Making a virtue of necessity

[grysar]

According to a Harris poll reported on in the WSJ, 55% of Americans now think that gays should be allowed to openly serve in the military.

Probably won't happen until 2009, but definite good news. I didn't think we were that far yet. Makes sense for the military and as an added bonus should further advance the gay rights in general. I don't know if the Defense of Marriage Act covers the military, but I can't think some of its provisions will last long once gay soldiers in the field can start asking for benefits for their partners/spouses back home.

Comments

[capfox.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, it gets rid of my excuse if they reinstitute the draft at some point. Ah well; guess I'll find some other way out.

[grysar.livejournal.com]

Well, if they ever did a draft, don't ask don't tell would be gone within a month. It'd make it too easy.

[kmmalloyzz.livejournal.com]

I feel like I'm probably missing some basic knowledge here but what is the reason exactly why they don't currently allow for openly gay soldiers to be in the military? It's against the religion of our country? Which is...Catholicism? Separation of church and state? Please help.

[grysar.livejournal.com]

Argument is that it would undermine morale. Our poor military men would live in fear of being hit on by homosexual soldiers. Although rules on fraternization, as far as I know, would prohibit much of that anyways.

Don't ask - Don't tell was a crappy compromise Clinton implemented back at the start of his Presidency. So you're able to be gay in the military so long as nobody knows. Because encouraging soldiers to live a lie is great for morale. I think at this point nobody actually likes that compromise, so that may be helping the support for just outright lifting the ban.