When Politics Fail The Citizens

29^th of May 2010

 

 

WHEN POLITICS FAIL THE CITIZENS IT SERVES

 

 

The United States as a whole is abuzz over the House of Representatives repealing the famed Don't Ask Don't Tell policies. This amendment was a back alley deal and one of the loathsome passages by the Clinton Administration where thousands of good men and woman were driven from their careers and life of service. Their service to this country was curtailed by the hate coursing through the veins of their military peers. One of the few things I despised from former President Clinton for allowing such a hideous policy to come about, but the existence of Don't Ask Don't Tell shows the harsh realities from the back side of Washington, D.C...

 

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in making the rounds on Capitol Hill is doing his own bit of stirring while using language that may be called to question his loyalties of our current President Obama. He has come just short of what I fear he wants to do and probably does behind the President's back by speaking ill of a policy that should never have passed. Far too many good soldiers lost their careers, their livelihoods and in the process dignity with some being consumed by the hate and bigotry held by peers in positions of authorities. Worst yet, too many have been imprisoned for crimes of being true to themselves while they serve a country and a government that degrades and renounces them as their defenders and as their citizens.

 

Mr. Gates uses language such as, "a long, careful review process lay ahead." He uses these words in his sentiments to ease concerns among U.S. troops. That is where I get the most troubled, because our military is a top down do as you're told organization where the soldiers are commanded what to do, what to think and this is the training that our military leaders are so proud of. Our forces are "TRAINED to listen and respond." So why is Mr. Gates so apprehensive? If our forces are so well trained in the arts of listening and obeying, then a change in policy should be espoused by the upper ranks vibrating down cohesion throughout the lines of our glorious men and women now serving. Due to Mr. Gates distress, I think the ones with the greatest issues for policy change might be those leaders reluctant to change their own biases. The same arguments were used against black service members and then again in allowing women to serve in our military. Both segregated groups serve with distinction and honor now; so it begs the question if the old influences were untrue in two previous cases should we perceive the same urgings to be as similarly poor banter by racist leaders who need to leave or tow the policy lines.

 

What I find most distressing about Mr. Gates' own words: "Every man and woman in uniform is a vitally important part of this review. We need to hear from you and your families so that we can make these judgments in the most informed and effective manner, so please let us know how to do this right!" Were the service members and their families asked before they were sent to Afghanistan, Iraq or any other US military incursion? NO, they were not queried for their opinions or if they cared for the policy this nation or the President of the time deemed appropriate. To add insult to an already belabored point, had the military leadership when faced with accepting, requesting and using black soldiers during WWI and later WWII have used the same tactics of requesting the influences of the men who served then, they would have been regaled with negative responses, slurs, slander and a vehement degradation in such a policy. The service men of that time been given a vote in allowing blacks to serve along side of them could they have acquiesced? No they would not, so why are we asking the ranks suddenly when we know the answer comes on the backs of fear, hate and biases, which can only mean the response from our current military would be NO, we cannot serve with homosexuals!

 

It comes back Mr. Gates to leadership and a call to duty. During difficult times, the leadership will be entrusted with making dutiful decisions that benefit those currently serving as well as the ranks of our military for tomorrows yet to come. It means set your own personal fears and hatefulness aside for a better cohesion of tomorrow. Find a way to sell to your commanders and the troops at large how and why a change in policy is in evitable, not send the message, "current laws, policies and regulations remain in place, and we're obligated to abide by them as before." In other words, expunge all the fags you can find right now before the law changes so we don't have to deal with them infiltrating our ranks for an uncertain amount of time!

