The end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

[Guest bkelm18]

Another social experiment using the military.

First it was woman in combat rolls and woman on ships.

Woman on ships caused a lot of stress on long deployments.

Actually I saw it quite the opposite. Under three different commands and two deployments (at sea), women were more of a balance. The male berthing was testosterone filled and everyone had a blood lust to beat the **** out of each other after 3 months, let alone six. The women shipmates helped even it out, I suppose. No stress from them. They were all competent and skilled, some of them even more so than a great lot of their male counterparts. I served with pride and had no qualms about serving along side women and homosexuals. They should be allowed to serve their country if they please and not have to bear the shame of anything.

[Guest mustangdave]

All this hoopla for what most folks knew was coming...whoopie frickin dew...I'm with Chief 07 back on the first page...glad I'm retired. It will now take the government and the military at least a year to fully impliment this new directive

[Guest Bluemax]

I sense a reality show in the making

[mikegideon]

Soap Drop Survivor

[Guest HvyMtl]

"I do not want to come off as bashing homosexuals or lesbians, but lets face it. We are forked as a nation, when a very small percentage of the population gets to dictate policy and procedure to the majority. "

Ok. This is not a personal attack. Far from it.

This is a clarification. The Constitution was designed to protect the rights of the individual, in spite of the majority opinion.

Otherwise, your freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble with whomever you wish, your right to gun ownership, etc. would be far far less.

So. Lets put it solely on the majority rights over the minority. What would happen?

You would be unarmed (majority view points towards this...) You would be Catholic (as they are the majority.) You would be a Democrat, as they are in the majority (72 million registered vs 55 million G.O.P.)

Careful what you wish for. You just might get it. And all the things you do not want, which comes with the wished for...

AS for the topic at hand... If you want to serve this Nation, and are willing to put your life on the line for my freedom, who the h3ll am I to whine about what you do in the bedroom?

AS for the "Are they going to get BAQ/COMRATS" comment, this should be easy... If the rule applies to those who are having sex out of wedlock - then it applies to all sex... Whether it be "straight" or "gay" sex. No real issue... Uniform application of the rules.

Edited December 20, 2010 by HvyMtl

[Guest Octo]

Never had this issue in my country, which I served dutifully. Didn't matter if the person next to me was gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/intersexed/straight as long as they followed orders and I could rely on them in a combat situation. And since professionalism was always the case, I was glad to serve with them regardless of orientation, gender, and creed. Unless I am serving with an idiot or a traitor, what happens off duty is irrelevant.

[Guest 85rx-7gsl-se]

The difficulty is balancing tyranny of the majority and tyranny of the minority...The later often times being the greater evil IMO. As far as the main topic I think I said enough when I first joined to last me a lifetime

[R1100R]

Damn, no more " Rump Ranger Cadences" . Of course they haven't been sung in years. I took the survey. I've been at it 34 years and stated I don't care.

I feel that most that I know that serve just want no Hoopla over it and business as normal. They are just tired of living in fear.

[analog_kidd]

Just wait for the first lawsuit to come about from some recruit who takes offence from a drill sargeant who makes a "Two things come from Texas, Steers and Queers" kind of a comment. Then we'll have to make sure a DS never offends anyone again. We'll have to soften up the whole regimen just because of one person.

Back when I was a young man, being called "Gay" was a pretty good motivator to me and my circle. One way or another I'd be proving my manhood. Guess times have changed. Not so much of an insult now.

[Punisher84]

Just wait for the first lawsuit to come about from some recruit who takes offence from a drill sargeant who makes a "Two things come from Texas, Steers and Queers" kind of a comment. Then we'll have to make sure a DS never offends anyone again. We'll have to soften up the whole regimen just because of one person.

Back when I was a young man, being called "Gay" was a pretty good motivator to me and my circle. One way or another I'd be proving my manhood. Guess times have changed. Not so much of an insult now.

I went through BCT at Fort Knox, maybe not the hardest, but certainly not the easiest from what I've heard as far as the way the DS treats the recruits. I never had any DS in my company make any type of comment like that. May have been the case back when Full Metal Jacket was out, but not anymore. I'm not trying to be an ass, but if being called "gay" was a good motivator for you to do anything I gotta say that's pretty silly.

[Guest Jamie]

Once upon a long time ago, "gay" simply meant "bright" or "Happy"... Had nothing to do with sexual preference, and to be honest I don't really understand how it ended up with the meaning it currently has.

