The repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has been heralded by gay activists, the ACLU and other supporters as a landmark civil rights victory and watershed moment in American history. It remains to be seen what damage this “victory” may wreak on the world’s premier military force.
Much media coverage of the issue has misrepresented the history of this policy. In 1993, in the first week of his presidency, Bill Clinton acted on a campaign promise to end the ban on gays in the military through a proposed executive order. In the face of intense negative reaction from the public and the military, Congress held hearings on the issue. The result was congressional legislation (Section 654, Title 10) rejecting Clinton’s proposal, reasserting and then codifying long-standing Defense Department directives declaring that “homosexuality is incompatible with military service.” That law is most certainly not “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Moreover, amendments to the defense authorization bill in September 1993 in both the Senate and House (co-sponsored, incidentally, by Colorado Rep. Pat Schroeder, see below) empowering the president solely to decide policy (like “don’t ask”) on gays in the military were overwhelmingly defeated in a bipartisan roll-call vote. The so-called “compromise” was the Clinton administration’s unilateral imposition of enforcement regulations on the military to partially neutralize Section 654, Title 10. “Don’t ask” was that Clinton policy. What Congress passed and what President Obama signed into law last week was the repeal of federal law — Section 654, Title 10 — banning homosexuality in the military. Ironically, if it were only “don’t ask” that had been repealed, even gays who weren’t asked or didn’t tell could have then been excluded from the military.
While in Congress, Schroeder was no friend of the military, routinely opposing military spending, weapons systems and troop deployments. When she advocated the removal of restrictions on women in combat, it was to advance the cause of radical feminism. She cared little about its negative consequences on military effectiveness. The same can be said for those gay activists whose main objective was to score a symbolic equal rights victory regardless of its toll on the military.
Military service is not a universal “right.” The military justifiably and lawfully discriminates against the old, the disabled, the weak and others, including women in combat assignments. Soldiers can’t join labor unions, don’t get overtime pay, can’t speak freely, can’t quit when they want and aren’t protected by OSHA, the ADA, and numerous other laws that protect civilians. It’s commendable that gays and lesbians wish to serve their country, but it’s not just about them. The negative effects of open homosexuality on unit cohesion, effectiveness and morale must be considered.
Public opinion polls showing support for gays in the military include the views of a majority of people with no military experience and no desire to join — liberal sociology professors, for example, who might make lousy leathernecks. A false belief ratified by a majority is no less a false belief. Opposition within the military is especially pronounced among Marine and Army front-line combat troops where close quarters magnify the negative effects.
It’s reported that 14,000 homosexuals have been discharged during the 17 years of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” That’s 823 people per year, or four one-hundredths of 1 percent of the yearly average of more than 2 million active duty, guard and reserve troops over that period. Far more significant will be the damage to careers of soldiers and their officers accused of insensitivity, and retention and recruitment losses of those with a warrior disposition — people we can least afford to lose — who will spurn military careers because of religious, moral or cultural objections to open homosexuality.
The focus of combat troops should be on their primary role: efficiently breaking things and killing the enemy, not about sensitivity classes on sexual orientation.
Mike Rosen’s radio show airs weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon on 850-KOA.
