Gays in the military now!
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This week, both the editorial columns in both the New Republic and the New Yorker are demanding that Barack Obama demonstrate his commitment to gay rights by revoking “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” so that gay men and women can serve openly in the US military.
The editors at both publications seem to have forgotten the conventional wisdom of just a few months ago: Don’t make the same mistake that Clinton did in his first hundred days; Don’t define yourself by taking sides with liberal activists against the military, especially not when we still have two wars to fight.
Full of indignant demands for the President, neither editorial even seems to consider whether an aggressive effort to get rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would threaten the success of so many other liberal initiatives supported by the New Republic and the New Yorker.
As a Republican, I just don’t get where these editorials are coming from. Are you guys trying to do us a favor?
As an advocate of equality, I also don’t get where they’re coming from. Why is it so important right now to get rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”? It has real flaws, but it’s lasted for 16 years. Wouldn’t it be a heckuva lot smarter to take a gradual approach that first builds consensus within the military rather than imposing change from outside?
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3 Comments - add your own
Mikeybackwards — July 3, 2009 at 6:38 pm
David,
A broad military position against DADT has already arisen as this CNN article notes. Also, because we are fighting two wars and are expelling experienced officers and service members who list such key qualifications as Arab language skills, we can’t afford to keep wasting time, training, and resources discriminating against those who are willing and capable of serving. Additionally, surveys among service members show a majority of rank and file members also are in favor of allowing gays to serve openly. This is a policy of discrimination that says criminals and high school drop outs are preferable to West Point graduates, distinguished and decorated service members, and those who possess valuable and essential skillsets simply to placate the most venal and regressive members of our society who are out of step with a secular and pluralistic society. We are not a society that should appease those who wish to discriminate and/or persecute those who refuse to adhere to their narrow sectarian views.
David Adesnik — July 5, 2009 at 12:24 am
Thanks for the link to the CNN article. To be precise, I think it shows that a significant number of retired generals and admirals oppose DADT. It does not necessarily show that there is a broad military position against DADT.
Mikeybackwards — July 5, 2009 at 11:26 am
David,
While I have seen articles citing broad active duty support for repeal of DADT, this was the only one that I could find a link to. I believe one of the military newspapers even conducted a poll that showed a majority of enlisted personnel supported repeal of this policy and many reported knowing someone in their unit who is currently serving who was gay/lesbian. Other major militaries around the world have repealed prohibitions without problems. It is time for the U.S. military to accept what a majority of its members and over 3/4 of all Americans think is sound policy.
I also do have a problem with your wanting to wait for the military commanders on this. In our country the civilian authorities direct and control the military, not the other way around.
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