Repeal of Don't Ask Dont Tell Undermines the Liberty of Homosexuals.
One of the defining moments in the development of my political philosophy took place at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting at the University of South Florida, where I did my undergraduate work, sometime in 1973. The Vietnam War was still raging. The speaker that night was a US Air Force fighter pilot recently returned from Vietnam who came to share the story of his conversion to Christianity. When his visit was announced the radical student organizations arranged to have the event protested. The pilot had to be escorted into the student union by the University Police. There were horrible grotesque signs and banners up on campus all day with maxims like: "Jesus welcomed babies, he didn't bomb them." A group came into the meeting and attempted to disrupt his testimony, heckling him with chants of ba-by kil-ler." During his testimony, one heckler stood up and screamed, " I bet you wish I could be silenced."
The Officer, wearing his dress blues, looked at the young student and said, "Sir, until now every thing you have done has only given credibility to my service. I fully support your right to protest. What you don't seem to understand, sir, is that I and my colleagues put on our uniforms and risk our lives everyday precisely so you can have the freedom to protest everything we do. Your insane screaming gives credibility to my service and shows the greatness of America. Too silence you would discredit everything my friends are dying for, To think I would support anyone silencing you, sir, belies your understanding of the cost of liberty." The crowd turned silent. The pilot finished his testimony. One by one the protesters, put down their signs and left the room, silenced.
After hearing announcement of the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." I thought back to that day. This vote convinced me that some in our Congress do not understand what liberty costs. It was a sad day for our military a few days ago when Congress repealed the Clinton Era military rules now referred to as "don't ask, don't tell." Up until the 1990's homosexuals were not allowed to serve in our nation's military. President Clinton was right in asking why sexual preference should prevent a person from defending freedom. So the policy was changed to allow homosexuals to serve without being ostentatious about their sexual preference.
This was understandable, reasonable and consistent with military culture. In other words, anyone could serve his or her country as long as one did not openly assert their sexual identity. One could also served without having someone ask or question some one's sexual identity; hence, the phrase "don't ask, don't tell." The American media, the democratic party and the homosexual political lobby has treated the phrase like homosexuals are somehow allowed to be in the military but are somehow unfairly oppressed within. It misrepresents the role a service man or woman plays in defense of liberty.
I currently have a son in "Recruit Training," at the United States Marine Corp Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina, in other words "boot camp." A look at his training schedule, his letters, as well as my own and family members experience in or with the military convinces me that the success of a man or woman in combat depends on conformity not individuality. One of the purposes of military training is to bring the soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coastie to the point where in a highly stressed violent situation she can act in concord with her unit. In combat there is no diversity. Everything works together to accomplish the mission and to survive. General Dwight Eisenhower said the only difference between soldiers is some live while some die.
Sexual conduct among military members has all ways been held to be private and personal, and when inappropriate sexual conduct be it homosexual or heterosexual is revealed it is a cause for discipline. This is true not because sex is bad, but because when one is engaged in sex, he is not thinking about his unit. She is totally engage in an action that focus on blissfully enjoying one-self and one's partner in distinction from anyone else. It is a wholly private act. Sexual activity is about individuality; therefore asserting one's sexual identity or conduct takes away from a military conformity. In a military unit there are no males or female, blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, homosexual, heterosexual, every thing right down to the clothes you wear is about working as a team-- that why they call their clothing -- uniforms. A good soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coastie does not ask the sexual identity of another or tell his own for the same reason he does not ask about his fellow soldiers race or religion. When you are under fire pluralism and diversity does not matter only helping each other survive. Unfortunately, those who defend our freedom, must surrender some of theirs diversity and individuality, in order, to protect ours. "Dont ask, don't tell," allowed homosexuals to blend into military culture and to become committed and conformed to the the mission without disturbance, harassment or distinction from their fellow soldiers.
