Congress members seek hearing over discharged gay linguists

[RamboLiberal]

Source: SFGate.com

Lawmakers who say the military has kicked out 58 Arabic language experts because they were gay want the Pentagon to explain how it can afford to let the valuable specialists go.

Seizing on the latest discharge, involving three specialists, House members wrote the House Armed Services Committee chairman on Wednesday that the continued loss of such "capable, highly skilled Arabic linguists continues to compromise our national security during time of war."

Former Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Benjamin, said his supervisor tried to keep him on the job and urged him to sign a statement saying he was not gay.

Benjamin said his lawyer advised against signing because the statement could be used against him later if other evidence surfaced.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Benjamin said he was caught improperly using the military's secret level computer system to send messages to his roommate, who was serving in Iraq. In those messages, he said, he may have referred to being gay or going on a date.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/23/state/n182233D54.DTL&type=politics

[madeline_con]

1. Is this about government computers?

Or a Repug witch hunt?

[RamboLiberal]

2. This has been happening all along - read stories about this

right after 9-11. Proved that sexual orientation mattered more to the Repukes and fundies than the countries security. But only now that we have a Dem congress is it being investigated.

[PSPS]

3. GEE WHIZ! More hearings!

What we need from this bunch of cowards is fewer hearings and more real action, like defunding the thugs' salaries, or removal from office.

[eggplant]

4. I just can't get the phrase "cunning linguists" out of my head.

And now you can't either. ;-)

[Behind the Aegis]

5. I think...

...all of them were gay males, so I am guessing they aren't very "cunning linguists." :evilgrin:

[pingzing58]

6. Thank you for making really laugh out loud. Very clever, naughty

but clever.

[David__77]

7. The fewer eligible for the military, the better in my opinion.

I don't consider it a right to assist in a war of aggression.