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Should gays be allowed in the military?

“On July 4, 1776, the ‘founding fathers’ of the United States ratified the Declaration of Independence and set forth to create a nation based on the freedom of its citizens. Less than two years later, on March 11, 1778, Lt. Gotthold Frederick Enslin became the first known man to be drummed out of the military of the United States for sodomy.”

Should homosexuality automatically vote a person out of the running to become an esteemed member of the armed forces? Research upon the matter has proven that a sexual preference should not affect the growth of a blossoming soldier with a bright military future. Sources such as the Roman Empire have proven how little sexuality affects your ability to protect your nation. This paper is a result of research on the subject of homosexuality and the effect it has on our military. For approximately three weeks eating, breathing, and sleeping revolved around the research of the validity of the armed forces reasons for booting soldiers because of their sexual preference. Good points on both the positive and negative aspects have been brought up, and the flaws in the poor points were singled out.

Homosexuality in the military affects everyone to a certain extent. As some high ranking military men and women have argued, the morality and squad readiness to jump into battle for out country’s safety are greatly endangered. This in itself should worry a majority of our nation considering that a gay man or lesbian woman can cause so much chaos for being him or herself. On the other hand, would our country not allow a homosexual person to join the armed forces even if they were the only human being of our nation with the information and intelligence to overcome a great enemy?

Homosexuality has been in out military from the very beginning. Just as society has a mysterious and secretive gay sub-culture, the military has an even more secretive gay sub-culture.

Some arguments brought up against homosexuals in the military are that “homosexuals are on average less stable than heterosexuals,” and “homosexuals are likely to be blackmailed into giving up military secrets.” Both arguments are weak. To shine some light on these arguments, homosexuality is a preference towards sexual activity just as heterosexuality is. As for being blackmailed into giving up military secrets, there is only a tiny fraction of military personnel who carry any type of access to military secrets.

President Bill Clinton saw through the excuses and worked towards equal rights for gays in the military. To meet the armed forces at a compromise the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” was created. Just as it says, the armed forces won’t ask and the soldiers won’t tell of their sexual preferences. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy helped to enforce the Fourth Amendment in which the people have the right “to be secure in their own persons, houses, papers, and effects.” But, it seems to impose on the First Amendment in which the right to “freedom of speech” has been molded to fit the situation.

To be fair, military officials have argued that “morality and squad readiness” is affected considerably with homosexuals in their squads. Most have pulled their verdicts from past experiences. David Hackworth recalls “a gay soldier could not keep his hands off other soldiers in my squad.” On another occasion a gay personnel major had affairs with teenage soldiers looking to move up in the ranks. In both cases the actions of these men were completely inappropriate.

The heterosexual men and women of the armed forces say they are uncomfortable with gays in their showers, toilets, foxholes, or units. “The feeling of toughness, invincibility and total trust in their buddies,” is what gets these men and women through the rough times on the front line in battle. It is said that homosexuals in the previously stated situations steal their lifeline to sanity and over-all survival in the face of danger.

Finding fault in wanting to serve your country is hard to do, even if the person wishing to serve is gay. The nation was created with equality for all in mind yet the very government which is supposed to support that equality is the government that sours the words of our “for fathers.”

Ever since Lt. Enslin, gays have bee booted from the armed forces if they were found out. Homosexuality was said to be a mental illness by the military in the 1940’s. After WWII many gay men and women signed up for the military circumventing the questioning and filtering of homosexuals. But, although some were able to dodge the questioning most were still discharged unless they were able to keep their sexuality a secret.

In New York, following WWII VBA, Veterans Benevolent Association, the first gay organization was the child of men and women who were discharged from the military for homosexuality. They were the first stand for equal rights of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual sub-culture in the military.

Gay’s should be allowed in the military. Everyone has rights in the United States, why should homosexuals be any different? Sexual needs in the military do not affect the efficiency of a unit unless the chaos of sexual desire is introduced to the controlled environment of that unit. Although some people are uncomfortable with gays in the military they need to realize that if the job is done just as well or better as a gay-free squad then sexual preference does not pose a problem.

Will the United States’ military fall if gays are allowed into the armed forces? Many people ranging from the high-ranking military officials to civilians think so, but several of their arguments have no grounds. As for the arguments that have a basis on which to stand, time can change that, but will the nation itself try to change it? As history has shown, gays in the military were not accepted, but we are moving closer to equal rights for all. Think seriously on the issue, your safety could be at stake. Consider the Osama Bin Laden’s or the Hitler’s out their that a homosexual woman or man may be able to save out nation from.

Only two years after ratification the freedom of a United States soldier was imposed upon, his freedom to serve his nation and still express his sexual identity. When a homosexual soldier wishes to be as free as their armed brothers and sisters they are immediately singled out and cut from the ranks. The United States armed forces need to “come out of the closet” and embrace the concept of the Declaration of Independence, equality for all.