This is why repealing "don't ask, don't tell" undermines the American military. It prevents one group of soldiers from being fully assimilated into the combat unit. This is a truly sad day for all military personnel. Homosexuals should be allowed to serve without prejudice or preference in the American military. This bill creates a protected class in the military service, which undermines unity, conformity and the effectiveness of our services. Ultimately, it puts our liberty at risk. It is a sad a day when Congress neglects its obligation to protect American liberty. The freedom of all Americans homosexual or otherwise is a little less secure today.
The Officer, wearing his dress blues, looked at the young student and said, "Sir, until now every thing you have done has only given credibility to my service. I fully support your right to protest. What you don't seem to understand, sir, is that I and my colleagues put on our uniforms and risk our lives everyday precisely so you can have the freedom to protest everything we do. Your insane screaming gives credibility to my service and shows the greatness of America. Too silence you would discredit everything my friends are dying for, To think I would support anyone silencing you, sir, belies your understanding of the cost of liberty." The crowd turned silent. The pilot finished his testimony. One by one the protesters, put down their signs and left the room, silenced.
After hearing announcement of the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." I thought back to that day. This vote convinced me that some in our Congress do not understand what liberty costs. It was a sad day for our military a few days ago when Congress repealed the Clinton Era military rules now referred to as "don't ask, don't tell." Up until the 1990's homosexuals were not allowed to serve in our nation's military. President Clinton was right in asking why sexual preference should prevent a person from defending freedom. So the policy was changed to allow homosexuals to serve without being ostentatious about their sexual preference.
This was understandable, reasonable and consistent with military culture. In other words, anyone could serve his or her country as long as one did not openly assert their sexual identity. One could also served without having someone ask or question some one's sexual identity; hence, the phrase "don't ask, don't tell." The American media, the democratic party and the homosexual political lobby has treated the phrase like homosexuals are somehow allowed to be in the military but are somehow unfairly oppressed within. It misrepresents the role a service man or woman plays in defense of liberty.
I currently have a son in "Recruit Training," at the United States Marine Corp Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina, in other words "boot camp." A look at his training schedule, his letters, as well as my own and family members experience in or with the military convinces me that the success of a man or woman in combat depends on conformity not individuality. One of the purposes of military training is to bring the soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coastie to the point where in a highly stressed violent situation she can act in concord with her unit. In combat there is no diversity. Everything works together to accomplish the mission and to survive. General Dwight Eisenhower said the only difference between soldiers is some live while some die.
Sexual conduct among military members has all ways been held to be private and personal, and when inappropriate sexual conduct be it homosexual or heterosexual is revealed it is a cause for discipline. This is true not because sex is bad, but because when one is engaged in sex, he is not thinking about his unit. She is totally engage in an action that focus on blissfully enjoying one-self and one's partner in distinction from anyone else. It is a wholly private act. Sexual activity is about individuality; therefore asserting one's sexual identity or conduct takes away from a military conformity. In a military unit there are no males or female, blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, homosexual, heterosexual, every thing right down to the clothes you wear is about working as a team-- that why they call their clothing -- uniforms. A good soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coastie does not ask the sexual identity of another or tell his own for the same reason he does not ask about his fellow soldiers race or religion. When you are under fire pluralism and diversity does not matter only helping each other survive. Unfortunately, those who defend our freedom, must surrender some of theirs diversity and individuality, in order, to protect ours. "Dont ask, don't tell," allowed homosexuals to blend into military culture and to become committed and conformed to the the mission without disturbance, harassment or distinction from their fellow soldiers.
This is why repealing "don't ask, don't tell" undermines the American military. It prevents one group of soldiers from being fully assimilated into the combat unit. This is a truly sad day for all military personnel. Homosexuals should be allowed to serve without prejudice or preference in the American military. This bill creates a protected class in the military service, which undermines unity, conformity and the effectiveness of our services. Ultimately, it puts our liberty at risk. It is a sad a day when Congress neglects its obligation to protect American liberty. The freedom of all Americans homosexual or otherwise is a little less secure today.
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