Marine Corps’ commandant Gen. James Conway has declared that, if Congress allows openly gay personnel, those marines will be given separate rooms to avoid forcing straight marines to share quarters with homosexuals.
Conway is a known opponent of repealing the law and insisted “I would not ask our Marines to live with someone who is homosexual if we can possibly avoid it. . . And to me that means we have to build BEQs [bachelor enlisted quarters] and have single rooms.”
Of course, if you want your own room, there is now an easy way to get it in the Corps.
Conway must know that, if there is segregation of gays, that is likely to reinforce the animosity in the ranks toward gay personnel. It could also produce a conflict with Congress and the White House, which could prohibit such separate but equal policies in housing. The Marines, like other services, once segregated black personnel, which would be a troubling model in the twenty-first century. Conway could claim that this falls into his discretion of “good discipline and order.” However, it also undermines the goal of incorporation of gay personnel in the ranks as a policy set by the Commander and Chief and Congress. In such a conflict, the Commander and Chief would prevail — if he was willing to take up the fight. What is clear is that a more organized opposition is emerging in the ranks – at the encouragement of high-ranking officers.
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Would an Al-Qaeda fighter still get into Heaven if he was killed by a pink bullet?
Can we give them pink guns as well ?
You just know that would get Al-Qaïda proper pissed-off…
Logical conclusion. Or else you must force men and women into the same barracks (otherwise it is sexual discrimination).
Selfish.
There’s a bad apple in the Marine barrel … retire the general before he infects the Corp.
The Generals’ refusal to follow the directions of the Secretary of Defense and the Chief of JCOS to not politicize this should lead to involuntary retirement if they refuse take orders any longer.
I suspect that Gen. Conway has some serious issues. However, none of them have to do with maintaining morale, discipline or good order among his troops.
I can ALMOST see the logic behind this; he’s trying to follow the reasoning that doesn’t allow male and female sailors bunking together (in fact, last I heard, they bunked as far from each other as possible).
That said, the vast majority of male sailors (and soldiers, Marines, airmen) find the presence of a gay man far less distracting than the presence of a female.
Yes, sir. However while they do have separate room when on command, they have a trusted aide near by to make sure that the general is safe and out of harms way.
Why don’t they follow the Whut House model?
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/09/obama-must-prove-gender.html
Do bigots, like general staff, get a separate room, too?
Would the general describe these barracks as “Separate but equal?”
I hope my Marine Lt. son doesn’t read this, but the good General may be quite a few years behind the times. The latest poll of soldiers in Afghanistan showed over 70% would have no problem with the removal of DADT. This separate quarters smacks of a World War II mentality.
Turing was a genius. Period. It’s good he’s finally getting credit for his accomplishments from outside the computing community – who have long held him as the father of artificial intelligence.
There is always two sides to every story.
Statue of Gay War Hero Unveiled
A statue of Alan Turing, was unveiled on Tuesday 19 at Bletchley Park. Turing was the inspirational mathematician at the heart of Bletchley Park’s codebreaking successes during World War II. Historians agree that the work of the codebreakers at Bletchley Park effectively helped to shorten the war by two years.
http://lgbthmuk.blogspot.com/2007/06/statue-of-gay-war-hero-unveiled.html
And what would they be called the powder puffs.
i agree. that seems to represent my sentiments. hmm, i almost type, “my resentinments”. =]
dreaming of daisy chains, are you, general?
….what Buddha said…..hmmmm…you must be reading my mind this morning!
I smell retirement.
Listen, Conway. I know a fair number of homosexuals. This is how this works: just because they know you and interact with you does not mean they are attracted to you. They might be, but if they are and you are not interested, they will leave you alone 99.9% of the time once they find out . . . you are not interested.
Do you often fear what you don’t understand, Jimmy? Is that a good quality in a leader? Regardless of sexual orientation? No.
What happened to the Marine Corp values of “adapt, survive, overcome”? Does the “overcome” part make you question your proclivities? Has your personal insecurity rendered your leadership skills into question?
It’s about time for you to hit that rocking chair, General. Too old to adapt is too old to lead.