Dishonorable conduct

Military policy on gays must be amended

With all the issues that were raised by President Clinton in his State of the Union Address and by the Republican response last Tuesday, one too often overlooked issue was not mentioned. This past Friday, the Air Force released its figures of how many service people were discharged last year for being gay - an amazing 414. This number represents a more than 30 percent increase over the previous year's figure, which was 309 people. Last year's figure was also the highest yearly total since the Pentagon's policy changed from full disclosure of sexual orientation to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in 1994. During the first year of this supposed positive change, 180 service people were discharged. The figures are staggering, and they are due to a policy that has forced gay service people into a life of seclusion and intimidation.

During the presidential campaign of 1992, Bill Clinton promised the gay community that he would change the discriminatory status quo policy of disclosure. Until candidate Clinton vowed to do something about this unjust military policy, no politician had raised the issue to such a level of national importance. After his election, Clinton made the treatment of gays in the military one of his first political endeavors. Faced with intense opposition in Congress, and a desire not to lose his election momentum, Clinton compromised with the approval of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The time has come for the government to change the military's policy to allow all servicepeople equal opportunity to serve their country. The gay rights movement has been successful in raising awareness in certain areas of legislation, like public housing and health care. Further, a number of localities, among them Ann Arbor, have passed ordinances granting gays and lesbians legal protection from discrimination. The treatment of gays in the military, however, in the past two decades, for all intents and purposes has been a failure. A serviceperson should be discharged for criminal conduct or failing to perform his or her duties, not because of his or her sexual orientation. This has nothing to do with a serviceperson's ability to discharge his or her duty. Just because a soldier is gay does not mean that he or she is unqualified to be in the military.

The policymakers, particularly the president, in this country have the ability and the opportunity to end discrimination in the military. It is hypocritical of the United States to urge other countries such asChina to treat their citizens better by allowing freedom of speech and religion while it does not extend equal rights to all members of its society.

The United States endorses an intolerant policy that does not allow people to live the life they choose without fear of being thrown out of their workplace. This policy must be amended, and the only way to achieve this just outcome is for voters to put pressure on politicians. This means deeming the issue important and as one of several criteria used in deciding which candidate to vote for.

If this policy is ever going to be changed, it will not be because of some individual effort by a politician, but because of a general sentiment among the population that service people should be judged on their military abilities, not their sexual orientation.

01-25-99