Don't Ask. Don't Tell. Don't Care.

I never understood people who are into celebrity gossip. Who is crushing on who. Whose marriage is on the rocks. Or who is secretly tying the knot. I mean really, who cares? It's TMI. I subscribe to the belief that what happens behind closed doors is no one's damn business...uh, that's why the door is closed! This is exactly why I rarely ask any of my buddies who they are dating. It's not uncaring of me, it's respectful. Of course I will go into "slumber party mode" with female friends so they can get all girly, giggly and giddy gushing over some boy. I am happy for them and they are welcome to share their excitement with me. Although, for the most part, other people's romantic/sexual interests don't interest me. We live in a world of information overload these days. So I'm perfectly happy and content NOT knowing who is banging who. In fact, I prefer it that way. Besides, what purpose does that information serve me or anyone else for that matter? It would only satisfy the nosey. Don't be nosey.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) is the common term for the policy stopping openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals from serving in the United States military. This federal law is in place because they claim "it would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order, discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability." Therefore the act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships while serving in the United States armed forces.

My thoughts on the topic surrounding ANYONE'S personal relationship business, regardless if the person is gay or straight...Don't Ask. Don't Tell. Don't Care. And if it slips out, still I don't care. It doesn't affect my life in the least and it doesn't make me think any more or less about you as a person. It is what it is.

I don't care if you're gay. I don't care if you're straight. I don't care if you're married, divorced, single, or have 2.5 kids. I don't care if you're black. I don't care if you're white. I don't care who you slept with, how many people you slept with, or how long it's been since you slept with anyone! All I care about is if you can do your job. If you can cover my back when bullets and bombs fly.

Can you do that? Will you do that? If you answered yes to both questions, then what's the problem here? Why not let gays in the military? Who you are attracted to shouldn't make you less of a solider. Just like being attracted to big bottomed brunettes instead of big breasted blondes wouldn't make you any less of a solider either. We just have different tastes, that's all. It should be noted that there are already gay people in our military, but they are in there because they've kept their sexual preferences hush-hush. But when did who you are attracted to have anything to do with the capabilities of performing your job?

A problem is often complicated, but the solution is often simple. What's difficult is the follow through. And in this case, getting the rest of the country to see it as such. The fact is this - no one is condoning giant orgies to facilitate in the Army Barracks. And regardless of what your occupation is, very few employers are accepting of romantic/sexual relationships taking place at work. So I think we could all understand and completely accept a rule/law stating that any type of romantic/sexual relationship is forbidden to form in our U.S. military. But to deny someone the opportunity to serve our country simply because they like boys instead of girls seems unbelievable to me!

What really irritates me is many of the homophobes who are complaining about having gays in the military, saying "they aren't man enough to serve," lack the balls to serve themselves! I hate to quote a Hollywood scripted movie when trying to relate to a real world issue, but I have to say that Jack Nicholson as Col. Jessep in "A Few Good Men" summed this up best when he declared...

"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!"

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Related post of interest...
11/5/08 - One Giant Leap Forward And One Giant Leap Backwards