Friday, May 14, 2010

Some folks don't even try to hide their bigotry

Here's a quote by Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe about repealing DADT as posted on towleroad.com:

"For those of us...and I’m one of them...who have gone through the military, gone through basic training, and you stop and think... it just doesn’t make any sense. Second of all, it’s just not working. You have women, men, then you have a third group to deal with, and they’re not equipped to do that. And you know...you hear the stories all the time. A military guy...I happen to be Army, and Army and Marines always feel that when we’re out there, we’re not doing it for the flag or the country; we’re doing it for the guy in the next foxhole. And that would dramatically change that."

Okay.   A few points.

 1.  "You have women, men, and then you have a third group."   Hmm.  I didn't know that I gave up being a man once I came out as gay.

2. "Second of all, it’s just not working."  What isn't working is asking people to lie.  Gay people have been in the armed forces ever since we had armed forces.

3. "A military guy...I happen to be Army, and Army and Marines always feel that when we’re out there, we’re not doing it for the flag or the country; we’re doing it for the guy in the next foxhole. And that would dramatically change that."  Wow.  That sure takes the wind out of those who see enlisting in the armed forces as the highest form of patriotism.  Remember John McCain's presidential motto, "Country First"?  Wasn't this supposed to reference his own sacrifice for the United States in the Vietnam War?  If Inhofe had his way, the motto would be "Heterosexual Male Next to Me First."

Senator Inhofe, by suggesting that our troops would abandon gay soldiers on the battle field, you assume our straight soldiers are as odiously bigoted as you are.  And even worse, you disgracefully underestimate them

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