Republican candidates in the 8th Congressional District appeared to brag this week about abusing gays in the military during their military service. Physicians (and congressional candidates) Ron Kirkland of Jackson and George Flinn of Memphis appear to limit that business to not doing harm in their hippocratic oath to patients.
Both doctors are critical of the Administration’s plan to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Kirkland, a Vietnam veteran, said “I can tell you if there were any homosexuals in that group, they were taken care of in ways I can’t describe to you.”
Smith, a veteran from the first Iraqi war, added: “I definitely wouldn’t want to share a shower with a homosexual. We took care of that kind of stuff, just like (Kirkland) said.”
Of course, they are alluding to acts that would likely be criminal in nature, since we are assuming that they were not describing leaving literature on the bunks of gay soldiers.
There has been no condemnation from the Republican party in the district or the state or on the national level.
For the full story, click here.
In the late 70’s a good friend of mine…a gay young man, joined the Army. He was not one whocould easily ‘pass’ as straight and he essentially ran circles around the other soldiers with glee. Of course and why not, he was surrounded by what he loved! When home on leave he would tell me how much he loved it there…’where the boys are’…he said the armed services were the biggest closet of all.
I worried about him…
Christopher,
There was no meanness in my question, only curiosity. I would never malign your party affiliation. You do what’s right for you. To me it is (was) and odd choice but you said it yourself. You are indeed an oddity.
Thanks for responding.
Alvin S.
For Alvin, since he asked…
Indeed, I’ve always been an “oddity” and my membership in the GOP is no exception. In my political life, I was born a Reagan Republican. I’ve always believed in limited government and fiscal conservatism. Although black Republicans are a small minority, and gay blacks an even smaller one, we have been a vocal force for inclusiveness within the GOP.
However, as I stated, I hardly recognize the party anymore. Our values and beliefs are so skewed from what they once were that I have no pride in declaring my association with the GOP. Nevertheless, I continue to make my voice heard in hopes that there are some who will listen and that perhaps the party can fulfill the promises that it made to the country in the Reagan years when I feel it was a beacon of hope on the country’s political landscape.
I will say that over the years, and especially since my coming out as a SGL person in mid-life, my views have become more moderate and centerist. I call myself a Neo-Republican… I believe that government has an important role to play in ensuring social justice on many fronts and that unfettered capitalism is never a good thing.
Indeed, casting my vote for Barack Obama was a life changing event for me. I didn’t support him out of any notions of racial solidarity, but because I came to believe that at this time, he was indeed what the country needed after too many years of lunacy in the hands of the far right. But then I’ve always supported the “right” candidates for office no matter what their political affiliations because I believe in fair play, justice and inclusiveness as core beliefs.
Although my Republican credibility is often maligned, I continue to believe that competition and indeed some chaos in our political system is a good thing for our country. So I continue to try to change hearts and minds about what it means to be a Republican.
I hope I’ve answered some of your questions.
I admire the candor in the comment you wrote. What I don’t understand is your membership in the GOP (although it is hard to see what is “Grand” about it). Since you are an oddity I need to ask, how can you, a Black gay man, align yourself with a party of exclusion? What’s the story? Is it an issue of big government or Democrats perceived hostility to business? I imagine you are a small minority within the party that in the past (within my lifetime) stood for true Buckley, Podhoritz, Hitchens conservatism. Now, instead of the intellectual elite it seems to stand for nothing more than fear, homophobia, nativism and racism.
Obviously I have issues with the GOP. Leaving aside my biases, I really would like to know why you have aligned yourself with the Republican Party.
Thanks
Some background before my comment… I am a black man. I am a lifelong Republican. I am a veteran. I am a same gender loving man (AKA a gay man).
As a former elected member of my state’s Republican Party committee and a candidate for public office under our banner, I’ve met many like these two. Men like these have corrupted and co-opted the principles of the Republican Party to the point that it is unrecognizable to me after nearly 30 years of association.
That these two could get away with not only making the statements that they did, but doing so with pride turns my stomach and awakens fearful shame-laden memories of my own experiences in the military. I know exactly what these two meant when they referred to homosexuals being “taken care of.”
Another commenter mentioned that it was probably a “blanket party” and for the sake of clarity this is what it entails: While asleep in your bunk, four of your “comrades in arms” throw a blanket over you and bearing down on all four corners hold you down on your mattress. While pinned under this blanket, unable to see, breath or move, others beat you black and blue, not with their fists, but with bars of soap wrapped in towels, all the while cursing and spitting vile epitaphs that they think justify their assault upon you.
Even though I was a closeted gay man during my entire military career, I was never the victim of a blanket party, but I was a frightened and silent witness to more than one. To this day, I am haunted by my silence and failure to act as I witnessed the relentless brutality and listened to the victims cries for help become strained gasps for breath and then finally mournful whimpering. Their only crime… being thought to be “gay.”
These were lessons that thought me to hide my heart and to guard every my every movement and every word. In short, I became a ghost, present but unseen… as much a victim as those I failed to aid.
It’s time to stop hating people for their nature…
That these two can openly brag about and express pride in such acts should be considered an abomination to the hearts of men and God and a mark of unworthiness of the public trust.
Gyges,
Back in my day…. has really that much changed? Oh yeah, you have to be wearing a uniform then it justified. What ever happened to the bill(s) in congress that called for equal treatment of all whether it be crack or the real thing? But as Buddha has said, I digress.
I seem to recall a movie with James Garner and Jack Lemmon where the “Gay Solider” refuses the command to shoot the former presidents. I believe that it was called “My Fellow Americans”
To the article, what gets me is the “Party of Inclusion” stands for “Institutional Hatred” that being anyone or anything that disagrees with “them.”
I’m sure these two pseudo humans happily joined the “they were taken care of” gang and I’m also certain that both knew their audience and were perfectly comfortable bragging … it was, after all, a Tea Baggers’ forum.
Yep, these guys are happily climbing in bed with all the guys through history who’ve bragged about their participation in lynchings, smashing the windows of Jewish shopkeepers, assaulting Roma (aka “Gypsies”) and so on. Keep it classy, Republican party!
“Well back in my day, if a black boy didn’t mind his manners we took care of him.”
I am hoping that this is a story written by “The Onion.” The thought that anyone running for Congress would brag or even admit to this behavior is appalling. But then again, there is no bottom to the GOP swamp.
I almost feel sorry for small-minded, cowardly boys who need to waive their d*cks in order to showcase how hetero, macho and manly they are.
These two certainly fit the bill.
Sally,
During your time in the Air Force did you become aware of the term “blanket party”?
I think that is what the two candidates above are referring to. It wasn’t just a response to someone being gay, but would have been a response to an unwanted sexual advance in the shower.
When I was in the Air Force, I knew that two of the female TI’s were lesbians. It was more than obvious. They weren’t just homely-looking women. Even their haircuts gave it away (one had a high and tight men’s cut, the other had hair like Tom Cruise)
I mean, the one looked just like Tom Cruise. And she had a photo on her desk of her and her “friend”.
I actually thought she was a guy and I was wondering what the heck was a man doing in our room while girls were showering.
And the other one, when she called for a trainee or an airman, they often answered, “Proceeding Sir!” Which was met with a deep yell, “I am not a sir!” The looks on those trainees or airmans faces were priceless!
A condemnation from the Party of Exclusion?
It’ll be spin if forthcoming at all. These guys are representative of what the GOP attracts. Men so insecure in their sexuality and so ignorant about homosexuals as to ignore their oaths and legal obligations out of “Fear of the Queer”. Scared little boys who need a scapegoat.
It’s adorable in a pathological kind of way.