Don't Ask, Don't Tell is about to fall...

[SpinyNorman]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46576.html

Thoughts?

Personally I am glad.

It was a ridiculous policy.

[SpinyNorman]

Not about to fall...Fox and MSNBC have called it...it has fallen.

Bravo Congress.

[rogue06]

Seemed inevitable.

[SpinyNorman]

Seemed inevitable.

Yeah, pretty much...

[Seasanctuary]

Huzzah.

[Leonhard]

Hurray hurray oh happy day! Gay at last! Gay at last! Thank Susanne Salkin we are gay at last!

[FlimFlamboyant]

<Sarcasm>

Awesome. Not only is it great that this has finally been overturned, I think the military should flat-out endorse homosexuality. They should dress them up in bright, rainbow-colored fatigues and put them on the front lines for everyone to see. That way, the whole world, including our enemies, will be able to see how diverse and tolerant we are. Once they see that, how could they possibly hate us?

This is a fair warning to those sarcastically impaired the preceding text was written in jest.

[gharfish]

Why use jest tags ? Other than than rainbow-colored fatigues remark you are being serious.

"Endorse" ? How could they ?

Until / if we are forced to go back to drafting soldiers again, it's our volunteer servicemen and servicewomen who endorse their paychecks.


>

[supton]

I still don't quite get the difference between DADT going away and desegregation, at least in terms of what the grunts think. We outside the services can argue about the impact; but those who are in the services gave up the right to refuse to do their duties. Sure, if a command is immoral, they have a right to disobey--but just like there's no immorality for blacks to fight alongside whites, there's no immorality for gays to fight alongside straights. So, while the opinion of the Marine corp is interesting, I'm not sure it's worthwhile to base Congress' opinion about the matter--Marines have to serve one way or the other.

I'm sure that some will decide not to serve, just as some decided not to serve, what, 50 years ago?

[Darth Executor]

I'm always for thinning out the gay population. If this means more gays join the army and get gunned down or blown up then I'm all for it.

[supton]

Yeah, but then you'd have a bunch of gay heros and gay Purple Heart recipients for people to look up to (and have on VA benefits).

[Darth Executor]

Yeah, but then you'd have a bunch of gay heros and gay Purple Heart recipients for people to look up to (and have on VA benefits).

John Kerry got 3 purple hearts for shooting himself in the foot. How many people go around saying "Man, you know who's a real inspiration to me? John Kerry."

[shadowmaster]

Fighting together is one thing.
Showering together is another.
Should there be different sleeping/showering facilities?

sm

[supton]

Nah, my understanding is that most gay men aren't humping each other at every opportunity. At least not those who are drawn to the services. And of course, I'm pretty sure the military's rule about "no sex in the barracks" (or similar) isn't about to change.

If I had to guess, it'll take a while for the new status quo to come out. "Smith is hitting on me in the shower!" will probably become a way for straights to attack gays, and it'll probably be known as such, thus gays will either wind up closeting (at least initially) or have to be, well, obeying the rules along with everyone else. After a bit, false charges either way will get either ignored or punished, as the military has better things to be dealing with.

[shadowmaster]

Nah, my understanding is that most gay men aren't humping each other at every opportunity. At least not those who are drawn to the services. And of course, I'm pretty sure the military's rule about "no sex in the barracks" (or similar) isn't about to change.

Are service women and service men currently housed together?