Tête à Tête: ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell’ is double-standard; discriminating against gay troops

“Don’t ask, Don’t tell,” as well as its current extension of “don’t pursue, don’t harass,” needs to be repealed. The policy discriminates against the homosexual and bisexual citizens of our country who wish to defend it. These individuals are sent to die to protect our freedoms —— ­­yet we deprive them of theirs through this policy.

The primary evil of DADT is that it is a double standard. It prohibits homosexuals and bisexuals from speaking openly about their sexuality or from speaking about their homosexual relationships. Yet heterosexual service members can freely boast about conquests in the bedroom, or, on a more tender note, can tell one another how much they miss their spouses and significant others.Imagine a homosexual or bisexual overhearing such a conversation and running to his or her superior, shouting, “Sgt. Johnson is straight! As an arrow! He does not go that way!”

It’s ridiculous to imagine, yet heterosexuals are allowed to mouth parallel accusations. You can in fact tell as part of DADT, just as long as you have solid evidence. But what constitutes solid evidence? A homosexual make-out session caught on tape? How about an Elton John poster?

Due to the nature of DADT, even without solid evidence an antagonist could get a homosexual or bisexual kicked out. A group of fellow servicemen have the option of throwing a “blanket party,” where they would throw a sheet over a suspected homosexual or bisexual and repeatedly beat him or her until the suspect gave him or herself up. Even more unfair is the fact that third parties can out individuals within the military. Anyone with a revenge motive has the potential to ruin a homosexual or bisexual service member’s career.

Since 1993, when Bill Clinton crafted the bill as a compromise, 13,000 members of our military have been discharged due to DADT. We’ve lost millions in shipping these troops back home and recruiting and training new ones. This is ridiculous, especially in a time of war.

Obama is right to seek an end to DADT. This policy is akin to not allowing blacks in the military to reveal they are black, or women to reveal they are women. Now that women serve alongside men in the military, there is no foundation to the claim that DADT keeps sexual interests out of the armed forces. What, it’s okay if someone looks at you as long as they are of the opposite gender? Tell that to the women in the military. DADT also interferes with states’ rights: Soldiers from Massachusetts can’t be in same-sex marriages, though their state allows them to.

Homosexuals and bisexuals are professional enough to separate sexuality and war. Heterosexuals are professional enough to overcome their prejudices. Suck it up people; you’re in the goddamn military.