The annual Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) never fails to make me laugh. It’s a guilty little laugh, as I know I should feel sorry for these people who are so clueless that they don’t know why I’m laughing at them, but it’s still a laugh.
This year’s CPAC ran on a platform that has always been a big hit with the Conservatives, bashing gays and lesbians. Speaker after speaker got up and talked about how gays and lesbians have a ruthless agenda to destroy conservative values and they will never stop in this quest because they are fierce and tireless fighters that will never stop and that’s why we can’t let them into the military.
They then held a straw poll to see whom they thought would be the best candidate to represent them and picked Ron Paul.
Ron Paul’s stance on gays and lesbians serving in the military is well known and he has been consistent on it since he first ran for office. Gays and lesbians should be treated in the military under its “Code of Conduct” which prohibits Public Displays of Affection. This was how gays and lesbians were treated in WW II and it worked fine.
Basically two soldiers can do anything consensually in private, but in public they are expected to be professional. Two soldiers can spend all their free time together and publicly be a couple, but they can’t so much as hold hands publicly, it doesn’t matter if they gay or straight.
So after having speaker after speaker saying how gays and lesbians shouldn’t be allowed to serve in the military they picked a leader who is for having gays and lesbians serve in the military as long as they uphold the Code of Conduct like every one else.
When gay bashers think gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly, it really shows how issue of gays and lesbians serving in the military has already been decided and nearly everyone agrees that it is past time to change the policy and let any able-bodied American serve their country.
Taking all the rhetoric aside, I do understand what the sensible anti-gay people think. I do find the thought of gay sex icky, but I also find the thought of ugly people having sex icky. So when the ugliest girl I know told me about how she hooked up with the ugliest guy I know my first reaction was “ewww”, but after that passed I was back to having a conversation with a friend.
Just because I get a little queasy at thought of some people having sex together, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t, it’s a lot easier for me to put aside that mental image than to have them give up their civil rights so I don’t have to face my moment of discomfort, and I believe most sensible people feel the same way.
So to the people that still support “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” I say, “Shut-up Stupid, the policy of denying individuals their Civil Liberties just so you don’t have to have a momentary feeling of ickyness is passed. Let them serve their country with honor.”
Darrell B. Nelson
