This just in: lifting the ban on gays openly serving in the military will take much longer than expected because we need to take about a year to study the effects of a new policy on "those who will be affected by it." If you're like me, you probably assumed that this referred to gay and lesbian servicemembers, right? But you would be wrong. No, the people who are really affected by the service of gay and lesbian individuals are their fellow servicemembers who are straight. Because, once again, it's all about the privileged majority.
Gates has commissioned two reviews, one by the outside consultant Rand Corp. and one to be led by a four-star Army general and the Pentagon's top lawyer. The reviews will look at attitudes about openly gay service among the armed forces, with particular emphasis on those in combat.First of all, it's not like the new policy would require all gay and lesbian members of the military to openly claim their orientation. The change would just make it so that being open about it would not result in immediate discharge. And secondly, if straight servicemembers have attitudes that make them unable to serve with their gay peers, then they're the problem. So launch some reeducation initiatives, and let it be known that bigotry will not be tolerated. The point is, work on the people who are the problem, rather than making the problem all about the group that has been historically treated unfairly. It's not fucking rocket science.
The reviews are supposed to look at the effect that lifting the ban could have on soldiers' trust and reliance on one another, as well as practical and legal issues, military officials said.
Wow. He's admitting that people in the military could be so homophobic that they wouldn't work as well around LGBTQ people. You know, people have to work with people different from them all the time and if they are mature adults they do what they need to do to do a good job even if co-workers have a different religion, different political opinions or different sexuality. Why should the military be different from other workplaces?
ReplyDeleteOh gawd, is that the tactic their going to use to drag their feet even longer on this one? Bleagh.
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteThanks for proving up again that you don't have a problem with spouting off on a subject that you have no fucking clue about. At least you're consistent.
It's Super Bowl weekend so I'm kind of busy, but I'll make sure to carve out some time to call bullshit on your twilight zone view of the world in the near future.
I love how you and your other mostly anglo, female, privileged, overeducated & inexperienced beetches think you have a clue about anything in real life, but particularly about the military.
Even you should have more pride than this.
OK Rachel - 1 of 2
ReplyDeleteSeems we've already proven up at some point in the distinguished history of this blog that you've never been in the military, but as I recall you do know some people that have served. I'll rank those real world chops right up there with the expertise gained by staying at a Holiday Inn Express, but maybe that's just me.
In any case, although I'm certain that the only rights that matter to you & your clones are those of gays in the military you might want to consider that we have around 1.5 million total U.S. Military service members. So…for arguments sake let's say that ten percent of these people are gay. I think that's high, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. It would follow that there are around 1.35 million straight service people. Following my math here? I'd hope you would agree that from an organizational management standpoint this is material. I'm assuming you've never been responsible for a large organization, right? I'm talking about the type of structure in which you direct a management team to achieve a common goal. If I'm wrong please advise.
So, Mr. Gates, who I assume you know has successfully served five presidents in his career and is responsible the most powerful military force in the world thinks it makes sense to investigate the impact that this move will have on the effectiveness of his workforce. You know, the one that keeps the free world safe from the bad guys. I know that mission pales in comparison to making gays comfortable, but maybe you should check your priorities. My point is that from a management standpoint his plan seems not only reasonable, but well advised, given the potential risk to the cohesiveness of his organization and the collective safety of spoiled, privileged chicks like you and your friends.
In spite of what you and your friends may think, most people in the military are guys (1.3M (men) / 1.5M (total) = 86.7% male service members. I'd add that most these guys are straight (90%+). Since most of you have no fucking idea of how the military works let me share with you. In boot camp you're thrown in with 74 other guys from all over the U.S. and either you make it or you don't. You get a chance to shower, sleep, eat and shit 24/7 in front of all 74 of the other guys. So…I'm sure your normal spoiled, privileged audience doesn't have a problem with the proposed changes given that you morons haven't and won't ever have to live them, but trust me when I tell you, real world non-privileged straight guys that have enlisted in the services do.
