Homosexuals In Military Essay Example For Students

Homosexuals In Military Essay Homosexuals have been excluded from our society since our countrys beginning,giving them no equal protection underneath the large branch of the law. TheEmancipation Proclamation gave freedom to blacks from slavery in the 1800s andwomen were given the freedoms reserved for males in the early 1900s with thewomens suffrage movement. But everyone still knows the underlying feeling ofnation in dealing with minorities and women, one of contempt and disgust. Hatecrimes are still perpetrated to this day in this country, and most areunpublicized and swept underneath the rug. The general public isjust now dealing with the struggle of Homosexuals to gain rights in America,although this persecution is subtle, quiet and rarely ever seen to the naked eyeor the general public. The big question today in Homosexuals rights strugglesare dealing with the right to be a part of our countrys Military Forces. At theforefront of the struggle to gain access to the military has been Females whohave tried to g ain access to All Men facilities and have beenpressured out by other cadets. This small group of women have fought hard, andpressured the Government to change regulations dealing with the inclusion of allpeople, whether female or male, and giving them all the same opportunities theydeserve. The Homosexual struggle with our Nations Armed Forces has beenacquiring damage and swift blows for over 60 years now, and now they too arebeginning to fight back. With the public knowledge of initiationrights into many elite groups of the military, the general public isbeginning to realize how exclusive the military can be. One cadet said afterhell week in the Marines, It was almost like joining afraternity, but the punishments were 1000 times worse than ever imagined, andthe Administration did not pretend to turn there back, they were instrumental inthe brutality. The intense pressure of hell week in theMarines drove a few to wounding themselves, go AWOL, and a few even took thereown life. Peopl e who are not meant to be in the Military are usuallyweeded out during these initiations and forced either to persevereor be discharged dishonorably. The military in the United States has become anelite society, a society where only few survive. In a survey taken in 1990, theUnited States population on a whole is believed to consist of 13-15%Homosexuals. This figure is believed to have a margin of error on the upwardswing due to the fact that most homosexuals are still afraid oftheir sexuality and the social taboos it carries along with it. With so manyHomosexuals in the United States, how can the military prove its exclusionpolicy against Homosexuals correct and moral? Through the long standingtradition and policy, says one Admiral of the U.S. Navy. But is it fair orcorrect? That is the question posed on Capitol Hill even today, as politiciansbattle through a virtual minefield of tradition and equal rights. Historically,support for ones military was a way to show ones patriotism, i f not apre-requisite for being patriotic at all. Society has given the military a greatdeal of latitude in running its own affairs, principally due to societysacknowledgment that the military needs such space in order to run effectively. The military, in turn, has adopted policies which, for the most part, have leadto very successful military ventures, which served to continually renewsocietys faith in the military. Recently, however, that support has beenfading. The Vietnam War represented both a cause of diminishing support for themilitary by society as well a problem. The Vietnam War occurred during a periodof large-scale civil disobedience, as well as a time where peace was morepopular than war. Since the effectiveness of the military depends a great dealupon societys support, when societys support dropped out of the war effort,the war effort in turn suffered. The ultimate defeat of the United States in theVietnam War effort only lead to less faith in the militarys ability. This setthe stage for society becoming more involved in how the military was run. Theban on homosexuals serving in the military, was originally instituted in 1942. Roman Law EssayWomen are not permitted in combat units -an exclusion that for homosexuals wouldbe hard to implement, at best. They also have separate barracks and facilities,which would be equally as unpractical to homosexuals. If the admission ofhomosexuals into the military causes adverse effects on the morale of thesoldiers, then the debate should be re-opened there. The militarys function isto protect democracy. The sacrifices associated with military service may bevery great-up to giving up ones life. Excluding homosexuals from militaryservice seems petty, everyone should be allowed to defend their country. Moreover, the politicizing of such issues undermines the militarys faith in thecivilian leadership that guides it. The military is quickly loosing itsprestige, its traditional conservative values, and that is a good thing for mostAmericans. Reinstating the ban would be a gesture of utter and sheerdigustedness in our military. Having homosexuals in the military is a matter ofmilitary effectiveness-not of the homosexuals ability to perform militaryduties, but of the morale of the military as a whole. And, in the military, itis always the good of the whole which must be considered before the good of theindividual. The ending of the Cold War and the re-definition of the militarysmission does not mean that we should make the military less effective. If apolicy in regards to the military does not improve its effectiveness, then itshould not be implemented. But when the implementation means giving a chance tofew who would like to serve out great nation, than it should be consideredlegal.