Chaplains fear removal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell"? Really?

First, let me say that I have much higher respect for our fighting forces than those old codgers in charge of them, those Generals and Majors that make all the noise about this issue. I would think that any guy tough enough to go through the middle east and all their silly rules, could handle backing up, or being backed up, but a Guy guy or girl out in the field. That being said....

According to NPR:

"The possible repeal of the ban on gays serving openly is creating a dilemma for military chaplains opposed to homosexuality. Some say they may leave the military if forced to choose between their faith and their service."

So, Chaplains fear removal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell"? Really? More examples of more cowards in the Military? I'm becoming very concerned about how emotionally weak our military apparently is.

First, and I seem to have to keep saying this, although, it shouldn't matter, I am completely hetero myself. But I've always fought for those outside the mainstream, for their right to be different. So many who were against the mainstream of society, have given that society, great things. These are Human Beings, American Citizens, who have the inalienable right by birth, to be themselves and pursue happiness, just like the rest of us, no matter how much that annoys the mainstream. If you don't like it, too bad, because, that's how it is.

Normally I would say I draw the line at what I think people should do, when they are breaking the law; but when laws are as stupid as the mainstream, someone needs to change something. That's why, we repeal laws all the time. Because, from time to time, we wake up and realize, we'd been stupid and we update laws to reflect that. Remember, it was once, more of less, illegal to be Black; certainly, to be Black, and free. In some countries, over history, it was more or less illegal to be Jewish, or an "untouchable", or any other number of castigated situations.

Those laws needed changing, those people needed help, the mainstream needed chastising and to be forced to grow up.But did that stop us? No. The equal rights laws, just about killed many people. The South had a horrible time accepting that change. But they did. One day we just said, deal with it and then we enforced it. And now, things are pretty good for all around, white supremacists notwithstanding, but then, who really cares, they are fascists anyway, never a good form of thought to take. I don't have a real problem with elitists, as long as they deserve it; but racists are the elite, only legends in their own minds.

It always makes me sick, to hear of religious leaders who run away from the world, or reality, or people who seek their council and help. For a Chaplain to fear, Life, People, reality, the true depths of humanity, because they fear Gays, is ludicrous. What they want is a job that is easy to deal with.Sorry preacher, we're people. We ain't simple.

Guess what. Life ain't easy. That's what Chaplains are for you idiots! To help People deal with their reality in the military, not run away from it.

It really pisses me off to hear that military personnel are running away from something as wimpy and lame as having to deal with Gays. Really?! You're running away from Gays? Think about that for a minute, will you? Its not like they are like, White Supremacists, Fascists, Hate Mongers, Blacks. Gays should be a lark in the park, if you'll forgive the Gay imagery.

Religious leaders, which Chaplains are, are people who have chosen a profession where they are assigned to deal with tough Human, psychological, philosophical issues; and they are admitting that they, that their God, their own beliefs, are ill equipped to... handle people? No kidding? Wow, how wimpy is that?

Any Chaplain who is even thinking of leaving the Military because of having to deal with something they are opposed to, without being able to administer to their "flock", should be forced, by law, to end their career as Religious Leaders, and be forced to take a seat in their congregation and shut the Hell up from that point on. Because they are certainly not, capable of taking care of people.

If they want to continue in their job, then they need to learn how to deal with it, take it as a challenge, and HELP these people. And not just Gays, but those losers, those bigots, and hypocrites and narrow minded people, who cannot deal with someone different from them.

Granted, the military is somewhere you go to join up and travel the world, meet interesting, diverse, unique people, and kill them. But that doesn't refer to your own people. I mean, seriously, Gays are that foreign to you? What in the Hell homophobic, cut off, segregationist, delusional world do you live in? The military has for far too long, but one of the last havens for Christian homophobes. Because I have to wonder, how many of those against Gays in the military, aren't Christian?

Let me mention here, that other countries who have openly absorbed Gays in their military, have found that it is a non issue. So, what makes us so different? Cowards, in the military? From what I understand, its mostly the old "flockers" who are running the show that have issue with it. In asking most, MOST, young soldiers, it IS a non issue for them. Anyone that it IS an issue with has lived a secluded life and they need to be educated. Something the military has done throughout its history, educating its soldiers to do their job, no matter how much they don't like it. They're SOLDIERS, they FOLLOW orders for a living; so WHAT is the problem?

