The first person wounded in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, whom lost a leg, has come forth to admit he is a gay Marine.
Should a gay person be forced to keep part of his/her identity a secret?
2007-03-01 03:06:03 · 6 answers · asked by BeachBum 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Btw, US Army 80s, Gulf War 1 vet and gay.
2007-03-01 03:13:59 · update #1
I myself do not have what it takes to serve our country in the military. I honestly feel that anyone who lives here under our laws and wants to fight for our country should be able to do so with out discrimination. Sexual oriantation has nothing to do with how intelegent a person is or how they handle military weapons. The gay community of this country is fighting very hard right now to be equal and as far as the military is concerned they are seeing what women delt with in the past. It is easier to hide the fact that you are gay than it is to hide the fact that one is a woman. Being a straight person growing up in the theater world I have found that most of the gay people I have met are the most honest and loyal people to their partners and I feel that they should be able to support our country any way they feel they can. Let these people be who they are. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this topic but at the end of the day how many people who say "NO" would get off their butts and join the military in place of one of our gay community members because they dont want to admit that the "gay guy" over there has more balls than they do.
2007-03-01 03:22:18 · answer #1 · answered by shadowsthathunt 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Thanks for your service!
Anyone serving is amazingly selfless and brave. My opinion on that does not change based on whether someone is celibate, heterosexual, monogamous, openly homosexual, or openly polygamous. I believe the service would allow the first three to serve and prohibit the last two from serving. (Or, I could have said left-handed, homosexual, or an alcoholic, all behaviors thought to have a genetic component.) They guy left a leg on the battlefield for us, for God's sake! I respect that.
I think the one "rationale" I have heard for the present policy is that "unit cohesion" is indeed a concern when we're talking sexuality as opposed to race. I assumed the reason for prohibiting openly gay people from serving is the same reason that barracks, showers, etc. were not co-ed - people don't like to be in such close quarters with people who could be potentially sexually interested in them. I am not saying that all gays are "predators," or all straights, or all men or all women. But I think that was the rationale. Theoretically, having all heterosexuals and single-sex facilities would have the least potential for disrtuption. An ideal, only, and I'm not sure to what extent the military is co-ed anyway.
I defer to the military experts on what should be done. If my information is incorrect, I'd appreciate a correction. Thanks.
2007-03-01 11:26:27 · answer #2 · answered by American citizen and taxpayer 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
While I think in everyday life it is ok to come out and be accepted by most. I do not think this same acceptance is practiced in the military, it would be better to serve your country as a non. I think it is to divisive to declare your homosexuality in the service and don't ask, don't tell is the best thing to do. Now that being said, you didn't ask is it fair, If you had ask that, I would have said, no it is not fair.
2007-03-01 19:30:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, I don't know. I hate that It is made into something of importance. I don't want to know because I don't care. Being gay does not make him less a hero or more of a hero. He is simple a HERO. I and every free American owe our Vets. praise and heart felt thank yous. I don't want to hear about any ones sex life. I think some things are private. I don't want to tell and share about mine. Not because I'm ashamed or proud but simple because it is private. I have a soft place in my heart for our service men and women, but marines have always been my favorite.
2007-03-01 17:41:03 · answer #4 · answered by Mother 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, that policy should be eliminated and we should be allowed to tell the truth about ourselves while we serve our country (not that I have personal experience of serving in the military).
Even the expression "Don't ask, don't tell" carries with it an implicit recognition of hypocrisy -- It's okay that it's going on as long as we don't know that it's going on.
2007-03-01 11:18:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Yes.
Homosexuality is not accepted in the US military. Now, that being said, it's also overlooked as long as it's not blatant.
2007-03-01 11:12:23 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