I copied this from a new report about a gay us soldier who was discrimiated and abused for 2 years while serving in bhrain Gay Sailor Forced To Eat Dog Food International News, By Christian Taylor, 7th September, 2009 An American naval officer was subjected to more than two years of abuse at his base in Bahrain after his colleagues suspected that he was gay, and instead of punishing the Chief most responsible for the violence, they promoted him. Reuters report that after Petty Officer Third Class Joseph Rocha’s colleagues first suspected he was gay they hog-tied him to a chair and pushed him, still tied to the chair, into a dog kennel full of faeces. Rocha alleges that they also fed him dog food, forced him to simulate oral sex with a man more than 30 times on video tape and they bent him over a desk and hit him as hard as they could. An official military investigation found that others were also similarly abused, citing 93 incidents in total, with the types of abuse including throwing hard rubber balls at the groin, allowing a dog to attack a sex worker, and handcuffing two female sailors to a bed and forcing them to simulate lesbian sex on video. Rocha was first suspected as gay in 2004 when he refused to have sex with female prostitutes. He didn’t report the abuse because her feared retaliation, as well as being discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” After another officer complained the Navy launched an investigation into the abuse. In that time the Navy promoted Chief Michael Toussaint to the rank of Senior Chief, despite him being in charge of the Rocha’s unit and encouraging most of the abuse. It’s reported that Rocha has developed symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. He acknowledged his homosexuality to one of his superiors, which eventually led to being discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Stripes.com reports that none of the alleged abusers were punished. In a statement Thursday, Aaron Belkin, director of the University of California’s Palm Centre, who oppose the “don’t ask” law, said: “It is very hard for an organisation to get rid of abuse as long as discrimination remains official policy.”
People can be so disgusting so times... torturing our own soldiers on the grounds of their sexual orientation. What is wrong with these people?? It really bothers me. The worst part is they didn't report this because they were afraid of being kicked out of the very organization they're offering their lives to... *headdesk*
DADT is overdue for replacement with full legal open service. I can't wait to see it in the news. Just a few years in my view, and it'll happen.
this is sick, how dare they premote ! the guy in charge of this .... make your fellow soldiers life hell we will reward you. they effectivelly punish someone for beeing homosexual by kicking you out and then premote those who are not fit to live...full stop really. the sad thing is theres still alot of right wing upbringing that hates anyone different who live by 'the book' and they push the kids that the army is life if your a real american and then these brain washed things join and are clueless morons who spread their ignorance and hate. its kind of funny thinking about them kind of people and why progress in this war isnt working, a key rule of war is to know and understand your enemy they dont they cant even understand teh comrades. anyway i digress, end noet this is sick wrong disgusting.... and DADT has to go discrimination and oppression has to be weeded out. obama stop talking and stand up... on that desk flag in had shirt open giant fan jsut off camera blowing your hair and flag.....well you may need to grow the hair a little but then again it dont look that flexible is it astro turf...anyway... stand prown like a veteran planting a flag and speak proudly... or jsut do somthign
It's such a shame that these sailor's are turning on there own they are all on the same side fighting the same fight so why should someone's sexual orientaion matter God people confusse me sometimes
Screw his CO. Mine knew for years, and it wasn't until others were wondering that it became an issue. I haven't seen any other articles about this. But I will say I have some troubles with the article. If the guy being abused was indeed a an E4, he's isn't a NCO let alone an officer. And as for the E7 pinning E8, my guess is his CO didn't include any of the accusations in his FITREP (which he shouldn't) and the board wasn't aware of them. It goes to show just what unspeakable things people are capable of. I'm sad to say, this happens across all branches from time-to-time.
want to buy obama actually working to institute any of the policies he promised for the LGBT community......
It's only his 8-9th month out of 48. He has to juggle a struggling economy and health care. With the right-wing nuts trying to tackle him constantly, it'll take some time.
And this people is why everyone hates america. I cant belive i moved here to this discusting place. how the hell can something like that happen for to years with out someone there saying something they all want us to go in to the damn army and yet they treat us like that its pathetic you dont see us tieing up straight men cause there straight
the problem for why things like this are allowed to happen is because of hypocracy of the political scene. on the extremes of both parties, hypocracy exists. the far extremes that are ignorant in their claim that they know whats right for america, while blaming the other side for all the ills of the world. on the far right, they foster the hatred for gay people that allows the idea that gay's arent actually real people with rights and value to grow in america. It is funny, because the long list of far right pundits and politicions who claim to be 'pro life', 'pro family', and 'pro values' tend to be the one being caught in affairs, gay relationships, and doing all the things they speak out against. american politics have become to entrenched in fundementalist christanity on the republican side, and secularisem in the far extremes of the left. far left extremeist is rather small in america, which most democrats leaning more towards the moderate, where as far right extremist are a far larger group of the two, who views anyone who has a different view was someone unworthy of their time. Seperation of church and state has been destoryed by the far right fundementalist chirstians, and so, things like this are allowed to happen. people are allowed to abuse and prosper from the abuse of gay solders, because the far right fights to protect the assumed biblical right to assult, hurass, and kill people for being different. thats why whenever hate crime legislations go through that include protections for sexual orientations, you can tell the respectable republicans and moderates from the fundementalist far right extremeist by the fact that they use phrases like "thought control" and "socialist" and "communist". the most vocal against equality, and equel protection under the law are what truly give america the bad name. all the policies that have hurt america's standings have come out of the far right and christian fundamentalists...
