Dont Ask?

How did Lady Gaga become so damn influential? Her opposition to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has her fans up in arms against Bill Clinton’s brainchild. The recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips in the case Log Cabin Republicans v. United States has given the government until the date of December 13th to consider the appeal of this decision. Recent polls produced by media organizations including CNN, FOX and The New York Times indicates that roughly 75% of Americans favor the “military acceptance of openly homosexual citizens”. I am fully supportive of the government appeal of this ruling by Judge Phillips, and as part of the dissenting minority I feel compelled to reveal my reasoning.

The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, as enacted in 1993 by the Clinton Administration, was President Clinton’s fulfillment of his campaign promise that he would allow all citizens to serve their nation. The policy essentially permits homosexual American citizens to serve within the U.S. military provided that the aforementioned individual keeps his/her sexuality private. I see no problem with this doctrine, because participation in the military does not recognize the civil rights of the individuals who compose it. The freedom of speech, our most basic right, the one right that every single child in America is aware of, is not supported within the military. Soldiers are not even allowed to reveal their political biases while in uniform. This is because freedom of speech can cause friction within the military, and this friction directly results in the death of American soldiers. I feel the right of a homosexual within the military to declare his homosexuality is an incident that the government is entitled to restrict.

The military, and combat specifically, creates a strong sense of brotherhood within units and between soldiers. This strong bond is universal, and there is hardly a soldier in the military who wouldn’t lay down his/her life for a fellow soldier if the situation presented itself. The servitude of homosexual men/women could lead to the creation of relationships that surpass those of basic comradery. Where as brotherhood creates strong ties between soldiers, love is a much more irrational bond to face on the frontlines. Love on the frontline could generate situations where individuals place the wellbeing of a select soldier above the squad and the mission, this is dangerous. This is the same reason why female soldiers are not stationed upon the frontlines of combat, a woman’s right to serve in combat are overshadowed by the greater good of our cause.

The U.S. military is facing a fierce opponent in Afghanistan, and this opponent must not be underestimated. The amount of changes that would have to be instituted in order to permit openly homosexual citizens the ability to serve in the military are too numerous and time consuming to perform during the middle of a war. The inconvenient truth of the matter is that the removal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will have to wait, the war we are engaged in now does not offer us the luxury of renovating the military instituion. Let us give our soldiers the opportunity to meet victory, and find their way back home before we go about changing military policies. Goodluck and God Bless.

-Andrew William Plocica