Military ouster of gays plunges

[CactusCarlos]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x63412

Military ouster of gays plunges
Posted by mahatmakanejeeves on Mon Jan-21-08 11:14 PM

Military ouster of gays plunges


By Rowan Scarborough
January 21, 2008

The U.S. military says it is enforcing the ban on open homosexuals in the ranks, as it has for decades, in the face of statistics that show a sharp drop in the number of discharged homosexuals as wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continue.

Homosexual rights advocates cite the plunge as evidence that the military is losing interest in enforcement and lets openly homosexual men and women serve because commanders need every able-bodied troop.

"Truth be told, I don't think the Pentagon is a big fan of the law anymore," said Steve Ralls, spokesman for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which is pushing for the ban's demise.
....

All three leading Democratic candidates, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, say that if they win the White House they will ask Congress to change the law and allow open homosexuals in the ranks.

Think gays are pissed off now?  Let Hillary get elected.  I don't believe for one minute she's going to do anything for them.

[Lord Undies]

Think again.  She has a lot of favors to pay back, and 99% of the folks with which she has associated since her college days are homosexuals.  They are her people, at least in the background.

[CactusCarlos]

Think again.  She has a lot of favors to pay back, and 99% of the folks with which she has associated since her college days are homosexuals.  They are her people, at least in the background.

You're probably right about the favors but do you believe Hilary has the stroke to produce more than a pittance of what gays want?  No matter what dem gets elected, I don't see gay marriage happening federally anytime soon. 

[Lord Undies]

She won't propose much of anything radical in a first term.  Hillary always has her eyes on the prize.  The prize is two terms. 

If Hillary's plan come together, she will be 69 years old when she marches out of Washington for good. 

Personally, I see Charles Manson being elected before Hillary.

[Wretched Excess]

Isn't it possible that gays are enlisting in sharply lower numbers? 

[CactusCarlos]

Isn't it possible that gays are enlisting in sharply lower numbers? 

That's possible, but I'm thinking they're looking at discharge numbers X years ago (and how many of those were for homosexual conduct) and comparing the numbers to more recent years. 

[Wretched Excess]

Isn't it possible that gays are enlisting in sharply lower numbers? 

That's possible, but I'm thinking they're looking at discharge numbers X years ago (and how many of those were for homosexual conduct) and comparing the numbers to more recent years. 

no doubt.  but wouldn't you expect the enlistment numbers for gays to drop sooner or later if the military makes it obvious that they aren't wanted?

[CactusCarlos]

Isn't it possible that gays are enlisting in sharply lower numbers? 

That's possible, but I'm thinking they're looking at discharge numbers X years ago (and how many of those were for homosexual conduct) and comparing the numbers to more recent years. 

no doubt.  but wouldn't you expect the enlistment numbers for gays to drop sooner or later if the military makes it obvious that they aren't wanted?

Until Clinton's "Don't ask, don't tell" I'd say the military was being pretty obvious.  "Don't ask, don't tell" seemed almost like a government endorsement of the conduct to me.  I got out in 1993 so if something significant happened in the military to counter that, I'm not aware of it.