 

I find your words and call to arms for those in senior roles to be disgusting and harmful to the morale of the current armed forces far greater than a change in policy might ever do. I know men and women who are serving with honors in our military currently as homosexuals. Many who faced the harshness of defending this country in Afghanistan and Iraq who informed their closest friends either during their service or before they were deployed to combat situations. Many leaders know or knew before incursions who among their teams were gay/lesbians, but they needed every body they could hold on too. This point alone shows poor leadership in the face of adversity and this is not a combat situation. Therefore if I were in your unit Mr. Gates, I definitely would not want my life within your hands! Moreover, it shows your cowardice in the face of a change our military already knows how to adapt too. They have done so twice before and learned the second time from the mistakes of the first. The first was accepting men of color within the ranks of the military. The second was allowing women to serve with distinction and honor within our armed forces. There is precedent already in place and for you to disallow it shows you dishonoring those men and women who put on their uniforms every day serving you and me.

 

I was preparing to write this post as I called upon my representative and two senators asking how they might vote on the issue of repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. I received some of the most hideous responses on Wednesday when I called upon my elected officials.

 

I reside in the ultra conservative state of Georgia. A state where local citizens remain steadfast not only in their bigoted and hate filled thoughts, but feel it is their duty to display their biases for all to know. Every third vehicle driving on the roads is a pickup truck and every fifth truck has a rebel flag displayed across the back window, back bumper or even their front tag. I once had a very dear friend try to explain how the rebel flag is a symbol of heritage, but I can only correct that with a heritage of hate and oppression! My elected House of Representative is Mr. John Linder (district R-7) and my two Senators are Mr. Saxby Chambliss (R) and Mr. Johnny Isakson (R). I called each in their Washington offices to query if a vote comes up to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, how would they vote?

 

During my phone conversation with Representative Linder's office I was told that he did not support the repeal in the past and the aid responding to my request did not expect him to now. When I pressed for more of a reason why, I was given a song and a dance that made no sense at all. Every statement that he felt was suitable I was either able to counter with a point of reason or ask an even more telling question that amounted to displaying Mr. Linder's following party lines. This weakness does not embody a leader for the constituents he was elected to serve. I was happy to say that my name and email address was taken and I did receive an email Friday from Representative Linder's office expressing their disproval of the passage of the amendment.

 

What I found to be telling was a statement within that email message to me, "You should know that I voted against the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy.  Unfortunately, the amendment passed the House on May 27, 2010, by a 234-194 vote. For the record, gay Americans are already allowed to serve in the U.S. military. The U.S. military, however, was designed for one purpose – to defeat the enemies of the United States – and an environment exists within the military that reflects that mission. As such, certain policies, including "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," have been instituted to protect the lives of individuals whose sexual orientation may, in the eyes of many soldiers, conflict with that ultimate goal. I see no beneficial reason to institute a change that would, in the end, compromise the ability of the men and women in uniform to perform their jobs at the highest level possible. I hope that the Senate will strip this provision from the bill when they consider it in June." In other words, homosexuals may serve their armed forces, but only if they hide their sexual orientation.

 

Mr. Linder, not one soul can in good conscience serve proudly and with distinction or honor when they are forced to hide from the very men and women they are themselves! It is a dishonor that you say a person may serve their country without fear of reprisals and that was granted in the Don't Ask Don't Tell policies currently in place. However, thousands of service men and women were forced out of the jobs and careers not because they told a soul, but because someone else in a leadership role found what they were hiding and dishonorably discharged them. Many were proud service personnel who would never have given up their commissions, but were forced out by leadership. Other men and women have been sentenced to prison because military leadership investigated that which was unspoken, hidden and cast into the closet for the purpose to allow someone to serve their country with honor. When millions of dollars have been spent by military leaders for the single focus of cleansing the military ranks of sexual deviance identifies a failed policy in Don't Ask Don't Tell. Some of those very cases were prosecuted by presenting how the person being ousted knew of their sexual orientation prior to joining the armed forces and because they lied on their applications, they committed grave offenses to this country and either served time or is currently imprisoned due to the meager opposition to your beloved policy.

