As Congress contemplates repealing the unfair Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that forces gay soldiers to stay in the closet, it is encouraging to see the country and the military lean toward equity for all of our dedicated troops. It is a travesty and shame for America to discriminate against soldiers who are bleeding, dying, and being maimed fighting for our freedom because of their sexual preference.
A majority of Americans are in favor of repealing DADT, and 69% – 75% of Americans recognize that the inequity and disgraceful treatment of gay troops must come to an end. Veterans from every era acknowledge that there have always been gay troops in the military, and that everyone knew gays were serving and had no problems. Enter Senator John (war hero) McCain and his ever changing objection(s) to repealing DADT.
First, McCain said if the generals and military leaders told him repealing DADT was acceptable he may go along, and sure enough, the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and generals gave their approval for ending the law. Not good enough for honest John McCain (war hero), so he changed the objection by asking for a comprehensive study that involved the troops. Several months later, a 300+ page report and survey of 400,000 active troops said that 70% of respondents supported the repeal, and that repeal would have a low risk to the military. Still not enough for John McCain (war hero) and he declared that he needed to personally talk to the troops. McCain found a sergeant in Afghanistan who had a problem with gays serving openly in the military.
McCain will always find bigots like himself who object to gays existing, much less serving in the military. It begs the question; if that sergeant’s leg was blown off, would he object to a gay medic treating him, or would he prefer to bleed out and die? A couple of days ago McCain came up with another objection, he said he and 41 of his Republican colleagues would block repeal because the economy is sputtering. He really said it and he was serious. He’s also a raging bigot who cannot escape the biblical foundation of hate he espouses.
Sarah Palin, who is not a war hero, a government official, and is unable to finish any job, weighed in on the issue and is against the repeal. Palin doesn’t matter, but the source of her people’s bigotry does. It is encouraging that 70% of Americans favor ending DADT, but the remaining 30% shows the level of bigotry in this country, and there is one source behind people who object to the repeal.
Republicans will filibuster with McCain to block repeal, and it is no coincidence that those who object are Christian Conservatives. The fact is that the only justification against repeal is the bigoted views found in the bible against homosexuality.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, McCain and Palin called for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman, so there is a pattern of bigotry against gays. The two Republicans were playing to their Christian-bigot base, but are serious in their attempts to keep gays from the freedom and equality the Constitution guarantees. Republican Christian Conservatives are not the least bit interested in freedom and equality for all Americans. Remember, Palin travels the expanse of the country talking up the “real America” that is predominately white and Christian; minorities are not welcomed, poor people are parasites, and gays are an abomination in Palin’s real America.
Christians have a sense of superiority founded on their psychotic belief that God awarded them power to judge because they go to church, shoot guns, and stroke bibles. Christians forget their namesake preached and told parables about not judging, and forbid them to judge anyone for any reason because it was God’s job. There is no precedent in the bible that says Christians are supposed enforce the bible’s Stone Age mythological rules on anyone; now or then.
America is supposed to be a shining beacon of freedom, but Christian bigots believe their freedom grants them power to decide who is allowed to be free. Even though 70% of Americans want gays to serve openly in the military, the remaining 30% and their bible bigotry led by John McCain will block repeal of DADT.
President Obama can issue an executive order like President Truman did in 1948 when he ordered integration of the military regardless that 80% of the troops were against it. There are still racists in the military, but they learned to get along while still functioning at a high level. McCain said that Obama’s campaign promise of repealing DADT was an inexperienced move. Now that Obama has presidential experience that McCain will never have, he must order the end of DADT.
McCain’s latest objections to repeal have nothing to do with a sputtering economy, and everything to do with being a raging Christian bigot. If it were only McCain, Palin, and a few public figures discriminating against gays it would be despicable, but when 30% of Americans are so openly homophobic, it is a national shame. When that homophobia extends so openly to our service men and women who risk their lives for this country, it is criminal.
The war hero John McCain may have served this country well at some point in the past, but he disgraces his citizenship with his bigotry under the color of Senate authority. For the rest of the Christian Conservative celebrities like Palin, they disgrace the human race and don’t deserve American citizenship; much less protection from the military.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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