Openly Gay Students Say They Will Attempt To Enlist

[rodeodance]

http://www.channel3000.com/news/9759607/detail.html?rss=c3k&psp=news


Openly Gay Students Say They Will Attempt To Enlist
Students Want To Challenge Military Policy

POSTED: 10:29 pm CDT August 29, 2006
UPDATED: 10:33 pm CDT August 29, 2006

MADISON, Wis. -- A trio of University of Wisconsin-Madison students said they will try to enlist in the military and not hide the fact they are openly gay.

Derek House and two others said they want to serve their country but want to challenge the 13-year-old Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
........

House said he does not want to serve and keep his personal life a secret.

If the military rejects their attempt to enlist, the three plan to join a sit-in to protest the policy.

Madison is among 30 cities where openly gay students will attempt to enlist in the military.

[JI7]

1. they really are brave

they aren't just fighting for equal rights, but in an area where a lot of the war mongers are too chickenshit to join themselves and like to may anti gay jokes.

it will be interesting to see what happens because there is a problem with not enough troops and how those who are enlisted have to serve longer because of it.

[Withywindle]

2. I have such mixed feelings about this...

...I hate to see anyone signing up to be fodder in this awful war.

But I respect their stance against discrimination so much.

[orleans]

3. (could they please do it when we're not at war w/the rest of the world?)

i understand the challenge--that's great. protest? i'm all for it. however, now is not the time to try to get into the military.

you want to serve your country? there are other ways to serve. you want to knock down discriminatory laws? wonderful.

but...do you want to be a human shield?
do you want to be bush's puppet?
do you want to put yourself into a position where there is no legal escape (ie: stop-loss)?
do you want to encourage this war-mongering fool by donating your body to his "cause"?

i don't think ANYONE should be signing up now.

[breakaleg]

4. I understand they want to make a point, but this is not the way to go.

Who would want to be part of the US war machine? Now is not the time.

[physioex]

8. And why not.....

It's a double edge sword. It's not like the Clinton years when we can all sit around with intellectual debates. It's a double edge sword, if you want out use the gay excuse or if you want to fight to open the military then claim you are gay and let them work it out....

[cboy4]

5. I support this campaign which is being sponsored by Soulforce

I am opposed to the war in Iraq, but gay people should be allowed to join the armed forces.

Here's more information:

An estimated 65,000 GLB soldiers currently serve in silence. An estimated 41,000 citizens would serve in the armed forces if they did not have to lie in order to do so. Over 10,000 soldiers have been discharged under DADT. Training replacements for those discharged, including more than 80 critical linguists, has cost the American taxpayers at least $364 million. Our nation's military is the largest employer of young adults.

While Soulforce as an organization is against the war in Iraq, we remain committed to freeing LGBT people from political and religious oppression. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is rooted firmly in religion-based bigotry. We will fight this discrimination that makes second-class citizens of the LGBT community by showing the American people that this law is not a good compromise.


http://www.soulforce.org/righttoserve

[Laughing Mirror]

6. I support it too

US has a lot of catching up to do with civilized nations; All discrimination against gays, inside the military and outside the military, must end.

[keopeli]

7. Bravo to these brave souls! Bravo!

In the US, women and men have the option to voluntarily serve in the military from age 18 and be compensated. There are very few exceptions, most having to do with illness and criminal behavior. But the exception that prevents a person from joining because of their private behavior is an infringement of the RIGHT to privacy. The government has no right to judge our private behavior except for criminal behavior, and even that is based on the presumption of innocence. Who we live with and what we do together is no business of Uncle Sam.

Period.

I want our military to be made of up the very BEST of the US people. The brave, the humane, the strong and the sane. God bless them for who they love and how that makes them who they are.

When I was 18, I wanted to join the military but knew I couldn't because I was gay. Clinton's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy was introduced when Philadelphia was in the movie theaters. The world changes, and the coming generation is not judgemental towards people's sexual preferences.

Regarding Iraq, if we want to turn utter failure into success, we had better support brave souls like these young people who are choosing to join our defences. They are adults, and they are making a conscious choice as American citizens. Even if one disagrees with the existance of a military, it can not be denied that these souls are demonstrating great courage with the best interest of their country at heart.

I am so grateful that our progeny have become so much more tolerant of others. I am inspired by acts of courage such as this. I am thrilled to know that good people want to join my friends who are already fighting in Iraq.

We are ready for a new military. Not a conquering empire machine or a death star, but a strong defense with a broad alliance. Getting rid of Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be the first step in the right direction for our new age of peace that is to come.

Can you tell I'm inspired by these guys? Way to go!

link

[aquart]

9. I'm guessing they'll get in.

Our qualifications for service have narrowed down to "breathing."

[cboy4]

11. I know you are being sarcastic, but that's what makes this whole

situation so outrageous.....the military is so desperate right now, it needs to be accepting the "breathing."

However, it's still booting out gay linguists who speak Arabic! :wtf:

[saigon68]

13. it needs to be accepting the "breathing." THE COLD MIRROR TEST

Take a cold mirror, slap it on the the recruit's nose

IF IT FOGS UP

HE/SHE IS IN !!!!

lol

[cboy4]

14. Yes, you would think.

:eyes:

[bowens43]

10. Wow! What a throughly stupid idea.

ONly an idiot would enlist now, even to make a point.

[Tesha]

17. And that guy, Patrick Henry, what a maroon!

"Give me liberty, or give me death!"

What a ridiculous stance to take!

A guy could get killed saying stuff like that!

Tesha

[ima_sinnic]

12. sheesh! don't bother! all that effort to end up dead or a basket case.

must agree with preceding poster: these people are idiots.

[lynne]

15. They're safe -

- they won't be accepted. This is part of a 30 city challenge and others have already been denied.
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/23-ds6.htm

Between "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" and DOMA, Clinton did a real disservice to the gay population.

[Ian David]

16. It's okay to be a neo-nazi or a street gang member, but not gay?

Yeah... our military policy makes a whole lot of sense.

Ask a "homophobic" African American in the military if he'd rather shower with a gay guy or a Neo-Nazi... I wonder what they'd say?