Military's gay ban challenged in wake of sodomy ruling

[davidinalameda]

http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=9193&sd=07/08/03

Citing the precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the Texas sodomy case, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran filed suit late yesterday with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims challenging the constitutionality of the military's antigay "don't ask, don't tell" policy

[Heddi]

1. Oh I hope they get rid of the

DADT shit in the military. It's so retarded.

My best friend was in the Coast Guard. He was openly gay to his friends and family, and while in Florida, lived with his boyfriend in Southbeach Miami.

It sucked for them because they had to spend extra $$ by renting a 2br house so that they could appear as 'roommates'---had to furnish both rooms, always make each bed look sleeped-in...keep clothes in different rooms.

It was utterly retarded and a total waste of money and time.

My friend said that there were MANY gay men and women in the COast GUard that he had met and that were in the same situations with having to 'fake' the roommate thing with their live-in partners. Some of them had been with their partners for DECADES, but had to keep up this facade of 'roommates'...

And at the same time, there were HORDES Of single (and sometimes married) Coasties that were openly living with their girlfriends and boyfriends (they were straight) and that's not a problem. Be a boy with a boyfriend and you suddenly have to adjust your life to appear 'normal' to the military brass.

Maybe that's the problem with this country--not enough love, too much war, and such a heavy focus on people not being able to love other people in the way they feel most comfortable....that has to be very psychologically damaging...especially in the military where you must be a MAN'S MAN above all.....

I wonder what the % of openly gay enlisted would be should the ban on being openly gay in the military were to go away? I would think it would creep near 50%, if not higher....


edited to clarify a point

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. In the privacy of their own home...

The Lawrence case was based on two consenting adults engaging in sexual conduct in the privacy of their own home. Therefore, I don't see a complete repeal of the policy.

[David__77]

3. Two issues...

I think that the Supreme Court ruling should invalidate the UCMJ (military law) provision criminalizing oral and anal sex by servicemembers. However, the "privacy" afforded to soldiers differs from civilians, and to an extent when you enter the military, you resign some Constitutional rights, it appears.

I think that "sex outside of marriage" would be an easier one for military policymakers to uphold, but this would be less popular, and certainly no fairer to gay and lesbian soldiers. I'm curious to see how it plays out, but am wary of premature challenges that aren't adequately planned for.

[AntiCoup2K4]

4. To quote Barry Goldwater (former right wing extreme of conservatism)

"Who gives a damn whether they're gay or straight, as long as they can SHOOT straight"

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[Hobarticus]

6. Screw it up?

Seems to me, we got the greatest military in the world by drawing from the best and the brightest, regardless of who, what, why, and where.

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[cboy4]

8. adultery and fornication??

Why do people always seem to have to associate words like
that with gay people?:mad: ....like if gays could openly serve our nation like they should be able to, it would suddenly be one big orgy. Come on now.

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