Definitely. A little AstroGlide and everything will be fine. Pshaww.
Truman did the right thing in integrating the armed forces.
But does anyone believe that if, say, William McKinley had ordered a racially integrated armed force, it would have been successful, because, hey, too bad for them, they’ll do what they’re ordered?
Social changes take time.
President Carter could not have orchestrated a change to the armed forces’ policy on gays, any more than McKinley could have accomplished a racial change.
But I think Obama can. Now is the right time to be able to do the right thing.
As I heard a comedian say: “I’m in favour of gays in the military! Think about it, wouldn’t you rather have someone in the foxhole with you protecting your ass if he was in love with you?”
OK, it was funnier when he said it, couldn’t remember the wording.
The elite of the Theban army in the 4th century BC was a troup of 150 male couples for that very reason.
Let me sneak in a quick question here about DADT. What currently happens to people who do in fact Ask? It is my understanding that people who Tell are discharged, does the same happen for people who ask?
Dana Milbank has a good piece in today’s (Feb 3) Washington Post:
Article may require registration but is free
Mullen, as the article points out, is not Obama’s man, but a Bush appointee. He appears to speak the truth with the utter fearlessness of someone whose entire career has been about realistically judging the merits of other soldiers; he knows what he’s saying, who he’s saying it to, and how much it matters that someone in his position says it.
This is what we hope to find in our military leaders – the unflinching willingness to do the right thing, and the good sense to know what the right thing is.
Milbank implies that if DADT is in fact overturned, we may look back on this moment as one of history’s small turning points.