Intolerable.
This morning, SLDN released a letter from Senator John McCain (R-AZ), also a 2008 presidential hopeful, outlining his thoughts on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Among other things, McCain insists that openly gay troops would present "an intolerable" risk to the armed forces and straight men and women in uniform.
McCain, famous for traveling in the 'Straight Talk Express,' doesn't mince words:
"I believe polarization of the personnel and breakdown of unit effectiveness is too high a price to pay for well intentioned but misguided efforts to elevate the interests of a minority of homosexual servicemembers above those of their units."
"Most importantly, the national security of the United States, not to mention the lives of our men and women in uniform, are put at grave risk by policies detrimental to the good order and and discipline which so distinguish America’s Armed Services. … I remain opposed to the open expression of homosexuality in the military."
Time for some 'straight talk' of our own.
The real questions are these: Are the gay doctors attending to the wounded an intolerable risk, or a welcome addition to the forces? Are the gay linguists translating Arabic for soldiers on the ground an intolerable risk, or a highly valued part of the military team? And are the openly gay British troops in Iraq an intolerable risk, or an important ally in the fight?
Would Senator McCain send the British troops home?
Are the gay troops intolerable? Or are McCain's views - putting discrimination ahead of the best interests of those on the ground - intolerable?
Think Progress weighs in:
McCain’s personal beliefs are antiquated and ill-informed. The overwhelming majority of the military supports equal rights for all servicemembers. Last December, a poll of servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan found that 73 percent were “comfortable with lesbians and gays.” A 2004 poll found that a majority of junior enlisted servicemembers believed gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military, up from 16 percent in 1992. Furthemore, 55 percent of Americans believe “gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military.”
McCain claims that permitting gays to serve is detrimental to national security, but since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was instituted, at least 11,000 servicemembers, hundreds of whom had with key speciality skills such as training in Arabic, have left the military. While McCain vigorously backs the plan to send thousands of troops to Iraq, he should note that the military could attract as many as 41,000 new recruits if gays could serve openly.
You can read Senator McCain's full letter here, and discuss his statement at the Think Progress website.
- Steve Ralls
-----
05-03-07
Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.