopfully this person saves me from getting killed.
    Gay's have a right to be what they want but there also a time when they need to understand not to express them selfs in proper manners. When it comes to representing the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA well that
    should say it all . HOW DO WE WANT TO BE LOOKED AT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
    I'm not saying that we don't all aready have gay's

  • Posted By: joshwhite @ 01/08/2009 11:41:22 AM

    Gay people are capable of fighting and do. The problem is not with the Gay people is with the straight. I (I???m Straight) would not feel comfortable working-living-fighting with a gay person. That???s why the don???t ask don???t tell rule is a good one. Because the majority of the military is straight and most of them are homophobic it is best for them not to tell any one. Ignorance is bliss, and if you can tell, its like Santa clause, I would much rather believe the lie then see the truth, In this situation.

  • Posted By: makhseed @ 01/08/2009 11:41:09 AM

    im straight but i dont see why gays shouldnt be allowed, who they are attracted to has no effect on whetehr they can shoot, how far they can run or how well they can obey orders. however having said that most of the military dont want them there so this will cause a stir among the troops and the last thing they need is to be fighting themselves aswell as the enemy. so i think we should wait until after the war has ended and then ease gay people back into the military.

  • Posted By: lmnewswk @ 01/08/2009 11:41:01 AM

    Well qualified military personnel should serve our country. Their sexual preferences are private and are no ones business but their own. It floors me to think that we are basing our decision-making for choosing patriotic military troops and officers NOT on their qualifications but on personal preferences and homophobia. Conservative or not, I'd want someone who could "cover my back" if I were in the front line! Anyone who has been trained and is passionate about serving their country should be able to. Being gay has nothing to do with "being the best that you can be." Lou Ann

  • Posted By: ltcgdb @ 01/08/2009 11:25:16 AM

    I served with a Gay Man in Operationa Iraqi Freedom II. There was 9 of us who shared a tent. We never asked and he never told. It was never an issue. I never felt uneasy around him. Where I do not agree with his sexual preference, I still call hime one of my "Band of Brothers"

    • Posted By: CoolDaylight @ 01/08/2009 11:40:53 AM

      First.....THANK YOU for fighting for those of us who cannot. You and your "band of brothers" are not only heros but GREAT role models for our younger generation. If more people had the chance to know a person who is gay or lesbian or even were open to the idea, then this conversation board wouldn't be here. Nobody should be kept from or discharged for their choices in life if they are willing to fight and die for the freedoms that this country is so used to.

  • Posted By: rmmolina @ 01/08/2009 11:40:45 AM

    I vote yes. Patriotism is gender specific.

  • Posted By: alvkit @ 01/08/2009 11:40:40 AM

    i also would not want to be in the stander next to a gay person.iam sorry it just send a signal up and down my spine ,and makes me sick,i know thet cant help it .its a sickness,and know way they do noy belong in the any of the arm forces.thet shouldnt even ask this ???????????gays dont belong there.final retired navy offical.vietnam vet

  • Posted By: gdougherty @ 01/08/2009 10:18:06 AM

    I don't believe gays should serve openly in the Military. As a retired Navy veteran I know what it can be like and how cruel people can be when your'e stuck out on the ocean for 6 months. I think the homicude and suicide rates would go up dramatically.

    • Posted By: catspaw @ 01/08/2009 11:40:27 AM

      Thank you for thinking of their safety.

  • Posted By: jbhartley @ 01/08/2009 9:39:34 AM

    Opening the military to Gays posses some very real problems. No person no matter there sexual orentation should be made to sleep in the same quarters and use the same facilities. Also allowing gays in the military opens the door to transexuals, and even more diverse sexual orientations. Does a transexual sleep half in the female berthing and half in the male berthing. If seperate quarters and facitlities can be made then I say ok, however being a 20 year Navy Vetran, i know the military doesn't have the quarters, berthings, or facities to accomidate each sexual orientation. The military already struggles with providing seperate quaters for men and woman. I'm open to any idea that preserves a humans rights, however the first time I was in a shower with a guy who had an erection because he liked the way I looked I would most likely rip it off and stuff it down his throat.....

    • Posted By: JTRox @ 01/08/2009 11:40:26 AM

      gays and lesbians are not automatically attracted to every man or women they see. that is where people get their thoughts mixed up. i am straight and i understand that everyone has rights. america stresses that we are all created equal but never give anyone the real opportunity to express that belief. i guess for those of you who disagree with homosexuals in military are afraid of change. and also i got to church and the bible does say to love thy neighbor is you love thy self. and all sin is sin whether we are gay or straight; we will all take account on the day of judgment.

