Like BulliedByGays.com, the website tracking incidents of queers attacking straight classmates, I keep hitting refresh on the Palm Center’s new page EnoromousConsequences.com, which hopes to back up Defense Sec. Robert Gates’ claim immediately suspending Don’t Ask Don’t Tell will have “enormous consequences for our troops.” The site will do this by tracking incidents of unit cohesion disciplinary problems, but something seems wonky, because ever since the law was ruled unconstitutional these numbers are stuck at zero. F5! F5!
reason
The current status of DADT can not be used as evidence that there will not be problems granted that soldiers are not coming out due to the uncertainty of the policy. I don’t think anyone in this community believes that there will not be problems. Hate crimes happen out here and they will happen in the military as well. DADT repeal will bring the abusers of GBLT out in the open, they will no longer be protected by a GBLT members fear of reporting them. The military should already have laws on the books on how to punish the individuals that deviate. They also have other examples to look to in the military, were racist gang members have managed to enlist in the army. In the end, how GBLT is treated in the military will depend on the entire forces view on GBLT, if it is positive they can isolate and weaken the homophobes. It will be nice to see the report, if it is good things will be bright for GBLT troops. If it is bad the next decade maybe a trying time for GBLT soldiers, but it will get better with time. If the military is serious about the survey results, they will do everything in their power to ease the transition.
Al Dente
Obama’s comment about gays brings angry reactions over the weekend. SHOCKING story at:
http://spnheadlines.blogspot.com/2010/01/furor-erupts-over-obama-remark-on-gays_27.html
Peace! đ
the crustybastard
Perhaps he meant “enormous” in the archaic sense of the word.
Y’know, “surpassingly wicked.”
robert in nyc
There haven’t been any negative outcomes since the UK allowed openly gay men and women to serve, nor did it affect any of our own servicemen and women fighting alongside them in Iraq and Afghanistan. It hasn’t impacted unit cohesion, so this proves this is just a red herring to delay doing anything. If this is such an issue, why didn’t the U.S. refuse military support from the UK, among others? That question should be put to Gates. the military top brass and the Pentagon.
RichardR
@robert in nyc: see, there you go being all rational
the crustybastard
It’s the end of the day on Monday, and I’m checking in.
What time did the gay rape free-for-all that Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council prophesied actually come to pass?
Was it before, or after brunch?
reason
@robert in nyc: I think we both know that the U.S. is a very different animal than our allies. The Israels bend space time to protect and care for “every” citizens. The U.K. is progressive to the point that a good section of our country has deemed them socialist. Here in America the country was nearly split in two by the notion that every member of society should be able to access health care to keep them alive. Looking over at our allies to determine what will happen to gays may not be the best avenue to pursue, after all blanket parties on suspected gay soldiers already takes place. I think an honest evaluation of where our military members stand will be the best way to help keep them safe.
reason
I think we both are aware that the U.S. is a very different animal than our allies. The Israels bend space time to protect and care for “every” citizens. The U.K. is progressive to the point that a good section of our country has deemed them socialist. Here in America the country was nearly split in two by the notion that every member of society should be able to access health care to keep them alive. Looking over at our allies to determine what will happen to gays may not be the best avenue to pursue, after all blanket parties on suspected gay soldiers already takes place. I think an honest evaluation of where our military members stand will be the best way to help keep them safe.
B
The worst-case consequence of judicially eliminating the DADT law is that DADT supposedly moderated an even more homophobic military policy (one that did not require legislation to enact). If the is nothing else in place, the rules could revert to that policy, which was basically “Do ask, do tell, and definitely persue.”
While we can only hope that sanity prevails, there could be a short-term problem where the rules technically require persecuting gays (until those rules can be changed). While the judge’s intentions are quite clear, if the text of the ruling is not broad enough, there could in fact be nasty consequences until the regulations are fixed.
It’s all dependent on the details, so there is a legitimate reason to be nervous about it – to prevent a timing glitch from hurting people.