'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Them They Can't Fight
Chris Connors
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Opinion
"No matter how I look at the issue...I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens...For me, it comes down to integrity -- theirs as individuals and ours as an institution." -- Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Whatever your political beliefs regarding America's wars overseas, there remains, in this writer's opinion, a certain honor to be found in military service. Perhaps it is not the country that qualifies the honor (I certainly maintain little patriotism myself), but rather the selfless expression of love that remains (or rather, should remain) the core of the willingness to defend one's country. For what lies at the heart of every true patriot, no matter the nationality, is a sense of duty, integrity and above all love for his or her fellow citizens, family and significant others. The ability to express such love through the altruistic, protective role allowed by the military should be a privilege and a right.
Yet for 17 years, this position has been denied to a group of people simply on the basis of whom they love. Since 1993, the United States has enforced the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, preventing openly gay men and women from serving in any facet of our military. In other words, you're allowed to fight and die for your country, but only if you lie about your sexuality and remain celibate. Since its inception, the enforcement of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has discharged over 14,000 U.S. servicemen and women. The fact that the U.S. has been at war the majority of that time seems to add insult to injury; as any military advisor worth his weight will tell you, the last thing you want in a time of war is to lose good soldiers.
Worse yet, there doesn't seem to be any rational justification for this incredibly offensive and discriminatory law. Upon hearing the recent testimony by Admiral Mike Mullen (partially quoted above), John McCain stated, "Numerous military leaders tell me that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is working, and that we should not change it now. I agree." He later added, "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has been an imperfect, but effective policy." To which any right-minded person might beg the question: effective at what? What exactly is the end-game here? The oft-cited "unit cohesion" argument lacks credible evidence to support it, and as anyone with a level of psychological knowledge equivalent to a teenager can tell you, lying about who you are can greatly affect your interaction, or cohesion, with others. In a job where your very life rests on the soldier next to you, this policy not only makes no sense but can also result in further loss of life.
Whatever your political beliefs regarding America's wars overseas, there remains, in this writer's opinion, a certain honor to be found in military service. Perhaps it is not the country that qualifies the honor (I certainly maintain little patriotism myself), but rather the selfless expression of love that remains (or rather, should remain) the core of the willingness to defend one's country. For what lies at the heart of every true patriot, no matter the nationality, is a sense of duty, integrity and above all love for his or her fellow citizens, family and significant others. The ability to express such love through the altruistic, protective role allowed by the military should be a privilege and a right.
Yet for 17 years, this position has been denied to a group of people simply on the basis of whom they love. Since 1993, the United States has enforced the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, preventing openly gay men and women from serving in any facet of our military. In other words, you're allowed to fight and die for your country, but only if you lie about your sexuality and remain celibate. Since its inception, the enforcement of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has discharged over 14,000 U.S. servicemen and women. The fact that the U.S. has been at war the majority of that time seems to add insult to injury; as any military advisor worth his weight will tell you, the last thing you want in a time of war is to lose good soldiers.
Worse yet, there doesn't seem to be any rational justification for this incredibly offensive and discriminatory law. Upon hearing the recent testimony by Admiral Mike Mullen (partially quoted above), John McCain stated, "Numerous military leaders tell me that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is working, and that we should not change it now. I agree." He later added, "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has been an imperfect, but effective policy." To which any right-minded person might beg the question: effective at what? What exactly is the end-game here? The oft-cited "unit cohesion" argument lacks credible evidence to support it, and as anyone with a level of psychological knowledge equivalent to a teenager can tell you, lying about who you are can greatly affect your interaction, or cohesion, with others. In a job where your very life rests on the soldier next to you, this policy not only makes no sense but can also result in further loss of life.
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