Knowledge casts out fear - DADT
The Rev. Tobias Stanislas Haller has posted a wonderful piece on his blog, In a Godward Direction, on "Don't ask don't tell." Check it out:
(Don't Ask and Don't) Tell it to the Marines
Tobias Stanislas Haller in his blog, In a Godward direction
So the long-awaited survey of military personnel shows that for the most part there is little concern about gay and lesbian persons serving in the military without keeping their sexual orientation a secret. About seventy percent of those in the survey (and at over 100,000 it was a large sample!) said changing the present rules which require such military folk to conceal their secret identity, would either be positive or neutral. That leaves about thirty percent who are concerned about negative effects.Perhaps the most interesting statistic, since this is about a "known known" that would come about by reversing DADT — that is, it is not about sexuality or sexual activity, but the knowledge that a gay or lesbian person is serving with you — reveals that of the 79,385 troops who believe they have already worked with a gay or lesbian colleague (that's 69% of the total) 73,035 said the experience was positive or neutral — 92%. So almost all of the people who think they know either approve or don't care. Perhaps we should call it "Don't Care, Do Tell."
Isn't that almost always the way with things one fears? Knowledge casts out fear. Getting to know a gay or lesbian person, realizing they are good and effective soldiers, sailors, warriors and citizens is the most effective way to break down the irrational fear that goes by the name homophobia. If a dude saves your life, you won't mind that he's gay.
Unfortunately, on hearing more of the report, religion does not seem to be "casting out fear" in the military. Military chaplains would seem to be more than 50% opposed to the change with comments of the moral wrongness or "abomination" being preferred ways of describing their opinions.
Given Senator McCain's promised filibuster against repeal and the lack of enough senate votes for overcoming a filibuster, I am doubtful that congress will act. The neo-ultra conservatives have everything to lose and nothing to gain from the repeal, and none of them shows any reluctance to use the careers of gay and lesbian service members to accomplish their goals. I am sure that the report will be criticized and put off to the next congress where chances will be even poorer. Had DADT not existed, I would likely now have a comfortable military retirement of my own on which to live and not be grinding away in the office 10-12 hours a day, but after 12 years under DADT, I just could not continue to live a lie in fear, and I sacrificed advancement and pension to just get out. Oddly, I knew a number of gay and lesbian service members (in the medical corps), and it was an "open secret" for many of them. I do not doubt that combat troops would be a different environment, however, but not necessarily one that could not be overcome. We may talk about the tragedy of those dismissed under DADT, but those numbers pale under those who, while not formally dismissed, finally just "gave up" and left. We got over the "destabilizing" and "demoralizing" influence of African Americans in the military eventually, but not without a long and shameful history of segregated units and similar.
Posted by Jeffrey L. Shy, M.D.![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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December 1, 2010 1:01 PM
Thank you for your service, Dr Shy . . . and the sacrifices you made for a (legally) UNGRATEFUL nation. May the obscenity of DADT be repealed, NOW!!!
JC Fisher
Posted by tgflux![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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December 1, 2010 11:03 PM