This page was last updated on December 9, 2010.
A matter of time; Editorial; Beaver County Times; December 8, 2010.
This is the latest in a series of editorials on this topic. A couple of previous examples are “Do tell” (2/5/10) and “Do tell” (3/15/07).
Before I proceed with my position, which I’ve provided in previous critiques, let me state I have neither military nor behavioral science experience or expertise. What I write below just seems to make sense. At the risk of being labeled ignorant and a sexist homophobe, here goes.
One of the reasons I oppose women serving in combat roles alongside men has to do with the sexual tension present in mixed groups and the potential effects on the mission even if full-blown romance doesn’t break out. There are a couple of other reasons, but this is the one relevant to this discussion. The fact non-pregnant sailors leave on an aircraft carrier but a number return pregnant makes it obvious sex isn’t checked at the dock.
When you have homosexuals serving with members of the same sex, how is that different from heterosexuals serving with members of the opposite sex?
Is this one of those cases where commonsense – at least to me – is wrong? I don’t know. As I wrote above, I have neither experience nor expertise in this area. Until we’re certain, however, I don’t believe our armed forces should serve as a behavioral science lab for politically correct social policies.
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