Military ‘inadvertently recruits gays.’
By on Oct 18th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Military ‘inadvertently recruits gays.’
USA Today reports that the “Army, Navy and Air Force unwittingly advertised for recruits on a website for gays, who are barred from military service if they are open about their sexual orientation.” Many of the thousands of jobs posted “were hard-to-fill positions requiring advanced training, although some ads sought to fill core combat slots at a time when the Iraq war has challenged recruiters to meet goals.”
An Army National Guard spokesman said that it never “knowingly” advertised on the LGBT site, which does not “meet the moral standards” of the military.
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oh, the irony
October 18th, 2007 at 9:55 amWell, there was that one troll who kept insisting GOOPers made up a bigger % of the armed forces… guess he was right after all!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:57 amjust like larry craig!
October 18th, 2007 at 10:00 amI expect that the military has privately seen the error of their ways. Too bad they can’t do it publically. When they are getting so desperate that they are allowing criminals into the military it only makes sense that they relax their prejudices and allow gays to join the military. I suspect that they don’t have many takers these days, though.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:01 amOh, this is just TOO funny! However, the armed forces might realize what an untapped resource of qualified people the gay community is.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:01 amI agree with Bilbo that these ads have been posted with full knowledge that the sites in question are gay.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:02 amMilitary Policy: Don’t ask, don’t tell
Iraq Policy: Don’t ask, just kill
October 18th, 2007 at 10:02 amDaryll where are you? the only thing that scares you more than a terrorist attack is a gay serviceman stopping it..
October 18th, 2007 at 10:03 amIt always gets me when they start in with the “meeting the moral standards” of the military. Isn’t their basic mission to train decent, law-abiding citezens in the skills and logistics necessary to kill large numbers of people?
October 18th, 2007 at 10:04 am“…which does not “meet the moral standards†of the military.”
Unbelieveable….what arrogance!
October 18th, 2007 at 10:06 amDaryll where are you? the only thing that scares you more than a terrorist attack is a gay serviceman stopping it..
Comment by Chocolate Jesus — October 18, 2007 @ 10:03 am
Reminds me of the second assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford in 1975. Sara Jane Moore managed to get a shot off, but a decorated Marine and Vietnam War veteran, Oliver Sipple, saw the gun being leveled at the president and deflected it as Moore fired — causing the bullet to miss its target and saving the president’s life.
A hero, right? Except he was gay. Once the media outed him, his role in the assassination attempt seemed to all but disappear. At the time, it seemed only heterosexuals could be heroes.
Apparently, if the military feels that gays don’t meet their “moral standards”, they must still believe this to be true.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:20 amThe military’s policy discriminating against gays does not meet my moral standards.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:29 am“…which does not “meet the moral standards†of the military.â€
Unbelieveable….what arrogance!
Comment by mocha — October 18, 2007 @ 10:06 am
the moral standards of Bush’s military are far lower than the moral standards of any gay or lesbian person I ever met.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:41 amWhy would gay people have different moral standards then the rest of the American population?
October 18th, 2007 at 10:46 amThere still are many gays in the military. If they are found out, they are kicked out… after they finish their deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:46 am“…the moral standards†of the military.â€
Reminds of the line from Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant”,
something to the effect of:
“You want to question whether I’m moral enough to join the Army and kill men and women and children after being a litter-bug?!!!”
October 18th, 2007 at 10:48 am“Currently, 24 countries around the world allow gays to serve openly in the military. The United States and Turkey are the only two NATO countries that ban gays.
Turkey’s ban will likely fall if it gains entry to the European Union.
That will leave just the United States.”
GLBT Americans have served in our military for since the colonial militias, period end of story. The most famous might be, Lieutenant General Frederick Von Steuben, who arrived from Prussia at the request of Benjamin Franklin. His Adjutant was also his lover. Since he did not speak English, two officers who were fluent in French were assigned to him, they were, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 20 at the time and 24 year old Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens. Laurens later died in battle, their love letters still exist. I doubt seriously that General Washington who was having a hard time keeping an army together and beating the British Army had time to worry about who was wrapping themselves in whose blanket.
There are countless stories of heroism and valor evidenced by America’s GLBT service men and women. Time to join the rest of the civilized world on this. Or, we could just continue to “go it alone”. Our children’s fortune or misfortune, our choice.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:50 am#18 – “When the military saw the words gay website they thought it meant a site for happy people.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.” Comment by jdc — October 18, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I disagree. I’m gay, I’m a veteran, AND I’m pretty darned happy about all that!
I think the military was just doing a “shotgun” approach in advertising, placing ads anywhere they were allowed.
The military may discriminate, but gay-oriented web sites don’t. ;-)
October 18th, 2007 at 10:56 amWhen the military saw the words gay website they thought it meant a site for happy people.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Comment by jdc — October 18, 2007 @ 10:52 am
Yeah, well, if you were targeted for oppression on the basis of some in-born characteristic you had which went against the moral superiority of a religious majority with political power, I’d guess you wouldn’t be any too happy either.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:02 amWell i knew the day would come when they would start trying to cart gay people off to the killing fields of Iraq!!! The best part of this story is their response saying how the site does not “meet the moral standards†of the military. Hhhmmmm moral standards like the standards at Abu Gharib? Or moral standards that say its ok to to call innocent victims of air strikes “collateral damage”…Or moral standards that dictate that one American life is worth far more than one Iraqi life!!
October 18th, 2007 at 11:28 amOh please, the commander in chief who’s supposed to care for this army, has no moral compass.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:45 amI am in the Navy and I know a lot of gay and lesbian people in the military. the military’s policy is redamndiculous and it’s time to change it.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:14 pmOne word.
BWAAAHAAAHAAAHAAHAAHAA!!!
October 18th, 2007 at 12:41 pmOH. And before I forget…
F*(K your moral standards!
October 18th, 2007 at 12:42 pmI’m guessing it was Daryll who got confused with what web-site he was publishing what material to…
Try closing a few windows, Butter Boy, it might help you avoid errors…
October 18th, 2007 at 12:58 pmQuoth the Nevar ~ Never More, Butter Boy!
October 18th, 2007 at 1:03 pmHey, there are no gays in the military….or Iran…right?
October 18th, 2007 at 1:20 pmI guess if there is ever a draft instated I’ll be taking up a fondness for rainbow flags and ascots since it appears that being gay is the only way to be unqualified for the military anymore.
October 18th, 2007 at 3:34 pm