2008 Woodie Awards
STAFF EDITORIAL, 1/31: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' deprives gay, lesbian troops of dignity
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Opinion
All this was inspired by Plato's Symposium, when he writes, "For what lover would not choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or who would desert his beloved or fail him in the hour of danger?"
We're not asking for units of Navy SEALs marching under the rainbow flag. It's simply time to repeal the silly law and get back to business. The British military began allowing GLBT service members in 2000 with a certain level of uncertainty. Harassment, bullying and erosion were all concerns that have came and gone, according to the Ministry of Defense and top commanders of the forces.
Both former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili and former Senator and Secretary of Defense William Cohen have come out against the policy. Last year, Shalikashvili wrote in The New York Times, "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces."
Just a month prior to his column, almost 30 retired generals and admirals came together to urge congress to repeal the silly law. Twenty of the 26 NATO nations have no bans on GLBT servicemen and women.
Most importantly, though, we feel it to be inherently immoral to force our GLBT service members to shove their sexual orientation - a Secretary of Defense William Cohen huge part of anyone's existence - inside. Hiding it as though it were some form of disease or ailment.
This is the saddest part of the whole ordeal. These men and women who shed blood for our nation and her allies are treated with the ultimate disrespect: abnegation of their dignity.
We're not asking for units of Navy SEALs marching under the rainbow flag. It's simply time to repeal the silly law and get back to business. The British military began allowing GLBT service members in 2000 with a certain level of uncertainty. Harassment, bullying and erosion were all concerns that have came and gone, according to the Ministry of Defense and top commanders of the forces.
Both former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili and former Senator and Secretary of Defense William Cohen have come out against the policy. Last year, Shalikashvili wrote in The New York Times, "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces."
Just a month prior to his column, almost 30 retired generals and admirals came together to urge congress to repeal the silly law. Twenty of the 26 NATO nations have no bans on GLBT servicemen and women.
Most importantly, though, we feel it to be inherently immoral to force our GLBT service members to shove their sexual orientation - a Secretary of Defense William Cohen huge part of anyone's existence - inside. Hiding it as though it were some form of disease or ailment.
This is the saddest part of the whole ordeal. These men and women who shed blood for our nation and her allies are treated with the ultimate disrespect: abnegation of their dignity.
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