Allow me to give you a quick primer about the military. Officers are the "Management Class". They are the executives that run the military. They see the military as a career, so they obviously are interested in positioning themselves for the future if they want to end up happily retired. Enlisted people make up the majority of service members and represent the largest component of the people that do the "on the ground" work and are the highest casualty pool. Enlisted dudes are just cannon fodder, just like it's always been.
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ReplyDeleteSo…the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Senior Officers of each of the Services didn't reach their positions by being honest, they got there by being good, smart and savvy enough to be willing to go with the political winds in order to get promoted into their current positions. Just in case you've missed it, Obama promised the GLBTQ community the World in order to get elected. Our Gay Friends are obviously pissed now due to Obama not being willing to deliver on gay marriage. So… in order to keep whatever tenuous connection to the GLBTQ community he can he's calling on these career military guys to agree to ending DADT. Call me crazy, but it doesn't seem like too big of surprise that they're cool with it. I will say I was impressed with the Marine Corps Commandant saying he wasn't OK with it. Just proves Marines are the studs we always thought they were. Remember that it's the Marines that always go in first and get their asses shot off to protect you losers just because they think it’s the right thing to do. It's all politics and bullshit. Its Obama willing to sacrifice the working environment of the large majority of straight soldiers for accommodate his political future. Chicago politics at its finest.
Finally, given your position on this issue I'm wishing on you the open military service you dream of in which your future straight son or daughter somehow joins and gets a chance to shower with openly gay service members that may or may not want to do him or her. Here's a hint, if they're cute they'll totally be a target. After all it is all about making gay people comfortable, right? Your offspring's discomfort is their problem. He or she should be fine with showering in front of people whom have publicly proclaimed their interest in their own sex. It doesn't matter what your child thinks. It's all about being fair.
This just proves how screwed up you and yours are. Feel free to have your clones solicit input from veterans for me. I'll take all comers. You've succeeded in pissing me off. Feel free to fuck off or bounce this post. I don't really care either way.
Some objective introspection on your part may be in order. Talk to your father, he sounds reasonable.
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How cute. Burn thinks that 1) straight people in the military aren't already showering with gay people in the military; 2) all gay people always have to compulsively hit on straight people, cause they just can't help themselves; 3) the only people who can have any opinion or say about what happens in the military and in foreign affairs are people who are or have been in the military. He must imagine himself to have never come in contact with any (gasp!) gay men, since they assuredly would have assaulted him with sexual come-ons. And he imagines himself to be the voice of reason. Wake up buddy. It's the 21st century, and we're living in a democracy. That's the kind of place where the will of people is supposed to run the government and, by extension, the military. It might take some gittin used to, but here we are.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThanks for confirming your indifference to anyone's rights but your own.
Let me make sure I understand your position…gays feel that because straight people have been innocently showering with them for years in the military that once they become uncloseted it's OK with straights that the practice continue? Please clarify. This is exactly the type of issue that the reviews that Gates is commissioning will identify and report. I understand that you and your friends normally don't let the facts get in the way, but if you don't believe that this type of scenario is an issue for straight military members you are even sillier than I already think you are.
I didn't say that all gays want to hit on all straights, but thanks for your bullshit leap of logic. Your sexual issues shouldn't negatively impact the 90% of the rest of the world that doesn't care. Keep your drama to yourself.
You don't know me and I don't know you, but believe me when I say that I've dealt with come ons from all flavors of people. In that context when it didn't make sense trust me that all parties involved understood the potential outcome of taking the conversation to the next stage. Understand?
You and your friends would be well advised to remember that our Armed Forces are 100% volunteer at this time. If you think for one minute this policy change will not impact the inclination of straight Americans to volunteer for service you are dreaming. Maybe we can get many more gays to volunteer. I know most of them have always wanted to fight and die for their country.
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