Controversy of Gays in the Military
Controversy of Gays in the Military
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Throughout the history of the country, the United States has banned gay and lesbian citizens to serve in the military, and serve the land of the free. Even today, the United States is one of the two countries left in the world that still refuses gays to be open and honest with their sexual preference in the military. Something is obviously wrong, and it is no wonder that the issue has always been a controversial one.
Up until 1993 , no one has questioned this ban, but then a heated national debate arose, and the country had to reach some sort of a compromise. This compromise, set fourth by President Clinton and Congress , has consistently caused as much controversy as the original ban. “ Don’t ask , Don’t tell , Don’t Pursue. “ was challenged by the courts , but even today they deem it unworthy to consider it constitutionally.
The current U. S. policy is the only law established by our government that prohibits a gay / lesbian citizen to be honest about their personal lives and puts them at risk for being fired or to face a jail sentence. If we examine this thoroughly, it’s easy to see that it is hypocrisy. Our country, supposedly created by the people, for the people, set up our national government on the sole idea of freedom. Our Bill of Rights , erected to protect of from injustice, clearly states in it’s first amendment that we are guaranteed the freedom of speech. Now in the year 2001 apparently things have changed. The same country built on freedom is stripping that freedom away from its gay and lesbian citizens. They’re forcing people who are willing to die to protect their country in the military to lie. In the Bill of Rights, along with freedom of speech, comes the freedom of religion. In the Christian religion, chiseled into its commandments, it states it is a sin to lie. The government of this country is forcing us to lie, cheat our faiths, and be denied rights granted to us by them.
How would a gay/ lesbian soldier affect the morale over the rest of the unit? This is the question that has remained unanswered. On March 16, 2000 the Defense Department released the results of a survey conducted by the inspector general....