In the US, a member of the military may be dismissed for being openly gay or lesbian. The 1993 “don’t ask, don’t tell” law prohibits gay men and women in the military from revealing their sexual orientation, and prevents the military from asking about it. Since 1994 over 12,000 have been kicked out of the military for making their homosexuality apparent. The official reason for ban is to protect “unit cohesion,” or the need for soldiers to know that their buddies are there for them when the going gets tough. ”Don’t ask, don’t tell” essentially admits that prejudices against homosexuals exist, and, moreover, that it’s not the problem of the US military to dispel such feelings.
For example, there’s a firefight in Fallujah and an openly gay man is pinned down behind a small retaining wall. A second solider, who is well positioned to provide covering fire from a nearby rooftop, but who absolutely despises homosexuals, might hesitate or even refuse to assist his vulnerable comrade. The first soldiers is hit by enemy fire; the unit loses a man.
Although there has been much progress in civil rights movements, racial and sexual discrimination continue to exist in our society and in the military. And yet, the question of extending the logic of “don’t ask, don’t tell” to females and black people has not once entered public debate. And why should it? It’s preposterous!
Defense Secretary Robert Gates will reveal a plan to repeal the controversial ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy, at a hearing on Tuesday.
“Gates will discuss options for more ‘humanely’ implementing the current ban, for example, according to a senior Pentagon official. The secretary asked his general counsel’s office for options six months ago including how to possibly not expel personnel whose homosexuality is revealed by third parties, the source said.”
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