Poll: Troops oppose repeal of "don’t ask don't tell"

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Most active-duty service members continue to oppose President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign pledge to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy to allow gays to serve openly in the military, a Military Times survey shows.

Moreover, if the policy was repealed, nearly 10 percent of respondents said they would not re-enlist or extend their service, and 14 percent said they would consider terminating their careers after serving their obligated tours.

Army Capt. Steven J. Lacy, a logistician assigned to the 71st Transportation Battalion at Fort Eustis, Va., said he is very concerned about the policy being repealed.

“I think a lot of people are,” Lacy said. “In the field environment, you’re in very close proximity to one another. The fact that someone could be openly gay could exacerbate stress on teams and small units when you’re already at a high stress level.”

http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2008/12/...tary_poll_DADT/

[Ban Hammer 14,571]

imagine that.

[Peikko 1,575]

So, 'pretending' someone is straight improves working relationships? Imagine THAT!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

So, 'pretending' someone is straight improves working relationships? Imagine THAT!

Hey, if the people who do the actual work say it does, then I hardly think those of who do not can argue otherwise.

Moreover, if the policy was repealed, nearly 10 percent of respondents said they would not re-enlist or extend their service, and 14 percent said they would consider terminating their careers after serving their obligated tours.

Awesome. Someone whose judgment is so obviously clouded by their own prejudices doesn't belong in the military anyway. Don't let the door hit them on the way out.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

Moreover, if the policy was repealed, nearly 10 percent of respondents said they would not re-enlist or extend their service, and 14 percent said they would consider terminating their careers after serving their obligated tours.

Awesome. Someone whose judgment is so obviously clouded by their own prejudices doesn't belong in the military anyway. Don't let the door hit them on the way out.

You are not a patriot rox! why do you hate America?

[Ban Hammer 14,571]

So, 'pretending' someone is straight improves working relationships? Imagine THAT!

no, following the clinton policy of don't ask, don't tell, and don't pursue improves working relationships.

[Peikko 1,575]

So, 'pretending' someone is straight improves working relationships? Imagine THAT!

Hey, if the people who do the actual work say it does, then I hardly think those of who do not can argue otherwise.

Moreover, if the policy was repealed, nearly 10 percent of respondents said they would not re-enlist or extend their service, and 14 percent said they would consider terminating their careers after serving their obligated tours.

Awesome. Someone whose judgment is so obviously clouded by their own prejudices doesn't belong in the military anyway. Don't let the door hit them on the way out.

By 'the people who do the work' you mean the 10% that thought knowing for sure that someone was gay was somehow going to change the balance of their relationship with their work colleagues? Maybe it will, but one has to shout 'hypocrisy', after all, they know it now, they just don't have to openly acknowledge it.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Why would the proximity of gays create stress in teams? What do they think is going to happen?

All this vote does is confirm the stereotype of the military as being the realm of ignorant meat heads.

[Peikko 1,575]

They think that if everyone is honest about their sexuality the 'gays' are going to try to seduce the straight guys. As things stand, the gays have to 'pretend' to be straight which prevents them from accidentally hitting on a straight dude. Also, everyone knows that if you know the person in the shower next to you is gay, then suddenly they are going to be perving at you which they obviously can't do if they are pretending to be straight. Silly PD, it pays to pretend.

[Danno 1,228]

If gays have the "right" to serve openly (act #######) what about those with cross dressing habits or gender identity confusion?

When will they get to "Be themselves too?

I sure hope we are not half-stepin with these "civil Rights" advances.

[LorriQ 0]

Separate housing for men, women and now male and female homsexuals? The military budget is going go up again! No room for training facilites, it will all be base housing/dorms.

If it isn't broke, don't fix it!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Why would the proximity of gays create stress in teams? What do they think is going to happen?

All this vote does is confirm the stereotype of the military as being the realm of ignorant meat heads.

On the positive side, it confirms that 86-90% of respondents have no problem abandoning don't ask don't tell. Hell, that's probably a better average than if you polled Californians. In my mind it reaffirms that our military are in fact very forward thinkers.

Well it says that a total of 24% would either not reinlist or terminate their military careers, while 71% would continue to serve (presumably the other 5% are the don't knows). That's nearly 1 in 3.

If gays have the "right" to serve openly (act #######) what about those with cross dressing habits or gender identity confusion?

When will they get to "Be themselves too?

I sure hope we are not half-stepin with these "civil Rights" advances.

That's really a conundrum for you isn't it...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Maybe. Its not really clear.

[LorriQ 0]

If gays have the "right" to serve openly (act #######) what about those with cross dressing habits or gender identity confusion?

When will they get to "Be themselves too?

I sure hope we are not half-stepin with these "civil Rights" advances.

You can take anything to the extreme, and it's the same kind of arguments that have been used against gay and interracial marriage. "What's next, people marrying animals?" Please. Giving people the dignity they deserve doesn't mean the end of society and it doesn't mean the start of an absurdest slippery slope. We have many MANY fine soldiers and sailors who also happen to be gay. The only difference between them now and them in the future is that right now they're not allowed to actually say they're gay. It's time to get over this silly puritan bullsh1t and let people be who they are.

Separate housing for men, women and now male and female homsexuals? The military budget is going go up again! No room for training facilites, it will all be base housing/dorms.

Ummm...what?

I am all for "loving" whomever you want (excluding animals and children!), so don't misunderstand please! All I am saying is they will have to all have seperate housing/showers etc. Have you been on the bases lately? They have closed many of them down and regrouped onto others, space is at a premium! Not to mention, (but I'm going to!) this goes against all the miltary budget cuts our troops and retirees have suffered through the last few presidents.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Are there any straight men in the military who haven't seen boobies, or any straight men who haven't seen a #######? I doubt it. And yet, we have separate bathroom and residential facilities for straight men and women. Why?