Policy on Gays in the Military
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President Clinton addressed the issue of gays in the military as one of the first issues in his administration, and he was roundly criticized for making this his first challenge. He had originally proposed eliminating the ban on gays in the military outright. Ultimately, though, Clinton settled for what has been characterized as a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. In essence, this leaves the ban on gays in the military in force in that any gay behavior would be grounds for dismissal. The new policy means that recruits will not be asked their sexual orientation, and if they do not tell, no one will challenge them. If they are found out to be gay, however, it is unclear what the consequences would be, which is one of the problems with the new policy. Clinton's present policy is specious and only maintains the status quo that existed before he came to office, with a few limitations. What should be done is what Clinton originally promised--the complete elimination of the ban on homosexuals in the armed force. There is no good reason in a democratic society for discriminating in this fashion against a class of American citizens who want to serve their country and who are qualified to do so in every way, and whose sexual orientation has nothing to do with their ability to perform their duties. Discrimination against homosexuals has a long history, which is no reason for it to continue in a more enlightened age. There are a number of legal issues involved in the military ban
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right of privacy enjoyed by heterosexuals. An appeals judge ruled otherwise, and the Supreme Court reversed this by stating that Georgia could punish either gays or heterosexuals who engaged in sodomy, since privacy rights did not extend this far (Irons 381-390).
It is this sort of thinking that continues to infuse the debate on homosexuals in the military. When asked to examine issues related to decisions on military policy, the courts generally defer to the military. Privacy rights do not always extend to those in the military. The military has a stated interest in discipline and order in its ranks, and it requires a number of things from those in the military that would not be required of those in civilian life. Many have sought greater privacy in sexual matters, both heterosexual and homosexual, and often homosexuals do so believing they are discriminated against because restrictions are placed upon them that are not placed on heterosexuals. Those seeking social control, whether they be the government, employers, or others, have long sought to circumscribe sexual activity. One way to do that is to lessen sexual privacy. In addition, there has long been a bias against homosexuals per se that has led to the passage of
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Approximate Word count = 1711
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)
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