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GOP’s ‘Don’t ask’ vote could backfire; Oren M. Spiegler; Beaver County Times; December 12, 2010.
Mr. Spiegler is such a prolific letter writer the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review gave him a little tribute back in 2003. Google “Oren M. Spiegler” and you’ll get more hits than you know what to do with. Unfortunately, prolific is not a synonym for competent. Mr. Spiegler claims to be a Republican. In my critique of “Breathing more freely,” I cited reasons why I was “beginning to believe Mr. Spiegler is simply another Republican impersonator,” but he sealed the deal with “Greatest foreign policy debacle.” Subsequent letters have been more confirmation, including this one.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“Let’s assume that all the Republicans who defeated legislation to repeal the repugnant ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ military doctrine truly believe their actions serve to fortify troop morale and combat readiness, that a significant number of our troops will not accept gay fellow soldiers.
“Would it not follow that soldiers should be polled as to which other groups cause them distress? If it were found that a significant number of soldiers don’t want African-American, Jewish, and/or Muslim soldiers fighting alongside them, should they not be barred from service, all in the interest of having the best possible force to challenge America’s many enemies?
“When the armed forces became racially integrated, the same type of argument was heard that’s made today to exclude homosexual soldiers: that the presence of blacks in the military would destroy it.
“Let the record prominently reflect that it’s the GOP that stands in the way of freedom and equality in the military, that it considers gay soldiers to be second-class citizens.
“Apparently Republicans are willing to write off the support of the large gay community and are betting that those of us who believe in equality and human rights will not care. Their actions are despicable, contemptible and shameful, and should backfire.”
[RWC] The “large gay community” to which Mr. Spiegler refers is about four to seven percent of the population.
You have to get a kick out of Mr. Spiegler blaming Republicans for DADT. The first rules for discharging homosexuals were enacted during the Truman administration with a Democrat-majority Congress. DADT was enacted during the Clinton administration, again with a Democrat-majority Congress.
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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