Organization: Virginia Department of Health
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Mon, 9 Nov 1992 23:04:57 EST
From:         "Michael A. Kline" <MKLINE@VDH.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: RUSH - More Good News
              9 Nov 1992 10:32:30 -0500 from <ewanco@MLO.DEC.COM>

On Mon, 9 Nov 1992 10:32:30 -0500 Eric James Ewanco said:
>Excerpts from christia: 9-Nov-92 Re: RUSH - More Good News G.J.
>McCaughan@CUS.CAM.A (5601)
>
>> Well, of course they are. And actually, I don't see why there should be
>> any law forbidding homosexuals to serve in the armed forces. There are
>> no laws forbidding liars, adulterers or gluttons to serve, for instance.
>
One problem I would have is how does one handle things like showers and
the like. WARNING: If you say that they could shower with the group and
nothing would happen, are you then for co-ed showers and let the men and
women shower together. I'm sure there are a lot of self controlled men
and women that could shower in a group environment. No, I would NOT
recommend it.
>
>The military should be praised for upholding traditional morals and
>ethics . . . punishment is much stricter in the military than in the
>civilian world, and more things are acceptable in the civilian world.

When I went to school, I had my "Marine Five" at school with me. They were
5 marines, fresh from Nam that were friends with "Slick" and "Weasel"(me)
because I could explain programming to them. I pulled the highest grade
out of 2 classes when I went to school. I turned in an 8 hour test in
about 2 hours and the teacher even said, "Are you sure, Slick?" (Careful
the names you get...) I told him I was afraid if I tried to think each
and every one, I might change something wrong. I missed about 14 questions
out of about 350+. The next person missed about 20 more.

Anyhow, on with the story. These "Marine Five" were for the most part,
Red Necks. They smoked a little pot over there and told stories of other
vets that kept the teeth or ears of the victims they shot. I can tell you
what they would do to gays. Is it fair? NO, emphatically no, but they
were not Christians. They knew I was, and they could accept that, but
they were not.

The queer nation spokes person said it best. "We're not allowed to fight
for our country and that puts us at an immediate educational disadvantage."
Now, I have NEVER met a person that went off to war so they could get into
the GI Bill. Most went to "protect", for "the honor of God and country", and
even "because they told me to", but I've yet to meet one that was willing
to put their life on the line to get into the GI Bill. I submit that if
we were to offer the GI Bill to all gays willing to do 4 years of office
work for the government, all this would stop. Is this right? NO.

I would think it to be as hard for a gay to shoot another man as it would
be for a straight soldier to shoot an enemy woman soldier. Grant it can
be done, and it has to or "you're" dead, but there are just too many
things wrong with it.

Perhaps if they had their "own" division, but then again. How do you control
the showers. For gays to shower together would be in my estimation like men
and women showering together. Maybe it can be done, but definitely not
recommended. Too much temptation.

Now before I get flamed, any thing said is not a label of all gays. There
are exceptions. For one, as Ben Kinchlow said on the 700 Club, "Who says
there is discrimination? If you get into the service and KEEP YOUR PERSONAL
LIFE TO YOURSELF, you could have your 4 years and no one would know."

I pray no one sees this as judgement. That was not the purpose, just to share
some of the things I have observed and would fear for gays. It would be
"interesting" to see how much "friendly fire" would increase if they were
allowed in. "Interesting" is a poor choice of words, but I think you know
what I mean. Like I said, my "Marine Five" were from different divisions,
but they had their own code of ethics and knew how to enforce it. If these
type of soldiers still exist, I would think gays would want to stay as
far away as they could.

Maks.
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