“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is the policy of the United States government as of 1993 that prohibits efforts to discover or reveal closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers and bars them from openly serving in the military. At this writing, the Obama administration is urging the Supreme Court to keep the policy in force while a federal appeals court considers the issue. I will leave the constitutionality for the courts to sort out, but from a pragmatic point of view, this issue seems pretty straight-forward.
Unfortunately, I think what’s primarily driving the issue is a philosophical issue, viz., the cloudy modern American distortion of “equality for all.” As I pointed out in my blog, “Gay Marriage and Equality,” “equality does not mean there are no differences among things.” Men and women are equal in some sense, but they are certainly different and that obviously entails different outcomes. Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are all certainly different as well, and that should entail obvious outcomes as well. What exactly those outcomes are becomes obvious given the make-up of the particular society.
As an example, I'm glad they practice "Don't Ask Don't Tell" in our local gym, at least tacitly. I certainly wouldn't shower there if I knew any homosexual or bisexual was in there with me. Now am I just a bigoted homophobe? Probably as much as women are bigoted male-phobes for not wanting to share the bathroom with males at the same time. This is a normal reaction; it is how most properly feel about it. People don't want others coming in announcing their sexuality because they want more people to enjoy the gym. If they did announce their sexuality, it would become a gay gym pretty quickly.
Similarly, if “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is repealed, it is obvious to me that we’ll have gay armed forces pretty quickly. Close and private quarters are part of the fabric of military life, and are divided up between males and females. They have separate barracks. In this situation, males and females are not supposed to be showering and sleeping together in the barracks, for example. Similarly, most people would rather not share close and private quarters with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
It should go without saying that sometimes a repression of sexuality is in order. Freedom of speech and expression has obvious and legal limitations. One can’t walk around naked in public, for example. One can’t lie and scream “fire” in a crowded theater. Similarly, in the interest of esprit de corps, the military must maintain its well-worked out traditions and limit freedom of speech and expression by upholding, at the very least, its “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.
Many reports seem to indicate that most Americans favor repealing this policy. Yet it seems quite myopic for those in favor to not also consider the issues laid out in this blog. Of course prima facie everyone wants people treated fairly and equally. But what exactly does that entail? Does this mean that those in favor of repealing the policy will also readily share the bathroom with the opposite sex at the same time? Does it also mean that those in favor of repealing will readily dress, shower, and use the bathroom with homosexuals or bisexuals? My hunch is that the poll numbers would significantly drop if these questions are raised.
R. M. Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
November 12, 2010
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Commenter says... () | | "You're about as senseless as this reporter: http://gawker.com/5716043/barney-frank-makes-a-fool-out-of-conservative-reporter-over-dont-ask-dont-tell?skyline=true&s=i" (12/23/10) |
Rob Sivulka says... () | | "So you think there's no difference between not knowing someone's gay and knowing someone's gay? What sense does that make? Ignorance is bliss on certain occasions and this is certainly one of them. There has already been plenty of men who have undergone sex changes and are showering with women. See what happens when women are informed about this. Gays have been privileged to be showering with those they are sexually attracted to, but now the only difference is that many heteros are even more uncomfortable. They are uncomfortable simply because they are informed. There are all sorts of scenarios that demonstrate why we shouldn’t reveal certain things publicly. Those who think otherwise are simply myopic.
Do you really think Barney Frank’s argument makes any of us heteros any more comfortable with showering with OPEN homosexuals? Again, if I know someone’s a homo, I’m not going to be showering with him. It’s that simple. I may have no problem publicly drinking alcohol, but I’d be an unsympathetic idiot if I freely drank around someone I knew was an alcoholic.
Again, the main factor in this recent decision to repeal DADT is the discrimination factor. But since there’s always going to be LEGITIMATE discrimination, there’s no good reason for this repeal and many good reasons it should have never happened. Straight servicemembers are legitimately discriminated against. They can’t publicly shower together. Now ask yourself why that’s the case. I submit those same reasons are the ones that have traditionally been used to keep gays silent concerning their sexual orientation. " (12/23/10) |
Judy says... () | | "Our own troops said they did not want this repeal forced upon them in survey after survey, as well as Ollie North who works with our troops overseas has said it is wrong for them as well as their commanders. I believe it is a deliberae attempt by this Administration to weaken our troops, as from the very start there has been bigotry and suspicion perpetrated against our vets, including those who have recently served in the war on terror, by this Administration." (8/21/12) |
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