Subscribe to Breaking NewsDuffy: Military ban is an incentive to lie
Not only does DADT harm families, soldier’s morale, recruitment, retention, and ruin careers – it creates a culture of liars and cowards willing to sell their battle buddy to avoid stigma.
I was eating dinner chow and noticed a soldier a few tables ahead of me reading a Stars and Stripes newspaper. When I saw the word ‘gay’ – on the front page no less – I knew I had to grab my own copy on my way out the door.
The title of the article, written by Stars and Stripes columnist Seth Robson, read “To avoid punishment, gay troops often claim assault.” I don’t like the idea of gay service members ruining one another’s careers so they don’t get kicked out, but I did like the points made about how Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) supports this type of dishonesty.
A digital version of the article can be downloaded from the Stars and Stripes website.
The article focused on a specialist who is being accused of sexual assault by a private, and the legal experts claiming that the “‘Don’t ask’ threat is an incentive to lie.” Various professionals, including professors and lawyers both civilian and military, comment that many consensual sexual acts result in a claim of assault “from one party’s fear of the potential consequences if their homosexual conduct were known to others.”
The Army has a set of seven values that form the acronym LDRSHIP. The values are: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Being a homosexual and being in the military already stretches the “integrity” value by forcing us to lie and be covert in discussions of our personal lives. Lying about consensual sexual acts, however, not only touches on the value of integrity, but also on honor and personal courage. DADT forces some of us to be dishonest – sometimes to the point it hurts others.
I admit being worried enough about DADT to not make it a practice to hook-up. I believe it’s the fear of getting caught and not the fear that my would-be partner might accuse me of assaulting him. The penalty for all the charges against the specialist in the article might be life in prison. I can’t imagine that a passionate, yet consensual, tryst would result in the forfeiture of my freedom for life – but apparently for some it does come to that.
The article also exposes the cowardice of some gay service members. If they are going to send someone to jail for life just to save face and their job – what might they do in other stressful situations?
The private is said to have written a letter asking that the specialist – his “assaulter” not be prosecuted.
Having to keep a secret opens up the threat of blackmail, thereby creating a problem, rather than solving one. The real purpose of DADT is to continue the stigmatization and prejudice it indulges. Please contact your representatives and urge them to repeal DADT. And contact Obama and ask him to do more to make repeal happen.
Battle Buddy?!? LMFAO!!
Duh! I mean that only in a good way. This is a major point that I don’t think Congress considers. How can someone have the integrity required of our military, while being forced to lie every day! DADT was no improvement over a Zero Tolerance for Gays policy. And it’s all there because someone thinks that our greatest heros, who risk their lives to defend us, are scared to death that their buddy might be gay and see them in the shower. Really.
If DADT stays as a law – then I say fine. Let the heterosexuals die for my freedoms. Since they don’t want me there to help them in the defense of those same freedoms. This is what THEY should consider. By allowing DADT to stay enforce then they are the ones that get killed first by being at the war fronts and such. Haven’t the heterosexuals ever thought this thru.
In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed DOMA into Law on Air Force ONE. A couple months prior to the second term election. We were not sent to the Back of the Bus. We were Thrown UNDER the Bus for the second time in 3 years.
I have not let Pres. Bill Clinton off the hook for DOMA and DADT. Set us back +/- 20 years. Hope President Obama isn’t the latest politician that once in office, does weird political Math and ” Stabs Us ALL ” in the back contrary to prior sentiments. No more HOMO-cide please. Atleast none of us mistook ” George W ” as a friend and we progressed not expecting White House help ( ie: MA and courts ).
It is my prayer that Mr. Obama will show strong decisive leadership. DOMA just runs contrary to US Constitution. Same rational that overturned the remaining laws banning inter-racial marraiges in June 1967.
I’m afraid to keep Def Sec Gates and other dinosaurs happy, he may punk out and do more HOMO-cide.
A Great lesson in leadership, In 1948, President Harry Truman unequivically racially integrated ALL military branches. To this day, their are still some racists in the military, as elsewhere. We are still far stronger for Mr. Truman’s unequivical leadership. We will be way better off as a nation when DADT which runs contrary to the military honor (truth) code is history. Modern militaries such as UK, Canada, Israel and others . . . have proven that DADT rational is a total myth. Will there be change pain ? Of course Everything involving growth can have growing pain.
Mark H. * Long Beach, CA
How can one create a culture of liars and cowards when the core of the LGBT personality is histrionic and passive-aggressive personality disorders?
