[quote name='Rani' timestamp='1285569994' post='483251']
[quote name='Tyler' timestamp='1285562454' post='483238']
[quote name='TheScotsman' timestamp='1285561301' post='483236']
[quote name='mustafabey' timestamp='1285134428' post='482781']
Lady Gaga made the news recently by getting involved in the gays in the military debate. Of course, Congress put off the vote, probably till after the election. I consider myself fairly liberal, especially concerning social issues. I am also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the Vietnam conflict. My military was straight, circa 1965 and if you were found to be gay you were forced out of the service. I saw a few guys literally disappear during my enlistments. Today things are different, I reckon and maybe gays want to serve our country' The general being considered for the next commandant of the Marine Corps said his peace about the issue. He has reservations and doesn't think, given the special nature of the Marine Corps that it would work. I have to stand with Gen. Amos on this issue. I find it hard to accept gays in the Marines. This maybe latent homophobia working or some good old Marine Corps brainwashing still in my mind. I'm not particularly homophobic. I've had gay friends and co workers and never had a problem with that. I just see it as disruptive in the military. Am i being old fashioned, prejudiced or too rigid. I'd like to hear what you'all think regarding this matter.
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I am in complete agreement.
Gays will, and do destroy esprit de corps. Their presence weakens the comradeship of a unit. The average early adult male is uncomfortable around them in a combat situation. There is a reluctance to count on them, and heterosexual males do not believe they will provide sufficient support to others in the unit.
Gays openly serving are, and will always be an offense to some cultures. They will make US units a target of some radical religious sects. Let me guess, Rani thinks we should jail the freak that wants to burn Korans because it is offensive to Muslims, and will make US soldiers targets... but thinks those same soldiers would be fine as targets if it's a result of an openly gay member of that unit offending the locals in a culture where homosexuality is a crime. How can you expect a soldier to suppress any display of their religion, to eat a diet free of pork, and others to avoid any references to alcoholic beverages, to remove any photos of their loved ones in which a female is depicted in with no covering over their shoulders/arms/hair. Even worse, to remove any photos of the family dog from their personal belongings, all because it offends the enemy, or host nation, then in the same breath tell me we need openly gay soldiers-which will offend them far more than the previous affronts. That is epically silly, and demonstrates a lack of thorough thought behind your opinion.
the thought of even one soldier getting killed because we need to coddle a special interest group more worried about their sexual display, then the good of the others in a unit makes me sick.
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No. Gays do not destroy the spirit of the corps, it's the assholes who are homophobic that destroy it. Just because a man is gay does not mean he wants to have sex with you -- or any other man in his corps. The heterosexual males need to get over their issues with homosexuality, they're the problem not the gays. Homosexuality is also not offensive to Islam nor any other major military company. All major religions would be able to adapt to a military life style, because they knew what they were getting in to when they signed up. Radicals in any religion wouldn't join the armed forces, any branch, if they truly followed their religious traditions. Religion is not a buffet, you can't pick and choose which rules you follow; the only exception is a logical systematics approach to disregarding outdated laws or proper interpretation of the religious texts.
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On my local news radio, there was a discussion of whether or not the rank and file really give a damn. [b]They couldn't interview troops in the field easily, so they did what they considered to be a reasonable sampling of troops staying put in one place - every VA hospital in the country[/b]. According to the news report, overwhelmingly, they didn't much give a damn who the guy covering their back was sleeping with, so long as he was covering their backs.
Scotsman, I've said since the very beginning rank and file should be making this decision. The still must be up and running because you've stopped reading before ranting.
'Rani
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While I think that people who lay down their lives for our country shouldn't be judged by who they share their bed with, I do question the statistical significance of surveying only the hospitalized military personel on this topic.