A federal judge formally refused on Tuesday to let the Pentagon reinstate its ban on openly gay men and women in the U.S. military while it appeals her decision declaring its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy unconstitutional.
A day after tentatively siding against the Obama administration, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips issued a written decision denying a government request to lift her own injunction barring further Pentagon enforcement of the ban.
Beginning late yesterday, in compliance with the judge’s order, the various Armed Forces of the United States, ordered their recruiters to begin accepting gay recruits, provided they otherwise comply with the various requirements for enlistment.
What you may not know is that the famous military newspaper Stars and Stripes had an article in September in which two military chaplains debate the issue. What makes it more interesting from my point of view, is that one of the chaplains is an Orthodox chaplain. So, do go there and read the full article, particularly since it would be quite difficult to accuse Stars and Stripes of either being anti-military or being either Democrat or Republican.
Here are a couple of quotes to make you interested in reading the article:
“President Barack Obama’s initiative to rescind the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell statute of 1993 will, if Congress yields to him later this year, shred the social and moral fabric of our armed forces,” says Father Alexander F.C. Webster, Ph.D., an archpriest in the Orthodox Church in America, retired in June as an Army Reserve chaplain at the rank of colonel after more than 24 years of military service.
As you can tell that was the Orthodox chaplain. The other chaplain says the following:
“All who are in the military should have an equal right to serve without having to deny their sexual orientation, a foundational part of who they are as human beings. And every servicemember should be required to respect others who wear the uniform and serve honorably,” says Rev. John F. Gundlach, a minister in the United Church of Christ who served 23 years on active duty as a Navy chaplain and retired as a captain in 1997.
Let me point out some things. One, both men are of the same rank, and between them they have 47 years of active duty. Both of these men are patriots and neither should ever be accused of non-American. Both of them have surely served in combat areas where they could be in harm’s way. Neither of them would ever willfully place any of their fellow military men in danger by advocating an opinion that they knew to be dangerous to the armed forces.
I do have a definite opinion. But, I want you to go read the full article and the opinions of two patriotic servicemen in a newspaper devoted to patriotic servicemen and published by veterans.
Fr.
I read both Chaplain’s views, and I thank you posting this here, as I surely wouldn’t have seen it otherwise. I definitely agree with your views of these men, they are patriots.
I come from a rural area in Arkansas, one of my oldest son’s high school classmates died at 19 in Iraq three years ago. I have a nephew who was a medic for two tours there as well. Several other young men from the area have been there and some of my own classmates too. One of my classmates will return to Afghanistan in a few months, he is a good a man as I know. My father served in WWII, and my father in law in WWII and Korea. I tell you this so you will understand that my reality involves military people and that I respect them, even though I have never served.
My father in law is one of the most conservative Missionary Baptists I know. He was a Lieutenant in the Army. I will share his view on homosexuality in the service. He said that people quickly figured out those whom were gay,or presumed gay. He said some people harassed them unmercifully, and some left them alone. He went on to say they bleed and die just as anyone else, and “I never found it to be an issue in combat in Korea.”
My father is long dead and never spoke of the issue.
My views have been somewhat shaped what my father in law has shared with me, with my own understanding of history, with my personal encounters with homosexual people and I guess by my own generally liberal attitude. And, yes the Churches view in which I grew up; Methodist; and others I’ve belonged to; Baptist primarily, as well.
I have tried, really tried to view homosexuality as abhorrent and walk the line of the Churches I have belonged to. I must say, that I now do not share the hard line view of the Orthodox Chaplain. I see that there are other military forces in the world today that let homosexuals serve, and I see that in history homosexuals have served as well. It does not appear that these military forces were destroyed by the service of homosexuals, so I think the U.S. might find the same thing. I also know that our armed forces have had homosexuals serve us, regardless of the policy. I must say that the Chaplain in support of allowing open service seems to have a better point. I also agree many of the arguments against were in fact used to try to prevent minorities from serving integrated, and again with women. I’m sure there are challenges with all these changes. I’m also sure each homosexual is an individual, meaning some are moral and strive to serve well, and some do not. I do not believe that is a function of their homosexuality.
My views seriously changed as I grew to know a man whom I went to high school with. He took on raising his half-nephew when the boy was just a baby because the mother (his half-sister) was a meth addict. The mother has never managed to straighten her life out and her son is now 14. My friend has had the same partner for 21 years, has raised this child well and been a true parent to him. I’ve watched my friend struggle with all the gay hate one finds in the southern U.S. I’ve watched him do it with class, I’ve watched him be religious and raise his son to be as well. I’ve watched he and his partner be faithful to one another and parents to this child. And, yes my views have changed.
Understand I did not set out to be any advocate for homosexuals, quite the opposite. I am a straight guy, I to my shame bullied some gay, or presumed gay guys I went to school with. I have tried to follow the teachings of the Churches I have attended. But it seems that a small minority of people get picked on unmercifully while divorce, and so many other things that are actually destroying families do not really get addressed with the same vigor.
I am a biologist and I believe that homosexuality will remain a minority of any population because of evolution. As a straight man I do not honestly think straight people find homosexuality alluring to practice. Again as a biologist I know other primates and mammals exhibit homosexual behavior, so there is some element of it being hardwired, so to speak In other words I don’t find the argument compelling that if “allow” homosexuality then more and people will become homosexual.
I hate to disagree with the teachings of the Church that I hope someday I might be able to become a member of. I don’t mean this to be disrespectful, and I will try to continue to work out my salvation “with fear and trembling”. But I believe homosexuals ought to have the right to serve openly in our military.
Thank you for your challenging and thought-provoking blog.
As a retired VA nurse, I have been caregiver to many, many vets, some of whom were gay. When it came time to fight, they fought as true and brave patriotic Americans. I have known gay vets with Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, Combat Infantry medals, Purple Hearts and gay vets who were Green Berets, SEALS, and Force Recon. When I cared for these men and women, what I saw was VETERAN–not gay or straight, black or white, male or female. That you were willing to put your life on the line for this country is what makes the difference for me.
How about this:
“Gays may serve in the armed forces. But they should remember that getting KIA is an inherent risk, regardless of orientation.”
In my experience, the gay vets were just as determined to serve their country–even at the risk of bodily harm or death as the straight ones–