@ RJLigier
Do tell, what is your qualification for making such an obvious and puerile statement? Further, how is it you can shit on the gay and lesbians who serve proudly, defending a clearly ungrateful nation, all the while sitting on your gutless ass at home? Please, do tell. What have you ever done? What pains or injustices have you ever faced? and when did you ever have to fight for the simple right to live, love and be happy? I suspect the answer to the above questions will no doubt be a convaluted spewage of denial, trite piffle and downright faux indignation feigning righteousness. No matter. Gay and Lesbian servicemen will continue to defend, fight and protect your cowardly butt along with all the other “real americans”…..if nothing else, you do have nerve, albeit the nerve of someone living comfortably in his home while the “homos” protect him.
You have now been told.
Jon in Canada…….do you still believe that you’re born gay? Maybe you didn’t receive the memo that Wayne Besen and DDr Lamont Hill overlooked. Read a book, perhaps several. All LGBT individuals manifest HPD and PaPD. Being the Queen the Denial does not change the science.
@ RJLigier
You really don’t have a clue do you? Unfortunate.
As for reading books, trust me when I say I have read more than you will ever do so in your lifetime. This of course is only due to the fact that, unlike persons such as yourself, I consider the Bible a great book of fiction and don’t put much stock in its ’science’. Also, I don’t pollute my intellect, which is conisderable, with pseudo-science from, how shall I put this, less than honest pundits. Rush Limbaugh nor James Dobson can even begin to understand basic science and biology, let alone facts…..but then again, when did facts ever matter to the likes of them, or you for that matter.
It’s sad that you seem to spend some much time on this site, which begs the question or more so, the observation…..whom do you think is in denial here.
Again, I have had to teach you knowing full well you cannot learn……but you are entertaining, your comedy routine here is quite a giggle and for that, I do thank you.
To RJLiger: History shows that Lesbians and Gay Men have loyally served in the armed forces of Canada, Britain and the United States with distinction. This included women who were key aides to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, it is interesting that heterosexual men used the claim they are Gay in order to evade the draft. Who then was dysfunctional?
Serious psychologists, psychiatrists and scientists who take the time to be up do date with the latest research agree that homosexuality is not a disorder. However, forcing people to lie to serve their country is a very serious disorder. Bigotry, including your bigotry is also a disorder. I do hope you will get treatment soon.
RJLigier, kinda sucks being on the losing side of history … don’t it?
Your little misguided world is crumbling around you and we’re all going to be dancing as you watch gay folk become fully accepted in this country.
@RJLigier
Oh, it’s SO GOOD to see you again! Hey, did you ever respond, much less recover, from the last logical beatdown I gave you? http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-the-laissez-faire-homophobe/ for all who want to see it.
Again, you make the same mistake in your argument: you give NO EVIDENCE for your claims, and you try and discount the evidence that has been supported.
You kinda remind me of this preacher who stood on the Commons (at JMU) yelling at everyone that passed by, “You’re all going to HELL!” Everyone just ignores you since you don’t even know what you’re talking about, and to the newer observer, you’re just kind annoying.
As a note to everyone else: don’t get worked up over this nameless, faceless, person. You’ll probably never have to meet him (hoo boy if you do!) so don’t get angered by what he says. It’s just a waste of your time, and the evidence is really on our side.
Sorry folks, the only thing that I can add is this: I am truly sorry that the back-alley abortion which I had years ago didn’t take before little RJLigier slithered out of my unhappy womb.
It wasn’t my fault that he kept dodging the clothes-hanger … but at least today he’s got a little more rhythm in his dance step. Although, the resultant brain damage is regrettable.
My only real regret is that other birth control measures could not be retro-actively applied. I know that there is a “Morning After” pill now available, but it is just too bad that a “Decades After” pill is still waiting to be invented.
…Oh, well.
Kisses and Hugs,
RJLigier’s Mother
Shawn,
“Battle buddy” is a basic training tool used to give the Drill SGT’s a hand in “cat-herding”. You assign two recruits to look out for one another at all times.
Sometimes this happens in active units as well when they get new troops fresh out of Basic/AIT. It’s a good idea for overseas postings when you throw 18 year olds into a new culture and away from Mom, Dad and Sgt’s care for the first time.
Hmmm…interesting. However, you do realize Kanin that HETEROsexuals are the absolute cause of all strife worldwide, right? Due to their sad little over reproductive biological trait, combined with the fact that we live on a planet with FINITE resources, makes for a NON harmonious social existence. By catering to the HETERO death instinct you’re doing absolutely NOTHING except FURTHERING this sad state of affairs. The breeders, or more specifically, the OVERbreeders, if left to their own devices will eventually cause the COMPLETE collapse of this planet’s biosphere. This will happen MUCH sooner than we think. Let the low life, low intelligent heteros wipe themselves out Kanin. They will eventually anyway. It is inevitable. WE are the inheritors of human society. Plain and simple. Let us not emulate the heteros. They’re not worth it. Now, what we SHOULD be doing is this: Strengthening the gay military ban, yes STRENGTHENING the ban and then re-instate the draft!! It’s called killing two birds with one stone. Get it?