[Punisher84]

Once upon a long time ago, "gay" simply meant "bright" or "Happy"... Had nothing to do with sexual preference, and to be honest I don't really understand how it ended up with the meaning it currently has.

"How dare you imply I'm happy?! Prepare for fisticuffs!"

[Guest Jamie]

Sounds like something a British version of George Carlin would say.

Or maybe Hugh Laurie?

[Punisher84]

Sounds like something a British version of George Carlin would say.

Or maybe Hugh Laurie?

I could definitely see that as a Dr. House quote.

[Guest Jamie]

I could definitely see that as a Dr. House quote.

Oh, you need to think a little further back than that.

Blackadder

( This also continues the military theme of the thread. )

[Punisher84]

Oh, you need to think a little further back than that.

Blackadder

( This also continues the military theme of the thread. )

Oh man I'll have to see if I can find that somewhere. I love Stephen Fry and Rowan Atkinson. I'm a huge fan of British comedy.

[analog_kidd]

I went through BCT at Fort Knox, maybe not the hardest, but certainly not the easiest from what I've heard as far as the way the DS treats the recruits. I never had any DS in my company make any type of comment like that. May have been the case back when Full Metal Jacket was out, but not anymore. I'm not trying to be an ass, but if being called "gay" was a good motivator for you to do anything I gotta say that's pretty silly.

You may think it's silly, but that's because we grew up in completely different generations. You've come of age during a time where it's been OK, or in some cases cool to be gay. When I was in my 20's, there was a pretty big social stigma against homosexuality. AIDS was the number one biggest issue, and it hadn't really crossed over too much into the straight culture. There were very few people who had "come out of the closet", and it was a very big deal when someone famous did it. Nowadays, folks won't even blink when they find out someone's gay.

[BigK]

In case anyone wants to know what a 17 yr old about to ship out this summer thinks...

My son is a Marine DEP poolie, so I asked him what he thinks about it. He doesn't care, but he shuddered as he said he doesn't want some gay guy checking him out in the shower. He thinks most will be okay with it, but that there "WILL be some trouble if one of them starts trying to get with him" LMAO. Otherwise, he's cool with it.

In case you want to know what an ultra-conservative 40 year old guy thinks...

I think since we don't ask ANYONE about their sexual preference, there shouldn't be an issue to begin with. Any gays that refuse to join the military b/c they can't tell everyone about it don't have a place in the military. I have moral issues with their actions, not them as people, so I don't condone or accept them. Yet, I would never say they don't have a right to be that way. Last I heard less than 1% of the world is gay and I miss the days when owning up to it were shameful.

[Punisher84]

Last I heard less than 1% of the world is gay and I miss the days when owning up to it were shameful.

Yeah. Alot of people miss hanging blacks from trees too.

[Guest Jamie]

Yeah. Alot of people miss hanging blacks from trees too.

And about 1/4 of my ancestors had an entire country stolen from 'em by a combination of force and trickery...

Also, last I heard, 3% of the population admitted to having a homosexual encounter of some kind. ( 'Nother one of those stupid studies that probably should never have been done in the first place. )

The only real point here is that statistics are evil... in case you wondered.

Edited December 22, 2010 by Jamie

[Guest mosinon]

Last I heard less than 1% of the world is gay and I miss the days when owning up to it were shameful.

Really? You miss the eighties? There was more crime, more racism and just about more bad of anything else bad you care to think of.

People tend to romanticize the days gone past and imagine it was some purer, simpler time. The truth is that people forget their struggles and think of the good things that happened back in the "olden days"

Could be that you were a big fan of Flock of Seagulls or something but I would argue that times are much better now.

[Guest Jamie]

Really? You miss the eighties?

Actually, yeah, I do... I was much younger then, and had far fewer aches and pains. :-\

[Guest mosinon]

Once upon a long time ago, "gay" simply meant "bright" or "Happy"... Had nothing to do with sexual preference, and to be honest I don't really understand how it ended up with the meaning it currently has.

There is an answer

[Guest Jamie]

There is an answer

Well I kind'a figured there was... Rather surprised that it started that far back though. Hmph.

[Garufa]

All you folks that think only 1-3% of the world is queer, meaning gay, or whatever they call themselves, need to wake up. I'd say it's at least 10%, if not more depending on where you are.

Always has been, always will. But now that they're taking over it may get worse.

Point is they are out there. Been in the military since this country was founded and every other one too. They've been running governments and creating Western Civilization over the course of thousands of years.

The military will deal with is as it sees fit, meaning official policy will never supersede reality.

While I personally do not agree with the lifestyle, as long as my junk is safe they can do whatever.