Since 1993, about 10,000 otherwise qualified servicemembers have been forced out, including those in crucial occupations such as code-breakers, intelligence and medical specialists, air traffic controllers and translators. At a time of tight budgets and stretched-thin forces, the Defense Department has spent $364 million to recruit and train replacements for those discharged, says a blue ribbon panel that includes former Defense secretary William Perry. - USA Today, March 9, 2006
I guess we can say one thing about Republicans and some of those chicken Democrats attitudes toward gay Americans, no amount of money or lack of common human decency can be spent on keeping gays in the closet!
My own experiance growing up was that people that knew me before they found out I was gay liked me. I worked hard to be good at my work, to help others because if I did that maybe they would see a decent nice guy there in front of them and then maybe they would not be so quick to "hate" who or what I was.
The problems usually came when someone discovered the nice guy they have come to know was gay. It seems they figured I had misled them. Being gay means having to come out of the closet every day of your life if you want to avoid accusations you are not trying to deceive.
The Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy of the US Military is a catch 22 for gays. When you are with your buds and they are ask why you don't have a girlfriend, why you don't want to go to the strip club, why you don't talk about getting some hot chick to bed, you can't tell them you are gay can you. If you do you are breaking the rules. If you don't tell them you are lying to them or at least that is what your buds feel.
One can always say you are saving yourself for the right girl, a lie, or join in the banter, another lie, or try to ignore it. If you would like to try this try to imagine you can't tell someone you like girls, you can't talk about your "lust" for that woman that walked by or talk about the little woman at home. Imagine what that would do to you. I bet it can't be done.
3 comments:
I am reminded of a scene in the movie, X-2, between Night Crawler and Mystique.
He asks her why she should be so bitter about having been treated so badly during her childhood, when she could easily have passed for "normal."
Her answer was, "But I shouldn't have to!"
One of these days, "different" is not going to threaten anyone. Your grandchildren will brag to their grandchildren about how Grandpa Rick was a pioneer and an activist who helped make the world a better place in which to live.
Still, it would be great if you didn't have to!
lying on a daily basis wears on your soul. it creates the impression of covering up something that is "bad" or "shameful"
it can be hard to remind yourself that you are doing nothing WRONG, when behaviour suggests otherwise. I wouldn't lie about grocery shopping or my hair colour, why the !@#$ should I lie about my occupation or sexual orientation.
it sucks. I decide daily on an individual basis when to be honest and when to lie.. NO I bloody well shouldn't have to.
On a daily basis yeppers. The cost it must be to the soul.
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