  • Posted By: nikkigkc @ 01/08/2009 11:40:25 AM

    Every time an issue of homosexuality and race come into play. I ask "what is this world really coming to?" It's a shame that our country has these kind of issues. I thought this was a country of freedom of speech. When we go apply for a job, its states regardless of race, sex, creed etc etc. Why can't that be the issue when one wants to enlist in the military. Are we afraid of something? Do those in the military think homosexuals will not serve their duty the right way. Who really cares though, thats their business if they want it out in the open OK, if not thats OK as well. God Bless!

  • Posted By: American_Made @ 01/08/2009 11:40:22 AM

    What people seem to fail to realize isa that yes, there are openly gay people in the real world, but the civilian sector is much different than the military. In the military there is a need for Good Order and Discipline. While people are openly gay in the "Real World" as you call it, others are not required to live in close quarters, shower, and undress in close quarters with them. Well in the military, by virtue of the nature of our jobs, you are. While most people in the military are very understanding of many things, this makes many of them uncomfortable. There are many things about military life and duty that are different than civilian life, that's just a fact that anyone who has ever served knows. If someone is gay, then so be it, but openlybeing gay is not compatible with the military. It does not lend itself to good order and discipline, which is one of the things that separates the military from the rest of society. The policy does not need to change from what it is now.

  • Posted By: DekeRivers @ 01/08/2009 11:40:18 AM

    Why do all the comments about showering and sleeping arangements get blown off as homophobic? The less bigoted position would be that gays and straights should be treated equally. Our society has always seperated heterosexual men and women because they are not trusted to restrain themselves. Why should gays be treated any different? Maybe all men's rooms and all women's rooms should be abolished and all should use the same facilities. How many parents would send their 18 year old daughters into a shower with 18+ year old men? Why is it any different for parents to send their 18 year old gay son into a shower with 18+ year old men? I am very open minded and would like to hear a rational argument against sending straight women into the men's shower by someone that advocates gay men in the men's shower.

  • Posted By: GVFD912 @ 01/08/2009 11:40:10 AM

    LET GAYS JOIN!!!!! Send them straight to the front lines! I just feel sorry for the soldiers out there who will have to listen to.. OMG, there shooting at us! STOP Shooting it's wrong! GUN CONTROL IN IRAQ!! Gays against Guns! Gays against Guns! etc...

  • Posted By: j007don @ 01/08/2009 11:31:14 AM

    No! If gays want to serve, then they should keep to themselves, don't ask for "special" consideration, and subject themselves to the same dicipline as all Soldiers/Serviceman,.. and that doesn't include anything about promoting "Their" "Lifestyle"! Amazing,.. that everyone else is supposed to be so "Politically Correct" and "Tolerant of this,.. but "Gays" can't tolerate the long standing History, dedication to service, and the "Honor" to serve without making themselves an "Issue"! Besides the fact that,.. hey,.. what about "tolerance" of and towards Christians, Moslems, the Jewish faith,... or anyone who strictly finds this contrary to their beliefs, faith, or even a distraction to good order and "Teamwork"??? Besides,.. serving our Country is an "HONOR" and a "Privelidge",.. not a "political issue", gay rights agenda, an experiment ,.. "OR A RIGHT"!!! It is not a Right! If we had any Gays (and it was/"IS" Men only in Combat arms, "Elite" forces!) in the Airborne Rangers , Paratroops and U.S.ARMY "Special Forces", It sure wasn't known and an issue,.. because we had to focus on the main Mission,.. Serving each other as a team,.. and Fighting for Freedom and our Country! Would you like "open" Showers and barracks, and sleeping rooms for opposite gender serviceman and our dedicated woman warriors? Anything goes ? No reasonable, historical, practical, or moral/"Morale system of discipline,.. that by the way,.. has "worked" for over 250 years, if you count the "French and Indian War"??? There is a saying,.. "Freedom isn't Free",. how true,.. and Soldiers must give up some of their traditional "Civilian" Freedoms so we can Defend our Country(heard of the "Uniform Code of Military Justice"?), and "all" remain free for the good of the Many! It's time that Gays and their acttivists show a little tolerance for their Country and quit "Whinning"! It is said in many Military circles, "when necessary" ; that "We are here to Defend Democracy",.. "not to practice it"! Oh,.. and all this stuff about Spartans and their "Love" of each other,.. well it might of happened, but I can tell you it wasn't an active recruiting tool. They had to Conform for the good of the unit and their "State",.. and if you disrupted things,.. discharge was the least of your worries!! Any real Leader Loves his soldiers anyway,.. and their welfare,. but what do I know,.. I only served with the U.S. equilvelent of "Spartans" for 24 Years! U.S.ARMY(Older than the Nation itself!) Sergeant Major, Retired.

