Openly Debating the Issues of Gays in the Military

 



The debate on gays serving openly in the military has continued to dominate the opinion section of Stars and Stripes, and it looks like it will continue for a long time to come.



 



Personally, I think the fact that this debate has been around as long as it has is an indication that the military will not give in to the gay demand because doing so could corrode its image as a value-based institution.   The truth, I had - until now - managed patiently to stay out of the debate. But the fact that advocates of the gay movement are equating their struggle – which seeks to display gays by having them openly glow in military formations across the United States of America — to the noble civil rights struggle of recent history has compelled me to awaken from my long state of indifference and develop an opinion on the issue.



 



Advocates of the gay movement (and their clients) are quick to mention discrimination as an impediment to attaining their goal, but this is far from the truth. The official stance on this issue for the military, as far as I am concerned, is the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy, which silently rolls out red-carpet treatment for homosexuals in the service to do whatever they relish about their lifestyle with maximum right to privacy—not openly. The rationale or underlying principle of those who consistently object to gays serving openly — please include me — has always been clearly articulated. The military, ours, is a professional organization, and the intent is to keep it that way. Where in that statement is discrimination? Gays have rights, and so does the military. A right, as I understand it, is something we can enjoy without interfering with or intruding upon the freedoms of others. Gays, like all Americans, have the right to guaranteed privacy. The infamous policy quoted above give them that privacy. Likewise, the military has the right to define what kind...