The Individualist: Don't Ask Don't Tell Is Wrong

Posted by Joe Rivett on 03.15.2007

If it is a good idea to let blacks and women serve, why not throw in gay people too?

Over the last couple days, America has rediscovered its zeal for debating anything with the term 'gay' in it. It is not that we are obsessed with gay issues, but they are easy to understand. It is easier to argue for or against gays in the military than whether or not Alberto Gonzales did anything wrong to lose his job.

The comment that started this debate was made by one of the top ranking generals; (General Pace) who stated that homosexual conduct was immoral and akin to adultery. The akin part really bothers me because there is a difference between cheating on a spouse and having sex with someone of the same sex. Funny, how Pace does not want to throw adulterers out of the military. Because of Pace's beliefs, he supports the "don't ask don't tell" policy instituted by Bill Clinton as a compromise. What pissed off a lot of people is not that he is against gays serving openly in the military but that he would not apologize for saying that being gay is immoral.

Basically, Pace's argument is that homosexuality is immoral; therefore, the government should not allow it to be practiced by law. I'm not going to focus the column on whether or not homosexuality is immoral. It doesn't have much to do with politics, and I feel it is self-evident that being gay is ay okay. (Hey, if Jefferson can argue all men are created equal as being self-evident which is wrong, I can call homosexuality being moral as self-evident.) Instead, I am going to argue why the Army/Marines should not throw gay people out of the service.

Those that do not believe gays should openly serve in the military aren't homophobes, but they believe it can create tension, verbal abuse, and diminish morale. Alan Simpson, former Republican Senator of Wyoming found some poll data to dispute this theory. Apparently, a majority of soldiers that knew a gay member did not believe that it had a negative impact on the unit or morale. Now of course a minority said that it did create a problem, but 'assholes' create negativity as well and we don't throw them out of the military.

The proponents for not allowing gays in the military only had two reasons: immorality and negative impact on unit and I don't believe that to be the case.

There are many great reasons why we should allow gays to serve in the military.

First, gay people provide important jobs. According to Simpson, over 300 people have been fired under the "don't ask don't tell policy" with 50 specializing in Arabic. Does it make sense to throw language experts out of the military when we are in a War on Terror which means that gathering intelligence will be the most fundamental part? I don't think it does.

Secondly, gay people are bodies. Currently, our military is stretched way too thin. It is so thin that we send NATIONAL Guard troops to an INTERNATIONAL war. We can't even threaten Iran because there just aren't enough troops to scare them. The Urban Institute estimates that 65,000 gays are serving. If we throw them out, then Bush's surge is really going to fail.

In addition, I am a pussy. That's right. I am afraid of loud noises. I would find it very hard to kill someone. I would find it even worse not knowing where my enemy is coming from. Not only am I a pussy but I also just got married and want to start a family. For these reasons, if some gay person wants to fight so I don't have too, then God Bless Ya!

Thirdly, we are undermining the troops by not allowing gays to openly serve. If there are about 65,000 gays serving, then aren't we undermining them by calling them immoral? If I worked for a company and one of the board members stated that Italians are immoral, I wouldn't feel as good about my job and would consider quitting. Questioning a war does not undermine the troops, throwing out someone for their sexuality does.

Lastly, and what I find most important, we are going to look back and say how stupid we were. I look back and can't believe blacks were not allowed in the military. The fact that they wanted to serve showed how loyal they were to a country that only made their lives worse. We also made a fuss about women serving and they have shown that they are capable. One hundred years from now we will look back and wonder why the hell we discriminated against gay people that wanted to give their life for our freedom. Gays will eventually be able to serve in the military. A recent Gallup Poll shows that over 90 percent of those between 19-29 favor gays serving in the military. It is going to happen so why not let it happen now? (It is also why I believe gay marriage will be a commonplace in the next few decades.)

For these aforementioned reasons, I believe gays should be allowed to serve in the military. If this War on Terror is going to be the great struggle of the century, we are only undermining it by not allowing a certain group of people to fight against it. America is at its best when it is inclusive.

We have given civil rights to former slaves, women, immigrants, yet how can we deny someone rights based on who they have sex with? In the end, gays will be able to serve in the military. As time passes by, our country becomes more socially liberal (with the exception of polygamy). What once was crazy: blacks having autonomy, women voting, flag burning, rock and roll, swearing, and pornography, (as long as it doesn't happen on the Super Bowl) is accepted by most people. I believe most people accept gays. Heck, they would be serving right now if 19-29 year olds actually voted.