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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 lobbyJuly 7th, 2010
As part of the Military’s “review” of the anti-gay Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, military officers have encouraged soldiers to share their concerns in group settings. But few concerns about gay soldiers have seemed to be paramount on the minds of the troops. So the Pentagon is sending email invitations for service members to privately provide their opinions. (CNN)
The survey, which servicemembers can expect to receive via e-mail, asks about such issues as how unit morale or readiness might be affected if a commander is believed to be gay or lesbian; the need to maintain personal standards of conduct; and how repeal might affect willingness to serve in the military.
The survey also asks a number of questions aimed at identifying problems that could occur when troops live and work in close quarters overseas in war zones. For example, the questionnaire asks military members how they would react if they had to share a room, bathrooms, and open-bay showers in a war zone with other service members believed to be gay or lesbian.
Should you be Forced! to Shower! with Homosexuals!!??!!
Gee, I can hardly wait for the response.
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Anonymous
July 7th, 2010
Interestly enough, shower facilities in a war zone are not open bay. Yes, there are open changing areas, but only until you step into individual curtained shower stalls. Some (very few) will step into the shower with their underwear or PT shorts on and remove them before turning on the shower water. In most cases there is as much privacy as a person wants. This is consistent throughout the services. In garrison there is even more privacy. For example many gyms have an individual changing stall leading directly into the individual shower.
Sean
July 7th, 2010
Interestingly, CNN specifically edited out the part where Drew Griffin asks incredulously why the troops need to be surveyed at all. Then Barbara Starr makes some desperate arguments and seems almost obligated to defend the survey. The part that CNN cut out is from 2:26-4:39 here: http://tinyurl.com/22sqaf9
Stefano A
July 7th, 2010
Another disturbing factor about the surveys that were emailed as that American Forces Press Service reported surveys were also sent to the married spouses of servicemembers, which will inevitably skew results when there is no way to obtain an equivalent survey of the spouses of gay servicemembers or their families.
Richard Rush
July 7th, 2010
Is it just me, or is there a major disconnect here?
On the one hand we are told that our military is the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen, staffed with tough courageous soldiers willingly facing the risk of losing their limbs and/or their lives.
Then, on the other hand, the soldiers are treated as though they may be too fragile, tender, and delicate to endure the unspeakable risks of being in a shower room with a known homosexual. What exactly are those risks? It seems to me that the only one at risk here is the known homosexual.
So which is it?
Edwin
July 7th, 2010
This whole email thing is a lot of bunk. When I was in the service we all showered in an open shower. All the guys more than likely showered the same way when they had gym class in school.
These emails are so the big sh**s in (w)ashington can make it look like the soliders are afraid of the openly gay men that should have the same rights of the other men. As far as sending the emails to the spouces that shouldn’t happen. That is some more homophobic crap that (w)ashington big shots think the public needs to hear so they can get their way of not changing DADT. If Obama was good to his word he would just have changed it.. But he just used our vote to get in office.
Then he has f***ed this country up big time. This country will never be in the black on the books again. Nothing like printing money on paper that has no backing with gold like it used to have.
cd
July 7th, 2010
They’re fishing rather desperately, no?
andrew
July 8th, 2010
Folks, just to make a point here — we had co-ed showers at university. They weren’t open bay, but yes, the person in the next stall could be anyone of either gender. Typical of showers like this (and I’ve seen this at military installations), there’s often a 2-chambered “shower” — dry changing at the front, wet shower at the back, all curtained. This makes sense, as having “sexed” shower areas means redundant equipment and facilities, and, obviously, encourages the development of delicate sensibilities and an expectation of privacy, which, basically, doesn’t exist in the military.
Seriously, shouldn’t the brass, the politicians, and the talking heads give our men and women a little more credit? They’re making them sound like a bunch of sissies !!
Rob
July 8th, 2010
Did the Pentagon asked soldiers’ opinions concerning racial integration or women in the military? Anyway the US armed forces aren’t #1 in quality if they can’t end this crap.
MJC
July 8th, 2010
That is nauseating and I echo many of the sentiments expressed here. It’s clearly the military brass digging in their heels. Spouses should have nothing to do with this…and by the way, many of these same people (the brass) will rush to claim that the military is “different” and “NOT a democracy” (see the comments re women and blacks, above). When DADT was passed, many of the same tactics were used—as reported in _Courage Under Fire_.
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