 

I called on Senator Saxby Chambliss' office to ask the same questions. I was informed by the aid in Mr. Chambliss' office that the senator was not inclined to vote for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. They were more acute to stand firm that the senator would be following the advice of the Secretary of Defense and upon such a time that Mr. Gates deemed it prudent that the current policy does not serve the interest of the military, and then he might follow recommendations from another source. When I pressed harder for a more solidified stance on the current policy, Mr. Chambliss' people said that he agreed with the current policy.

 

I called on Senator Johnny Isakson's office and was told without any regard that he opposed the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and would not vote in favor. I raised many issues all of them painting a dismal picture of a politician who himself is racist, bigoted and only listens to those groups large enough to sway his election into office and thereby he would never stand on the laurels of Righteousness for all the citizens he swore an oath to represent.

 

Mr. Isakson is not the lone bastard of depraved indifference when it comes to standing for what is right and against the masses. He, like his two brother politicians (Mr. Chamliss and Mr. Linder) are either gutless in my opinion or they are just as racist, bigoted and hateful as the majority of those forming a preponderance among their constituents. None of the three elected officials have any real leadership abilities when it comes to difficult issues. A true leader understand that in the face of a majority that wishes to oppress any group of citizens within this country, you must stand against the tide by educating the masses of their mistakes or the dogma they hold within their individual hearts. Remembering that politics and religious views must be separated as per the constitution that each man swore to uphold and defend even if that means doing so against the very people who voted you into office. A leader who deserves the very honor that Don't Ask Don't Tell strips away from the men and women it has been used to club since it was passed in 1994.

 

It is shameful that not one of the three so called leaders in the State of Georgia would even defend the concept that repealing this flawed bill served. That tells me and should tell every citizen these three political pundits signifies they are in Washington not for the highest and greatest good for all the people they are elected to serve; but rather for the small majorities within their election areas as well as their own person gains. It is disgusting in my opinion that any elected official will not represent diligently all of the citizens they are elected to serve. None of these three men feel they are accountable to anyone other than their majority Christian voters who are the very people that a true leader needs to be educating with facts and not personal biases. While you are to serve the needs of your Christian constituency, you must also answer to the remainder of the citizens you represent. To me and the many gay men and women you owe more than lip service to why you continue to reek of hatred while refusing to support us as equal citizens.

 

While my words against these four men are harsh, it is more due to the lack of empathy or even that not one person in any of their offices felt the need to listen to a voice against their stance. The mind of each elected official had already been made up without regard for those constituents standing in opposition to their own official. It is shameful to be marginalized by those who you either voted for or must be represented by. Religion has spent vast sums of money on this last vestige of hate that they all hold dear to their hearts. I along with many others have argued successfully against the Literal Interpretations of the Bible and other religious books that are used like clubs against all who won't assimilate into the ranks of Christianity (or similar minded religions). However, I remain firm in my stance that I can respect a man who opposes me as long as he does so with acceptance of me. So when the United States Constitution grants me the same rights as a gay man as all other citizens of this nation, but yet I am subjugated to second class citizenship by those who wish to rewrite what does not serve the hatred flowing within them…no, that is when I stand and defend. Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Isakson and Mr. Linder all cow-tow to the majority of their voter base without regard for the citizens they segregate with laws such as Don't Ask Don't Tell. While I may have respect for the difficulties of being in political office, I do not have value for these three men. I will however grant them one of the many things they deny me; Love, Honor and Respect.

 

It is with that Love, Honor and Respect that in the time of their next election, I will become politically active in finding a leader who will represent all of the citizens they are elected to serve without bias. For the failures these four men cannot see that they commit, I request that you not judge them with dishonor, but understand and have compassion for the fact that they must still learn lessons on how to LOVE all of mankind. They have yet to discover how to release hate and therefore they must return to the process of learning until they can find it within themselves to accept and love all who surround them.

 

LOVE, HONOR & RESPECT ALL MANKIND,
FOR WE ARE ALL ONE

 

Your humble servant – Rev. Todd M Dobson