From: gl1@cec2.wustl.edu (Greg Lyon)
Subject: Re: gays in the military
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 01:19:05 GMT

bayram@willis.cis.uab.edu (Zeki Bayram) writes:
>On the matter of allowing homosexuals into the armed forces of the
>U.S.A., a few points to consider:
>- This is not just a matter of principle

  And why not?  First of all, does it matter what a person as a part of his/her
private life AS LONG AS that person does a good job as a soldier, provided that 
those private actions do not affect others?  
  Secondly, it is much more than a matter of principle.  There are thousands
of homosexuals in the military today.  There were thousands in the military
in World War 2, in Vietnam, in Desert Storm...  If those soldiers do not
take actions currently that betray the trust of their fellow soldiers, what
makes you believe that they will do something that will if homosexuals are
allowed in the military? 

>- American soldiers will probably not be wellcome anymore in foreign
>  countries, especially Islamic countries

  I doubt that.  If your country was being invaded by another nation and
you needed protection, I doubt you would say No to U.S. military assistance 
if it were offered.  
  Women were allowed to serve in Saudi Arabia, although such a practice is
not allowed by the Saudi laws and customs. (It's also a lot easier to hide
the fact that you are homosexual than it is to hide that you are female.)
  
>- Motivation is a great factor in the effectiveness of soldiers in
>  combat. Soldiers have to "believe in" what they are asked to do.
>  They have to believe that they are fighting to protect the high
>  "values" and principles of America. They have to believe that they
>  are morally right. How can they feel this way when they will see the
>  armed forces to which they belong as being fundamentally flawed, and
>  immoral? 

  A poll in the latest issue of Time magazine says that 56 % percent of
Americans believe that homosexuals should be allowed into the military.  If
there was such a "moral outcry" as you fear, wouldn't more than the 36 % 
who opposed lifting the current ban.  Yes, some people see homosexuality
as immoral -- but of the homosexuals I have met and know -- few openly
flaunt their sexual preferences and none do anything that I would consider
to be immoral.

>- American soldiers will be ridiculed as being "a bunch of faggots"

Maybe by you, Pat Robertson, Pat Buchanan and Dan Quayle.

>- Will definitely harm any alliance with Arab countries such as Saudi
>  Arabia. Public pressure in those countries will force their rulers
>  to sever ties (at least militarily) with the US

  See my above comments about the women in Desert Storm.

>- Guess what Saddam will be telling his soldiers if there were another
>  war in the Gulf: "Oh pure blood, God fearing defenders of this land.
>  You are fighting against 'a bunch of faggots'. So go clear the earth
>  of its slime!" And I think he would find an audiance, and not only
>  in his soldiers!  

  Oh yes, like many in this nation or world listen to the propaganda that
Saddam Hussein is spewing forth nowadays.

  I will agree with you that the military should ban all homosexuals that
try to engage in unwanted sexual relations with other soldiers... Just like
I believe we should do the same with heterosexuals who do the same thing...
It's called rape.

Greg

-- 
*******************************************************************************
Greg Lyon		             	         Student Union Attorney General
gl1@cec2.wustl.edu			Proud that I voted for Clinton/Gore '92 
Washington University in St. Louis - Site of the First 1992 Presidential Debate
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton,alt.discrimination,soc.culture.african.american