Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyThis commentary is the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect those of other authors at Box Turtle Bulletin.
May 14th, 2010
Watch this video, and tell me what you think:
When I saw this, I thought it was a great parody of Ke$sha’s song, “Blah, Blah, Blah,” turned as ridicule of those who fear the “homosexualization” of the armed forces once “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is finally repealed. Good production values, hot soldier boys, funny mugging before the cameras. What’s not to like?
But whether the video was actually intended to support the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” well the accompanying comment on the YouTube page by Cody Wilson who produced the video is quite ambiguous:
Created by Codey Wilson and his elite step team of volunteers. The video is an EXAGGERATED act of a possible future military that is open to any sexual preference. Please don’t try to cause us any problems. We’re just a few good guys trying to enjoy ourselves and get this deployment over with. No one in the video is gay… that we know of, nor am I. Sorry guys. Not that there is anything wrong with that! (political correctness) I am NOT saying it IS ok to be gay in the military. I am not saying it’s NOT OK.
The original video has been removed (although other copies are floating around YouTube) because, in the end someone did decide to cause them some problems. Chris Geidner reports that these problems may have resulted from a complaint by former Capt. James Pietrangelo II, who was discharged under DADT in 2004. (Pietrangelo was arrested alongside Lt. Daniel Choi in March when they handcuffed themselves to the White House fence in protest over DADT.) According to Geidner:
In the letter [to Army Secretary John McHugh], Pietrangelo writes that the soldiers in the video are ”at a deployed base” and ”in various uniforms or pieces of uniforms and sometimes holding weapons and using military equipment and vehicles.” He states that the soldiers ”engage in disgraceful stereotypes of Gay service members” and ”obviously have violated the UCMJ, including Article 134, which prohibits conduct discrediting to the military.”
Writing to McHugh that the video is ”an indictment of the military and of the discriminatory policy known as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ which you, Defense Secretary [Robert] Gates and President Obama gleefully enforce every day,” Pietrangelo adds that ”the homophobic actions of these soldiers would NOT be possible but for the chain of command’s allowance and encouragement of them under DADT’s enforced stereotype that Gays are harmful to unit cohesion.”
But not everyone in the LGBT community is offended by this video (including yours truly, for the record). Geidner reports that GLAAD has no plans to respond to the video. Andy Towle saw it as “support for gays in the military” Joe Mirabella enjoyed it as well:
Some in our leadership need to remember, our soldiers have been serving with openly gay men and women for years. Our allied forces have been allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly for the entire duration of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Thank you for the laugh guys. Good luck over there. I hope you make it home safely.
You know, sometimes straight guys just wanna have fun. And sometimes the rest of us needs to heed the advice of Sgt. Hulka from Stripes: “Lighen up, Francis.” The video ends with the caption “…Just be honest with yourself. You loved it!” Yes, I did. And I wish them godspeed on their deployment.
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Candace
May 14th, 2010
I don’t find it anti-gay, but probably trying to be anti anti-gay in a way that keeps their cute *sses covered in case Senator Bubba-Bob Homophobe sees the video and goes on the warpath.
The only military person I ever knew personally who hated gays in the military was a real jerk of a Marine Reservist who hated women in the military (and in general) even more than gays– leading me to suspect that the his hatred of gays was most likely self-directed.
I don’t think the rank-and-file cares one way or another.
TampaZeke
May 14th, 2010
I’m not offended by it but I’m perplexed as to how anyone could claim, as many are doing, that it is intended to be gay supportive or against DADT.
It is clearly a case of some straight boys letting off steam but I think it’s pretty obvious that they were intending to make fun of gay people. I’m not particularly offended by that. It seems pretty harmless but it does seem that some gay people are so desperate to get support and acceptance from straight people that they will bend over backwards to find support where none was intended, in fact when just the opposite was intended.
paul j stein
May 14th, 2010
If this form of creative expression helps ANY service member to get through these wars and raises morale then, “YOU GO GUYS!”. Loved it!
paul j stein
May 14th, 2010
TampaZeke, Imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery. These guys MUST have been paying attention at sometime somewhere to get the parody right.
Timothy Kincaid
May 14th, 2010
It just looked like silly boys having fun.
One guy clearly got his idea what a gay guy looks like from “Kenny” on Reno 911, and the go-go dancer has never been in a gay bar. But I think it is interesting that none of them were flailing around with limp wrists or other overly stereotypical offensive behavior.
It was more about flirtatious glances and seduction than mincing queens. There was no big hairy dude in a dress, nor was there any reference to sexual harassment or unwanted advances.
I don’t think they were shooting for social commentary. But even if they were trying to argue against gays in the military, the imagery used by these guys is lightyears away from what would have been used when DADT was enacted.
Times have changed. And some of us, ahem, non-military-recruit aged folk should be delighted that some stereotypes just don’t seem to be dominant any more.
And the younger generation is comfortable making fun of gays in a way that seems, well, affectionate rather than offensive.
Ben in Oakland
May 14th, 2010
It seemed like a bunch of quite-possibly-straight boys playing to gay stereotypes and having a lot of fun doing it. I’m not entirely convinced they are straight; it could be a screw you to DADT. If gay guys did it, we wouldn’t think a thing of it. And i have had straight friends that did this, and i knew they were just playing, and i couldn’t find it offensive.
