Earlier this month, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Penn.) announced his sponsorship of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a prime piece of legislation said to undo Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I commend Rep. Murphy for doing this, particularly since this is his first term. It shows a willingness to champion principles over politics, something sorely missing from today's political climate.
Seems like everyone else has extreme views on this issue, which guarantees an emotionally charged debate that gets nothing done. So, I'm weighing in.
Seems like everyone else has extreme views on this issue, which guarantees an emotionally charged debate that gets nothing done. So, I'm weighing in.
First, to the opposition. We are talking about war here people, not ridiculous Culture Wars crap. There are tax paying, law abiding, VOLUNTARILY ENLISTED men and women tossed out regularly, not for sexual misconduct, not because they cause problems in the military... simply because you aren't comfortable with them. No shred of evidence supports the notion that gays disrupt military procedures, but plenty suggests homophobes do.
That's what this is really about... coddling your inability to deal with homosexuals. In other words, OTHER PEOPLE are forced to adjust their lives because of YOUR issues. In gay culture we call that drama, and we have plenty of our own to deal with.
And to my gays (and gay sponsors), I say relax. President Obama is not going back on his values. He's honoring a balanced, coequal version of government. Rep. Murphy summed it up nicely: "The President doesn't want to clearly contradict U.S. law, even though I feel that this law is fundamentally wrong and discriminatory." That point cannot be stressed enough here folks. DADT is codified law, not just a fun slogan. Undoing it democratically will take effort, meaning lots of cosponsorships that we have to work for.
I know it hurts to wait, and I know there are people affected by this law frequently. I'm not trying to belittle the issue or loath my self here. Seriously though, the last thing we want is another president who errs on the side of only some Americans. I'm giving Obama time and space to shut down Guantanamo. After that, I'll be pissed right along with you!!
And to my gays (and gay sponsors), I say relax. President Obama is not going back on his values. He's honoring a balanced, coequal version of government. Rep. Murphy summed it up nicely: "The President doesn't want to clearly contradict U.S. law, even though I feel that this law is fundamentally wrong and discriminatory." That point cannot be stressed enough here folks. DADT is codified law, not just a fun slogan. Undoing it democratically will take effort, meaning lots of cosponsorships that we have to work for.
I know it hurts to wait, and I know there are people affected by this law frequently. I'm not trying to belittle the issue or loath my self here. Seriously though, the last thing we want is another president who errs on the side of only some Americans. I'm giving Obama time and space to shut down Guantanamo. After that, I'll be pissed right along with you!!
3 comments:
How did you learn to accept heterosexual sexuality? Being that so-called mainstream media is predominantly hetero-driven, you are undoubtedly forced to view images of hetero sexuality on a regular basis. How do you feel when viewing heterosexual people kiss, hold hands, have simulated sex in movies or in any porn you might have viewed? If you feel comfortable, as in no real emotional discomfort, how did you get to that point? I ask, because I know how I came to be comfortable with homosexuals, but being that it was something that I could have easily avoided and that I made a conscious choice to learn to accept, I wonder how someone who has had to live with heterosexual culture come to accept heterosexual culture, especially when a large part of it rejects you?
Jeff D.
I ask those questions because it seems to me that aside from religious BS, it comes down to a matter of personal acceptance. How does one learn to be comfortable in their own skin.
I haven't entirely accepted heterosexuality. I see things like abuse of marriage privileges, careless breeding, and selfish parenting and I want to vomit. Many of the same people claim privilege and even sanctity over me. I don't argue against straight people because I can see how we're all part of the same thing. But they really don't live up to the standards they expect of the minority. It's insulting.
You mention the effort involved in knowing and accepting another race or culture... I don't know how to foster that effort in other people. Sometimes I can't find it in myself either. I remember pushing myself to know the African American community better. I realized my family was prejudice and bits of it carried over into my thinking, so I made the effort to change.
How do you get the religious to see some harm in their beliefs? How do you convince men that hyper masculinity is really insecurity? How do you safely challenge the things that people depend on most mentally and emotionally in order for them to grow?
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