I mean, really? You can train people to actually KILL other people, but you cannot handle Gays? Then those in charge are completely incompetent.Wouldn't you say?

Here is what the government should do. Change the law. Gays are people. Deal with it, under penalty of Law. If you don't like it, fine, I'd suggest getting used to it, treating them like people. There are annoying Gay people, but there's more annoying straight people. You deal with them? Yes. So then, deal with Gays. As you do with, Blacks, or Jewish people, or whoever else it is you hate. Seems I'm mostly talking here to Christians, have you noticed that; and isn't that sad?

Wasn't it mostly (or all) Christians who were slave owners? Who brutalized the Jews? Who are most against Gays? Hmmm....

Once the law is changed, people will fall in line, eventually. If they don't, well, that's what, um, Laws are for? Just like Citizens with disabilities, people didn't like them either, but after a while, people accepted them until now, its considered uncool to look down on them. And so it will go with Gays. Actually, the rest of us are already there, its just the few, the deluded, in the military, that are having a problem with it. When I was in the service, they told me it was a microcosm of the larger culture.

I'm not seeing it. Its more like a microcosm of the dysfunctional parts of the larger culture. They called it the Perfect Society. Because they'd ticket you for not mowing your lawn if you lived in on base housing. Oooo, what a great situation that is, seems kind of a perfect Superficial Society, doesn't it? One that ignores real people problems beneath the surface.

Now I'm not saying Gays are disabled, but in this culture, they are treated like they are, as one of the last to be looked down upon groups. We go way out of our way to chastise them: no military service unless you keep secrets; no marriage, unless you choose who we choose for you (opposite genders), why are we so concerned about other people's lives? Next, they'll be voting, or smoking pot.

Its simple, like so many other issues. We just need to be intelligent, make a simple decision, change old ways, update our laws, seek to bring enlightenment to our country. Its in the beginning of so many little things, that leads the way to change so many big things. And we, in this country, need to change so many big things, in how we do them. We are a pretty screwed up country, in many ways. But we are, or have the potential, for being a truly great country.So we've always been told, anyway.

And I won't say, we could be a truly great country once again, because we have never been a truly great country. We have been one of the best countries in the world. But a truly great country, would not limit people's choices to the point of jailing them for minor infractions of codes, for being of a certain color, race, religion, or orientation. We would have stood up back in the beginning, and before, of this country, but certainly at the beginning, and said, no one should condemn someone for their race, religion or creed.

Or wait, we did do that. But, we didn't really mean it, did we? Or there wouldn't have been slavery. Would there? One thing that is great about our country is a grass root enforcement of what we think, rather than simply having to follow what the King says. But then, that is our downfall too, isn't it. Because in a culture where the lowest common denominator rules the roost, the laws still punish the innocent.

We need to grow up, act educated, even if we aren't. Or become educated, as we should, then act it. Because, we spend too much energy acting like poor, uneducated, childish prats. And if anyone should, if there IS a God, then the religious leaders should be the ones always to be leading the way. But they haven't. They aren't. And so, we see the situation as it really is: Godless, compassion-less, ignorant, terrified of our own citizens, because they prefer love and compassion in a way different than we do; in a way that is returned by their companion, where a healthy life is as reasonable to expect as it is in any heterosexual relationship.So, where's the problem?

Think about it. That's all we need to do. Just, once in a while, think about it. And try to act in a way that makes sense and isn't based upon what some ancient club from millenia past, long before the Dark Ages, dictates as a "good idea". Jesus had said that treating one another with kindness, compassion, is all a good idea. Where are we doing that here?

And let's fire any Chaplain who refuses to be helpful to someone coming to them for help. As happens with other situations in the military, let their decision follow them into civilian life and ban them from leading in any religion. Because, anyone that is willing, who's main point of being there, is to help someone deal with killing other Human Beings, but who can't deal with how that individual uses their emotions and sexual organs, or refuses to help someone deal with having to deal with someone like that, truly disgusts me to my core.

For more on this, see the NPR article