esrosedotblog

DON'T BE

It has been awhile since the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy started.

I remember being part of the Harvard graduation audience that turned our backs to Colin Powell the year it came out; so to speak. It was Dave's PhD graduation. We were just innocent bystanders. But we stood and then walked out.

Now there are new ripples:

Advocates Hope Ruling Renews Focus on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

You might remember that almost all the Arabic translators the army had were dumped because they were faggots. Just when we needed them most.

It is amusing to consider how translation became a gay profession on a par with decorating and hair work. Maybe it has to do with the show business aspect of translating.

It is a funny side story to the whole sorry mess.

But, now the military needs more than a few good men and when you need good men where else do you go? To the manliest men of all! The gay military.

In a time that presumably straight soldiers in the 82d Division were getting paid to do gay-sex porno, there is hardly a reason to believe that gay life has no place in the military. It is a moonlighting job!

But there are many sad stories of men and women drummed out of the service; who were hunted down and harrassed, shamed. Many attacked. A few killed.

What is shameful is this bigoted regulation that has persisted as other nations embrace gay and lesbian service members. We, the land of the free, still shackle and torture our own.