This page was last updated on September 30, 2010.
Let gays serve in U.S. military; Lola M. Mason; Beaver County Times; September 30, 2010.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“In response to Sunday’s letter ‘Gays shouldn’t serve in the military:’
“I don’t believe anyone’s sexual preferences should have anything at all to do with whether one wants to serve their country.
“Being heterosexual or homosexual doesn’t determine whether you will be a good soldier. People say they have nothing against homosexuals, but believe they have no place in the military. They make it sound like a soldier who is openly gay would be singing a chorus of ‘Its Raining Men’ in the middle of the battlefield.
“Next they’ll say gays have no place on the police force, fire department or school system. God forbid there’s a gay guy on the football field making tackles or catching passes! I guess that would be the end of America as we know it.
“The only people who are or tend to be uncomfortable are those who are closed minded and deeply ignorant. In case you didn’t know it, ignorance is like a cancer that will kill you.
“If the government doesn’t have a problem taking taxes out of a gay person’s paycheck while working some other job, then what’s the problem with allowing an American citizen who happens to be gay to serve his or her country?”
[RWC] 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.
A local parody website tried to equate opposing homosexuals serving in the military and opposing blacks serving in the military. I found that attempt to be flawed.
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