Don't Ask Don't Tell Repealed

[The Newswire]

It has been a really really really good news week.

First of all, the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, or DADT, was repealed. For those of you who have been living in a cave, because you hate our way of life, DADT was a Clinton-era piece of legislation. DADT was designed to make it comfortable for everyone for homosexuals to serve in the military. The idea was basically that there would be no discrimination, but there would also be no pride parades or other flaunting of sexuality...

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[Raza]

Cool. I don't get why anybody would want the 'right' to serve in the US military, but I guess it's the principle of the thing.

Alexander the Great had sex with both men and women and he managed to conquer Afghanistan.

Zing.

[Mr Karl]

heh, alexander the great, in this day and age...............I'm all for it, but I kind of think the worlds gotten a little soft to handle someone like him around

[One Eyed Cat]

It was definitely a good week. I agree with your analysis. The court case forced their hand. Regardless, there is finally equality for people who want to serve without hiding who they are. On a side note, Peter The Great had a penchant for midgets as he stormed across Eurasia.

OEC

[Amelia G]

Cool. I don't get why anybody would want the 'right' to serve in the US military, but I guess it's the principle of the thing.


Zing.

I thought of that line and I was pretty much helpless not to post it.

[Amelia G]

It was definitely a good week. I agree with your analysis. The court case forced their hand. Regardless, there is finally equality for people who want to serve without hiding who they are. On a side note, Peter The Great had a penchant for midgets as he stormed across Eurasia.

OEC

Penchant for midgets? Now this is a history lesson I clearly need. Male, female? Brought with him on tour or picked up via conquest?

[One Eyed Cat]

Penchant for midgets? Now this is a history lesson I clearly need. Male, female? Brought with him on tour or picked up via conquest?

I think they would have just been subjects of (then) Moscova. He was best known for his sexual proclivities with his male servants (non-midgets), but he was not known to have a specific sexual preference. I don't know of any gender preference with midgets. Nothing is mentioned in this regard at the Battle of Poltava for example. That is probably the best documented of his asswhoopings across Eurasia.

[helcyon]

Now I'm also happy say (with all respect and sincerely no intent to trivialise anything at all) that the other good thing is that this excellent phrase "don't ask don't tell" can continue to be used in other ways. To shut up busybodies who ask whatever is none of their business is one. 12:00 Midnite in Sydney.

Happy new year I wish it was anyway. Jan 1 exactly 7 days from now and all bullshit finished and as mathematically far away into the future as is possible. Gonna have to link to some of those other cool emoticons you used to have here shortly if I can trawl em up cos they cool.

[nathanmbailey]

I've been in the Army for 6 years, and I've worked with some gay guys. The only guys that ever pushed the DODT policy have been straight guys trying to get out of their contract. Most of us haven't cared. The thing is, everyone looks at it as an equal opportunity standpoint. Look at it from a leadership standpoint. A lot of places have open-bay showers. So now, a leader has to worry about sexual harassment charges that could rise from that environment. On top of that, housing is now going to be an issue. A man and woman aren't put into the same barracks room. So, now we have to worry about sexual orientation between male and female barracks rooms. The policy was more well known to the public as just a way to hide gay soldiers, but in the military it solved a lot of issues that came from having to manage troops and keeping everyone semi-comfortable. And in all honesty, the policy never really harmed anyone, because leadership never really bothers going into someone's personal life.

[Raza]

I've been in the Army for 6 years, and I've worked with some gay guys. The only guys that ever pushed the DODT policy have been straight guys trying to get out of their contract. Most of us haven't cared. The thing is, everyone looks at it as an equal opportunity standpoint. Look at it from a leadership standpoint. A lot of places have open-bay showers. So now, a leader has to worry about sexual harassment charges that could rise from that environment. On top of that, housing is now going to be an issue. A man and woman aren't put into the same barracks room. So, now we have to worry about sexual orientation between male and female barracks rooms. The policy was more well known to the public as just a way to hide gay soldiers, but in the military it solved a lot of issues that came from having to manage troops and keeping everyone semi-comfortable. And in all honesty, the policy never really harmed anyone, because leadership never really bothers going into someone's personal life.

So in a nutshell: everyone was in formalized denial, which kindof-sortof worked out because all these 'problems' were of the petty emotional discomfort variety anyway.

I'm sure you'll work something else out.

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

And in all honesty, the policy never really harmed anyone, because leadership never really bothers going into someone's personal life.

Never really harmed anyone but the people it harmed. Some 12,000 since it was implemented IIRC. Yeah, a lot of soldiers and command just didn't care, but it sucks to have your career ruined by the guy who did. Besides, there is a lot of male on male sexual harassment perpetuated entirely by straight men in the military.

[nathanmbailey]

I never said there wasn't male on male sexual harassment, but with the policy there was at least the ability to say it's just guys joking around. Hell, seems every few months I hear about some guy getting ***** out here or in Iraq. The repeal probably isn't going to change much anyway, shit will still be ran the way shit's ran. The same asshole GI's that made people affected by DADT uncomfortable will still make the openly gay service members uncomfortable. The fact that this was really just a big political ploy to try and get another minority's reelection vote is just one more reason I'm glad I'm out of the military soon.

[aXa]

i always felt that they also wanted more non-straight oriented folks to join the military, and that DADT was the government's way of saying "hey, its safe now for you to enlist!" part of this is that the law seemed to have shown up when enlistment in the various branches was reputedly at a low point.

i'm still not sure, if i would have ever even consider joining the military, no matter what laws could ever possibly be passed. i only have bisexual tendencies, but my lifestyle choices and interests in non-normal things(for instance, music, fashion, and body arts), have always been enough to get crap from the military types i went to school with, the parents of the kids i was friends with who lived on my local airbase, and almost anyone else ive ever encountered in a military setting. despite being a military(air force) brat myself, i didnt really get into or even exposed to most things until later in life - late junior high, high school, or college.

[Raza]

The fact that this was really just a big political ploy to try and get another minority's reelection vote is just one more reason I'm glad I'm out of the military soon.

In a representative democracy, there are two types of political changes: those that appeal to demographics to secure their votes, and those that appeal to industries to secure their donations.

Accidental improvement is your best-case scenario. Gift horse, etc.

[mzsmilee]

very interesting