Poll: public support of gays openly serving in military surges

I would love for McCain to

catch up to the 21st century.  

According to the GAO, we've spent over a billion bucks investigating, terminating and replacing qualified gays in the military.  It's a waste of money, a waste of time and at it's worst, a waste of good people who want to be in the military in this day and age.

I guess it all makes sense when one knows McCain is a waste too.        

You may not be gay, but you may be next.

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by: LeslieK @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 11:19:31 AM CDT

This is such a simple issue

The belief that our soldiers are petty and stupid enough to allow a fellow soldier's sexual orientation to influence their ability to remain disciplined and focused while doing their job is an insult to the troops.  Assuming they're incapable of overcoming whatever prejudices they may have (whether it's about sexual orientation, race or gender) treats them as though they are incompetent children, not qualified soldiers.

I'm only a click away.

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by: JulieWaters @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 11:22:00 AM CDT

EXACTLY!

My career-army half-bro mentioned this in the limo at our grandmother's funeral (a great-aunt started Bush-bashing, and somehow, this came up). He had just finished a tour in Iraq at the time (He left Baghdad right before they captured Hussein), and he's no desk-jockey or a young dude (late 30s at the time).

He said outright that that he knew or suspected several soldiers of Teh Gay and it didn't affect his unit one way or the other. Everyone did their job and backed each other up, the way they were trained to, and noone expected any different.

I know that some fear retribution at first if homosexual people are allowed to openly serve. Same as other groups (women, ethnic minorities, religious minorities). But I figure, expect better of people and people do tend to police themselves and their peers. We should (and usually do) hold our military to a higher standard. Allowing, aiding, and abetting prejudice and phobias just wind up providing handy excuses for people with the severe prejudices (not to mention emotional issues and impulse-control problems) to act out and cover up their own issues with someone else seen as a "problem".

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by: lyonside @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 13:13:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's worse than that

I agree that assuming straight soldiers can't overcome their own prejudices is an insult to them.  But DADT is worse than that.

The "unit cohesion" argument suggests that because some people have problems overcoming their own bigotry, their victims should be sent away.  Could you imagine a school principal telling a bullying victim "that bully doesn't like you, and I can't have the two of you disturbing class, so I'm expelling you"?  Or a mayor reacting to the bombing of a synagogue by demanding that all Jewish people leave town lest they precipitate further hate crimes?

The DADT policy is based on morally-onerous premises that also happen to be false.  Much of the American public now supports its overturning.  In not yet having passed the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, Clowngress is behind the times as per usual.

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by: pgraydon @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 17:07:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

POW!

And pgraydon hits it out of the park....

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by: Firefly @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 18:13:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

He has already done it

during his town hall meeting he told a retired gay general to his face that he "honored his service" but that he supported DADT because "it was working"

A true hero to Log Cabin Republicans, McCain

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by: tiponeill @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 11:27:05 AM CDT

Thankfully this should stop that Nunn for VP nonsense

Now start finding a Great VP, you have 2 weeks before the Olympics to do a PR launch. I wish Caroline Kennedy was more like Dick Cheney (in just one way.) After looking at all Bush's possible VP, Cheney said he was the best choice.

Caroline = BEST CHOICE

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 11:47:00 AM CDT

McCain is a coward.

Unwilling to defend the policy himself -- McCain points to "military commanders" and spreads his hands.

"It's not me," he seems to be saying.  Passing the buck to the military doesn't look strong to me, it looks weak.

Maybe the next line of questioning should be about McCain's understanding of the military's role in our country, and civilian leadership.  

I bet there's a treasure trove of neo-authoritarian "goodness" there.

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by: Firefly @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 12:15:18 PM CDT

e.g. He is just a BUCK passer.

Not a Buck Stopper.... I thought that was 'determined' in l948  wasn't it? Or isn't that a permanent marker on POTUS's desk.  THE BUCK STOPS HERE.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 12:25:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yep. Bush is famous for this, and McSame is no different.

Not taking responsibility for his own policies -- Bush points to everyone but himself.  Instead of defending his own incompetence, Bush says he listens to "commanders on the ground" for every action he takes with reference to the active military in the Middle East.

And it's a god-damned lie in the first place.  Bush and Rumsfeld were famous for dismissing "military concerns".

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by: Firefly @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 13:23:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

My son, active duty, Regular Army

has repeatedly complained that the low level and discipline problems presented by the new recruits makes the DADT supporter claims of G/L's representing a discipline problem ridiculous.

He and his colleagues would fra rather have qualified gays and Lesbians than the gang members, felons and mentally disturbed individuals now being let into the ranks..

But then, John McCain knows all about the Military, though how he got the chance to learn aboout while chasing beer heiresses still mystifies me...

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 13:04:57 PM CDT

I bet that is difficult for him

  Dealing with a bunch of PFCs. (Private Felon Class)  

 But with a criminal in the White House Bush believes he needs criminals in the military.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 21:05:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And here I am...

...ineligible for, say, the Coast Guard Reserve for being a raging queen with ADHD.

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by: M @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 21:47:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

To Themselves?

"Thus, the Department of Defense does not ask questions exploring the sexual orientation of prospective servicemembers, and individuals are required to keep their homosexuality to themselves."

I wonder if all the heterosexuals in the military keep their heterosexuality to themselves?

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by: Jon Michaels @ Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 13:14:30 PM CDT