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Anyone else find this ironic...

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Zec24, Sep 14, 2007.

  1. Zec24

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    I recently found a website called the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (www.SLDN.org). Being in the military myself I certainly appreciate their site, especially the survival guide they created for being gay in the military. Yet, on the home page there are all these comments about joining the SLDN and supporting the cause. Now here is where the irony comes in...Ok, so if you are a servicemember then joining in this organization would, well, jeopardize your career/job.

    Nevertheless its a great site (certainly recommend it to any of you ECers who might be in the military) and I find it comforting that after contacting them the other day they told me to call and talk to one of their lawyers (for free) about my options and ways to stay safe. Most people have no idea how lonely the military can be for gay people, I happen to go to a military college right now and I know that as soon as my classmates find out that an officer is a certain age and not married, the rumors immediately start to fly that they must be gay.

    I know this has been said by many people before, but I don't understand why the military would choose to turn people away who are willing to put their lives on the line for their country. You want to talk about selfless service...well consider the men and women in uniform who have to hide who they are every day, and who sacrifice so much for an organization and a country that doesn't respect their rights.
     
  2. Ilayis

    Ilayis Guest

    they really need to make some changes,although it's hard to see happen since they've tried before and didn't succeed.I hope someday we can have a different army!
     
  3. beckyg

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all Democratic candidates for President support the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
     
  4. surfrboykai

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    but will the dumbass conservatives vote blindly in this election as they did in the previous one?

    and zec, a question for you...what made you want to go into the military? i don't mean it like, condescending or anything. i'm just curious :icon_bigg
     
  5. 24601

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    As always Zec, I totally appreciate what you're doing. I don't think you'll find anyone here who agrees with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," - me least of all. Keep hanging in there. :thumbsup:
     
  6. Zec24

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    Thanks 24601 for the support. I'm considered active army right now, but I won't technically be out in the army until May when I graduate as a 2nd Lieutenant, so I feel kinda weird taking thanks for something I'm not fully a part of yet.

    Surfrboykai, thats a totally legitimate question. I joined the army almost 4 years ago when I entered college. I joined because I felt thats what I wanted to do, I've always felt that people should do something to support their country (reference JFK quote: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country) and in my case I felt that the best way I could do this was by joining the military. I'm also a military brat so I grew up around the culture and always felt comfortable with it. When I joined the army I did not realize I might be gay, it was something I started to realize in the middle of last year (although I still struggle with what my exact orientation is). So, at the time I didn't see that there would be a problem. I'm already committed to 5 yrs of active duty service b/c the army paid for my education and by continuing on past my sophomore year I am in debt to the us government.

    My father asked me the same question when I came out to him last november, but if I had to go back and do it all again, I'm not sure I'd do it any differently. I want to be able to serve my country even if it refuses to recognize my rights, just as I'm sure there are many other LGBT people out in the military who feel the same way.

    The biggest problem I have right now with being in the military is that every day I stay in the military I am living a sort of lie and ultimately compromising my integrity. Integrity is a core value of the military so I find it equally ironic that Clinton created a policy that not only allows for lying it also condones it.

    In response to the Democratic presidential hopefuls support of ending "don't ask, don't tell" I don't know all of their stances. What I do know is that they would be hard pressed to do anything to change that policy.