    • Posted By: Lady Marion @ 01/08/2009 11:40:05 AM

      Blarney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: scottla @ 01/08/2009 11:39:41 AM

    DRVWAYMECH -

    I have always heard that men that react violently are actually closet cases, afraid of their secret desires...even Dr Phil said that...so you react violently huh? that means you have been in such situations where you have put yourself at the reach of a man.....

  • Posted By: sunny7 @ 01/08/2009 11:39:37 AM

    keep it simple, let those that are serving decide. have them vote, yes or no.

  • Posted By: Caesar64 @ 01/08/2009 11:39:18 AM

    nobody ask if you like brunnets, blondies or reds, why ask if somebody like mens

  • Posted By: barney82553 @ 01/08/2009 9:57:55 AM

    Well just think of all the money we can save. And it appears that saving is going to be essential for many years to come. No more seperation of restrooms. I mean come on if gays can serve and not think about sex then surely men and women can sleep in the same barracks and use the same facilities without thinking of sex. And the women should not be embarrassed to think that the men might be looking at them because its not about sex. That we even have the discussion is simply stupid. Yes gays have been with us forever and they have served honorably as have straights. The difference is that by not being open they are keeping the comfort level of others at rest. We know that men WILL look at a woman who is naked (hell dressed) and think something but they do not act on it as generally. I am not a woman but knowing a feew I feel that I can say without a doubt that a woman would feel very self consious about sharing their shower, restroom, and barracks with a man for this reson. Why would anyone think a man would not feel the same about a gay sharing with them???? As with most of our moral compass in this country this is so ignorant to consider and is a prime example of why the rest of the world thinks so poorly of us. I mean where else in the civilized world except Denmark is this tyoe of behavior condoned?

    • Posted By: Romero @ 01/08/2009 11:39:13 AM

      Do you know that men that always look at women with sexual desire can be a sexually addicted. There are many hetersexual sex addict and not know it. It sound that some of hetersexual making comments may want to find out if they are sexual addicts. It is a mental and spiritual sickness! Sex has its place and should be kept in perspective.

  • Posted By: JJ2347 @ 01/08/2009 11:08:38 AM

    All of you Bible trashing, Gay loving liberals that have probably never served a day in your life should butt out of this. I served on Active Duty in the Army for more than 21 years. During the entire time I was on Active Duty I knew of only three homosexuals serving. One of them was kicked out of the Army for getting caught performing illegal sex acts. The other two were nothing short of a distraction and a detriment to good order and discipline. Homosexuality is an abomination and is NOT a normal lifestyle. If you want to foister your alternative lifestyles on everyone else and expect that to be accepted, then expect everyone who does not care for your alternate lifestyle to speak up against it. Unlike you ***, we have rights that are God given as well as constitutionally granted. If you do not like the rights that you do or do not have in America, get the hell out of it.

    • Posted By: loki-loki @ 01/08/2009 11:39:12 AM

      I think the Consitituion states "We the People..." no legitimately back then it only meant white land owning men....but it has grown with the times to include ....OMG - white non-land owning men, oh let's not forget the women, then we of course had other skin colors.... which of course means that we included all of their religions. Hmmm... so I guess "we the people" means everyone that can say they are an American citizen by birth or nationalization. So I guess the words "bite me" - and sit down and shut up - because people are tired of listening to hate should be said. Times are changing and unfortunately the christian church cannot continue to try and keep the people in a dark ages any longer. Because "WE THE PEOPLE".. will not stand for it any longer.

    • Posted By: jandell @ 01/08/2009 11:16:39 AM

      You only KNEW of three that were homosexual. You served among many, many more that were discrete, and never knew it.

      • Posted By: PsyDoc @ 01/08/2009 11:26:01 AM

        Jandell....prove it!!

  • Posted By: chelle300 @ 01/08/2009 11:39:08 AM

    If gays can work openly in todya's workforce without being discriminated against then why can't they work openly in the military? As long as they are doing their job it shouldn't be a problem...I am prior service and I didn't have a problem with it then and I don't have a problem with it now...just let people be who they want.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse