Gay people in the US services

[torres1944]

U.S. Voters Support Gays in U.S. Military

A strong majority of U.S. voters believe that homosexual men and women should be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military, according to a poll. The independent Quinnipiac University poll found that 57% of U.S. voters believe that gays should serve openly, an idea opposed by 36% of those surveyed. Voters also believe by a 66 to 31% margin that it is discriminatory to prevent openly gay men and women to serve. (Source: article in www.google.com)

[Fingers]

One thing I have found difficult to understand is how anyone could find a member of the same sex

This is the greatest problem for us heterosexuals but we have to accept that this is the case.Since the laws changed in the UK and being openly gay is not viewed as any kind of drawback to holding down a good job.As I understand it most gays are not predatory so unwelcome approaches are highly unlikely and they pose no threat to the ship,submarine or whatever part of the military they are involved in.

[xbilgerat]

The gradual acceptance of homosexuals into the community and now defence forces I suppose was predictable if history is anything to go by. Whether the final part of the pattern in history will take place remains to be seen, a breakup of the community as is suggested in earlier cultures. However, it matters not what the individual feels as ‘it’ is now a fait accompli. I do recall during my dozen ‘it’ was a ticket to Civvie Street and ‘it’ seemed to be restricted to certain branches. I also recall two being sent back to ‘Gens’. Given the fact that ‘it’ is not natural and I believe that is indisputable, I have often wondered if ‘it’ was/is nature’s way of controlling the population. ‘It’ is certainly causing divisions in the community and particularly the various religions.
Is this a beginning of the disintegration in the various communities now accepting the inevitable? I suppose ’it’ is difficult for some older people to accept whereas ‘it ’will be normal to the younger ones in society. One thing I have found difficult to understand is how anyone could find a member of the same sex attractive with, in the case of the male, most females so attractive in every way, appearance etc and the way to fulfil nature’s intention of reproducing. Always such a pleasure to see the changes of female fashion, with the change of season, in particular Spring.
Getting back to the point of the proposed changes in Uncle Sam’s current protocol with homosexuals in the defence forces; I wonder why it has not been applied already. However, the comments made by serving and former members of the US services seem more opposing than with the general public where acceptance is happening. Perhaps the Pres is taking note of that. Anyway I certainly find ‘it’ difficult to understand but like most people accept what is happening, vive la différence

[torres1944]

In the second paragraph of my previous post, I wanted to write "as a mental illness for recruitting people"


http://www.springerlink.com/content/g7r166774676p300/

[torres1944]

There's a book  0f 2007 titled  "Homosexuals in Western Armed Forces" whose authors are David R. Segal , Paul A. Gade and Edgar M. Johnson , who belongs to the Center for International Security Studies, the University of Maryland, College Park and the US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, USA.

  About other matters, contains the opinion of psychological and medical assotiations of some western armed forces  to cease in classyfiing the hommosexuality as a nebtal illness for recruitting people.

   However, the social sciences have neither a long research tradition nor a rich data base in cases, policies and practices that might be used as basis to a serious debate. 

   From my point of view, te religious point of view its a secondary aspect at the moment of recruitting personnel for a jobs with a high component of risk: it's more important "the inherent risk" who denotes the psycological tests about  the own personality of the people at the moment of recruitting them.....but the great test would be, for example, to predict the reaction of those people in a middle of a submarine dived in presence of other guys that the likes and wish......
 

[Fingers]

Because of religious views being more strongly held Stateside than in the UK there is always going to be a bit of a battle having gays openly in their forces.The way I read the article there are plenty serving already but they are not acknowledged as such.Fundamental Christians and rednecks apart I am certain it won't be the problem they are imagining.There were certainly gays serving when I was in boats and it was never seen as a problem.

[Stingray]

I agree with Lofty - don't give a damm about it, and also think Masons are more of a concern (having served with them as well).  Mind you was great fun getting a certain Masonic Medic drunk alomgside on Friday afternoon's and watching him spill the gossip !

[Lofty]

http://www.military.com/news/article/clock-starts-ticking-to-end-gay-ban.html?ESRC=navy-a.nl

Scroll down for the comments.

As you know I don't give a tupenny toss if gay blokes are in the crew , having served with a few  in boats 60 years ago, but its a personal thing and there can be social problems in  numbers, it can be something of Free Masonary , but I doubt anything worth getting excited about .And  no more than having women in the crews.
I just found the comments interesting --- the posters  usually frighten me more than any topic they discuss.

Lofty