Frankly my dear, I really don’t give even half a damn. I may not be Rhett Butler (and regrettably altered the American Film Institute’s greatest movie quotation of all), but that sentiment echoes exactly my thoughts on any argument in favor of keeping the dated, bigoted policy that pervades the U.S. military: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
My fellow columnist Chad Rhoades argues in favor of keeping DADT on the books until we are no longer actively engaged in multiple combat zones around the world. He is wrong — DADT should be repealed. This is no political stunt — this is a practical decision and a vital step in correcting the injustice of severe bias against gays and lesbians.
Don’t just take me telling you DADT is wrong and should be repealed; ask Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As the chairman of the top commanders of the military, Mullen has a pretty good idea of what works for the military and what doesn’t (with, perhaps, the exception of how to conduct a “War on Terror.” But I digress). And he has been against DADT for quite some time, even going as far as to specifically answer a West Point cadet’s question regarding his opinion on the matter in May 2008.
The argument against repealing DADT during “wartime” is also insulting to the brave men and women in the armed services. Our troops are fighting in defense of our ideals and displaying undoubtable courage in protecting our country, regardless of the political machinations that place them in harm’s way in nations that we probably should not have invaded in the first place.
These men and women put their lives on the line day in and day out — do we really believe the camaraderie they built up in combat will be destroyed simply because someone is gay? Does anyone really think they will care in the middle of combat? No, soldiers in a combat zone tend to care about surviving to see another day or, if in a desperate situation, guaranteeing their compatriots’ survival. It’s downright insulting to say our troops cannot be professional enough to do the job they are paid to do. Yet that is what conservatives who argue against the repeal of DADT do.
It’s also fascinating how my colleague takes one of the most hypocritical conservative arguments in the political arena these days and uses it against DADT: Congressional power as a check on the president. When President George W. Bush wanted to invade Iraq and violate any number of constitutional rights regarding privacy and indefinite, inhumane detention programs in his conduct of the “War on Terror,” Congress was basically a rubber stamp.
Now, Congress is blocking everything, and conservative commentators offer the checks and balances defense of Republican senators and representatives. This is utter, shameless hypocrisy, and claiming Congress and the system of checks and balances can protect us from having gays and lesbians in the military while we fight the dangerous and serious “War on Terror” is made that much more shallow by association with this hypocrisy.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is an anachronism of the social politics we should have in America. We exclude people from our military if they tell someone they are gay? We fail to enforce BOTH sides of the policy, not wondering if commanding officers ARE asking soldiers if they are gay? And we deprive our military of troops when it needs them most, based off a conservative critique, when conservatives pushed for the war in the first place?
Whatever. Just don’t ask me how annoyed this gets me and I won’t tell you.