It isn’t my type of music, and I couldn’t really understand the words. but one couplet stood out: “I don’t care who you are in this bar”, if indeed that is what they said. What could be clearer
Timothy Kincaid
May 14th, 2010
The lyrics are:
Ke$ha has become a bit of a gay dance-club sensation. She was the headliner at Palm Springs White Party
Burr
May 14th, 2010
I see it as relatively neutral, but funny. At least they had a hoot making it and it shows!
Lindoro Almaviva
May 14th, 2010
well, if it is meant to be offensive to gays and an effort to keep gays from the military (seems doubtful, but it could happen), all I can say is that it failed miserably. Gay people, or at least part of the population likes it and it is now been used for (hypothetically) the opposite purpose.
If it was meant as an anti-gay commentary I bet they are slapping themselves in frustration.
I loved it, and by the way, dibs on the hairy bald one at the beginning of the video. If you read this, call me.
andrew
May 14th, 2010
I can’t tell whether they’re mocking gays, mocking the stereotypes held by straights of gays, mocking commonplace cultural imagery of gays… and I’m not sure it matters…
Not one person in the military I have ever met has any problem with anyone who wears the uniform and pulls their weight. They have a job to do. The ethos of the military is and will probably always be a little macho — and I suspect that anyone who’s tough and brave, and who does their job — regardless of who they f*ck — will be respected just fine.
In the meantime, it’s good the boys are letting off some steam. Besides, this was WAY better than those marine who did Gaga’s “Telephone” a couple of weeks back.
chrissypoo
May 15th, 2010
Some parts are funny, but Choi is right as it does dramatizes the stereotypes that some on the right claim would happen.
Examples in the video:
1:20: after being hit on, the army guy has a look of fear on his face
1:27: Showers– one guy is checking out the other guy in the shower
The other problem I have is that ever person is a gay stereotype.
ZRAinSWVA
May 15th, 2010
I loved it! They were rocking the stereotypes and having a good time doing it. Nothing wrong with that…
Swampfox
May 15th, 2010
Just some soldiers having some harmless fun. I pray that their higher-ups see it in the same way. Let’s all pray that they all make it back home safely.
Mark
May 15th, 2010
What, this isn’t the official training video? :)
It’s not offensive. The guys are having fun. Some of them are having LOTS of fun.
But I enjoyed the Lady Gaga Telephone video a bit more . . .
Jonathan
May 15th, 2010
Aw, it’s just goofy fun. Good old boys and all that.
Mostly just whistling in the dark, I think. They’re in a scary situation that’s simultaneously boring as hell (in Iraq), and they know doing this is transgressive. Like the ‘gay chicken’ game frat boys play- we’re still kind of the ‘other,’ but it’s more about embracing the otherness to scare the crap out of straight people.
tiqueboy
May 15th, 2010
Pretty funny and entertaining. I am not at all offended and I personally do not think it was intended to support DADTDP..if our guys need to let of steam then go for it. They are risking their lives to protect me and I am very appreciative of that. Plain and simple.
TampaZeke
May 15th, 2010
If it was intended to be offensive, supportive or neutral, I have no idea but I find it strange that so many here are making the case that it CAN’T be offensive or anti-gay simply because the guys were having fun doing it or because it was “funny”.
There are a lot of arguments to make that something is not offensive and isn’t homophobic/racist/anti-Semitic/etc. but “not offensive because they were having fun” or “just having fun”, or “because it was funny” are NOT very good ones. Nothing is more fun for a bigot than doing/saying bigoted things. And whether people will admit it or not, they often find offensive stereotypes, even ones intended to offend, funny.
Stephen Kay
May 15th, 2010
I for one am glad that BTB has made it clear that on this issue Choi god bless him doesn`t speak for the whole gay community. I loved this video and I thought that the guys that did it are incredibly brave to wave a big finger at the DADT policy. Well done lads you continue to make us all proud and thanks for what you are doing for us.
Maurice Lacunza
May 15th, 2010
Kincaid said it all to the best. Nice comments. And the video was affectionate and fun. So, too bad there has to be some negativity around it. Otherwise, thanks to those hotties for entertaining us! Nice job, I did enjoy it!
Ed Meiller
May 15th, 2010
I just hope some “tea partier” doesn’t take this video seriously. I can hear the shouts of “We told you so” now.
My opinion is it seems like a promotion for a bad porno movie,but I do appreciate the satire.
Hunter
May 15th, 2010
I think it’s very funny, and very satirical — doesn’t anyone remember how flustered the brass were — especially the Marines, as I recall — about the idea of straight and gay troops using the same showers? (Still an issue, by the way, just stated slightly more subtly.) I can’t take is as anything other than a poke at the policy and those who support it.
johnathan
May 16th, 2010
It was creative, satirical, and well-made. I loved it!
Lymis
May 17th, 2010
I’m a gay veteran. I didn’t find the video offensive in and of itself. In context though, I do.
I can absolutely see why someone who was recently involuntarily separated from the service, and had his career ended because homosexual behavior would destroy unit cohesion would see a bunch of straight guys pretending to be gay to let off steam as pretty damn offensive.
Just as I can see why a black person who was barred from certain careers, accommodations, or other forms of equality being pretty pissed about white people performing in blackface.
Don’t kid yourselves. This was blackface – pretending to be the banned minority (remember how gays in the military are treated) using extreme stereotypes, “just for fun.” In a situation where ACTUALLY being gay ends your career if not your life.
If this doesn’t offend you, but blackface does, seriously ask yourself why.
cbjames
May 18th, 2010
ditto Lymis.
Just how would this be different from a bunch of white soldiers letting off steam dressed in blackface in, oh say, 1947?
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