Thoughts On Don't Ask Don't Tell?

[scottw]

[QUOTE=Jim in CT;
"I agree 100% with that. I just think that when sexuality is brought into this unique situation of combat, one's ability to "do their job" is potentially severely compromised.[/QUOTE]

as much as gays may suffer with a certain stereotype and how it may translate to performance military combat in many minds..... the vast majority of us forming opinions on this have absolutely no idea what it is like to actually be in combat...I'm trying to understand exactly how, in combat, would someone's sexual orientation affect their job or ability to do their job, I'm not talking about the affair between the superior and subordinate, just...soldier open about the fact that he's gay(we're generally talking about men since we're talking combat) and how would that affect the situation of combat...I'm just curious, not trying to be a wise guy...I could see that in a situation where you are dealing with the jacked up pack killer mentality needed to go out and do what these guys do, it might be very difficult for an openly gay soldier to fit in, be welcomed and earn the confidence of his peers depending on the individual and various biases that might exist and if you are infact forcing a social experiment and demanding acceptance and punishing for intolerance his peers, it could potentially be a very bad situation

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by scottw

as much as gays may suffer with a certain stereotype and how it may translate to performance military combat in many minds..... the vast majority of us forming opinions on this have absolutely no idea what it is like to actually be in combat...I'm trying to understand exactly how, in combat, would someone's sexual orientation affect their job or ability to do their job, I'm not talking about the affair between the superior and subordinate, just...soldier open about the fact that he's gay(we're generally talking about men since we're talking combat) and how would that affect the situation of combat...I'm just curious, not trying to be a wise guy...I could see that in a situation where you are dealing with the jacked up pack killer mentality needed to go out and do what these guys do, it might be very difficult for an openly gay soldier to fit in, be welcomed and earn the confidence of his peers depending on the individual and various biases that might exist and if you are infact forcing a social experiment and demanding acceptance and punishing for intolerance his peers, it could potentially be a very bad situation

I have no doubt that gays can admirably perform just about any task expected from a combat serviceman. I am 100% confident in that conclusion, and i have never heard any rational person suggest otherwise.

And if I was in combat, for-real combat, you can bet that no one would care about the sexual orientation of the guy watching his back.

And while I have no direct experience with gays in the military, I can forsee problems with morale, spirit, and confidence, based on the hypothetical, but not outlandish, scenarios I posted earlier.

There are other things like logistics. Because while I have no problem with homosexuals, I wouldn't want to shower or bunk with them, just as I would be opposed to men and women bathing and bunking together.

I'm very curious to see how this goes, and I hope my concerns prove to be groundless.

[Fly Rod]

Originally Posted by scottw

...I'm trying to understand exactly how, in combat, would someone's sexual orientation affect their job or ability to do their job,

Lets use the case of Ted Rubin a Medal of Honor recipient.(not gay)

His sargent was anti- Semite, Rubin is Jewish, he was a holocaust survivor, joined the U S military and fought in Korea. The sargent hated Jews and always gave Rubin dangeous asignments hoping he would be killed. The company was ordered to retreat and the sargent ordered only Rubin to stay behind and hold off the enemy, Rubin held off hundreds of the enemy and was finally wounded and taken prisoner.
Rubin was repeatedly nominated for various medals and awards, but was overlooked because of anti-Semitism by a superior: according to the Washington Post, "in affidavits filed in support of Rubin's nomination, fellow soldiers said their sergeant was an anti-Semite who gave Rubin dangerous assignments in hopes of getting him killed."

Ted Rubin was finally given the Medal of Honor in 2005


My point is that a anti-gay superior can put a gay military person in harms way.