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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject: Gay Veteran of Iraq Takes on US Army |
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WASHINGTON - On paper, Dan Choi is everything the US military could have hoped for. He is a graduate of the prestigious West Point academy, has served a tour in Iraq, and is fluent in Arabic and Korean.
But despite his talents and experience, the army is seeking to get rid of Choi because of another personal quality it considers incompatible with military life: Choi is openly gay.
In one of the last instances of government-sanctioned discrimination in America, the United States military allows gay men and lesbians to serve in the military only if they keep quiet about their sexuality. For more than a year after meeting his boyfriend and falling in love, Choi was forced to lie or risk joining a long list of almost 13,000 gay and lesbian personnel discharged in the past 16 years under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
"What if I deploy and he can't come to the tarmac to wish me goodbye," he asked himself, "or kiss me when I come back?" If he were to fall in combat, to whom would the army present the flag that draped his coffin?
"I started my first relationship ever in life at age 27," Choi said. "I'm understanding finally what love is. I have to make the decision: am I going to continue lying?"
This winter, Choi decided the answer was no. In March he announced on television that he is a gay soldier. The military responded with a terse letter informing him he would be charged with violating army regulations. Choi faces a disciplinary panel tomorrow.
"Specifically, you admitted publicly that you are a homosexual," the letter read. "Your actions negatively affected the good order and discipline of the New York Army National Guard."
"It's an insult to their professionalism," Choi said of the insinuation that his fellow soldiers cannot abide a gay comrade. "They care about what a person can do for the team. We're in a time of war. We have bigger things to worry about than people being gay." |
What a hateful policy.
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Harpeau
Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for sharing the article Catman. It is very sad that a young man gives his life for the uniform and is not respected for his sexuality. I, myself believe in monogammy in whatever form it takes. It would be nice to see the U.S. Army come out of the dark ages, IMHO. |
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Gopher

Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Very interesting to see self-proclaimed noninterventionists so easily and self-righteously intervene in another nation-states domestic affairs through the press... |
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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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Opinion vs Bombing. hmmmm  |
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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009 Location: Robotting Around the World
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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He'll probably get a high paying translator position and be happy they did kick him out. |
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ManintheMiddle
Joined: 20 Oct 2008
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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catman:
Put your claws back and snarl less. The policy was put into place not to discriminate but to protect the forces. Even Powell, himself a victim racism in Vietnam, approved of it because force security is viewed as dependent on having this policy in place. So argue the merits of that rationale if you wish but you're assuming far too much if you think this is just gay-bashing.
Clearly Choi is pushing the issue. So let's see how it plays out. |
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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:12 am Post subject: |
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ManintheMiddle wrote: |
catman:
Put your claws back and snarl less. The policy was put into place not to discriminate but to protect the forces. Even Powell, himself a victim racism in Vietnam, approved of it because force security is viewed as dependent on having this policy in place. So argue the merits of that rationale if you wish but you're assuming far too much if you think this is just gay-bashing.
Clearly Choi is pushing the issue. So let's see how it plays out. |
He lost his job because he is gay.
Funny how Israel doesn't seem to have a problem with them.  |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:15 am Post subject: |
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You guys do realize that it's not an Army policy but rather a US law that's at issue here, don't you? |
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ED209
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:51 am Post subject: |
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The British military actively recruits from the gay community. How does firing someone with sort after skills maintain force security? |
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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009 Location: Robotting Around the World
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 4:02 am Post subject: |
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Yes it is US law determined by the executive branch, the president. President Clinton enacted the, "Don't ask, Don't tell," back in the mid 90's while I was in. I grew so bored of hearing dumb guys spew out the endless slew of wise cracks and jokes about Clinton's policy for thousands of hours. And then when you don't pay attention and respond appropriately, you get ostracized. I went through basic in the early 90's and they did interrogate us individually if we were gay and told us we would be doing a dishonor to America by joining if gay.
It's not about skills and performance in the US Army and American companies, business decisions run on false manufactured puritanical ideals based on irrational favoritism, nepotism, sexism, racism, narcissism, selfish greed, and other preferences that meet a status quo mold that are deemed illegal and unprofessional in practice, but corruption goes on while we put on an image that these corruptions don't exist. America talks the talk, but fails to walk the talk. Our conservative values are based on judging those that are different as being unacceptable and then ostracized; not conserving and make better use of resources like how being conservative is done elsewhere. If you look like something you're truly not, but not falling into the status quo, then you'll be labeled as that and ostracized by 95% of people. It's obvious we still have outdated ideology in place that Europe once lived by, but abandoned long ago. As a kid, I argued these facts and discussed this with many people, becuase I knew all along we had it all wrong. I wasn't retarded like many tried to make me out to be. I was only a poor boy with a contrarian mind recognizing so many wrongs with our status quo and how it prevents the meritocracy our country boasts to have fostered.
You can be the best, give it all, and still lose in the American system. So many good people, gay and straight, are fired, go broke, get sued, or imprisoned for being the wrong person at the wrong time in the wrong place not that they did anything wrong. It's not a fair level playing field like the way they play on it to be. We're well over due for reform on all levels. |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:35 am Post subject: |
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Choi's real problem is he is politicizing it. He wants to be a political activist for change.
The military isn't in the 'political activist for change' business. You join the military, and you SERVE the country, you don't get all political and try to CHANGE the POLITICS of the branch you are serving.
You're suppose to follow orders, NOT create your own rules and encourage everyone else to your own ideas. It's basically fundamental rule #1 broken.
It isn't the sexual orientation, as 'don't ask, don't tell' implies you can serve. It's just doing press conferences and everything...you've become a political activist for change...and the army didn't employ you for that, you're suppose to be serving the armed forces, not your own personal interests/agendas. |
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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:27 am Post subject: |
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Tiger Beer wrote: |
Choi's real problem is he is politicizing it. He wants to be a political activist for change.
The military isn't in the 'political activist for change' business. You join the military, and you SERVE the country, you don't get all political and try to CHANGE the POLITICS of the branch you are serving.
You're suppose to follow orders, NOT create your own rules and encourage everyone else to your own ideas. It's basically fundamental rule #1 broken.
It isn't the sexual orientation, as 'don't ask, don't tell' implies you can serve. It's just doing press conferences and everything...you've become a political activist for change...and the army didn't employ you for that, you're suppose to be serving the armed forces, not your own personal interests/agendas. |
After he was fired. |
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Gopher

Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:57 am Post subject: |
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catman wrote: |
Funny how Israel doesn't seem to have a problem with them.  |
International-relations peer pressure?
This is lame. America is not Israel and need not comply with Israeli standards. The same goes for Britain and the Guardian's editorial staff, Catman. |
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djsmnc

Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:37 am Post subject: |
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An army of manlove and pederasty fueled the conquering ability of the ancient Greeks and Romans! I think we need to allow some hairy rim love to strengthen the American forces. Nothing like the sweet smell of another man's armpit to strengthen your resolve against the enemy! |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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catman wrote: |
Tiger Beer wrote: |
Choi's real problem is he is politicizing it. He wants to be a political activist for change.
The military isn't in the 'political activist for change' business. You join the military, and you SERVE the country, you don't get all political and try to CHANGE the POLITICS of the branch you are serving.
You're suppose to follow orders, NOT create your own rules and encourage everyone else to your own ideas. It's basically fundamental rule #1 broken.
It isn't the sexual orientation, as 'don't ask, don't tell' implies you can serve. It's just doing press conferences and everything...you've become a political activist for change...and the army didn't employ you for that, you're suppose to be serving the armed forces, not your own personal interests/agendas. |
After he was fired. |
Wrong. Re-read the article.
"In March he announced on television that he is a gay soldier. The military responded with a terse letter informing him he would be charged with violating army regulations. Choi faces a disciplinary panel tomorrow."
That means, he hasn't been 'fired' as of this article, and faces the disciplinary panel BECAUSE he went on television. All of his quotes from the article imply to me he is politicizing it, after coming out, and before being in front of the disciplinary panel. |
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