Jan. 2005 Report: More gay linguists discharged than first thought

[Bluebear]

Tony Snow: "You can't snap your fingers and get Arab linguists!"

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Records suggest U.S. military places anti-gay position over national security
Updated: 10:00 p.m. ET Jan 13, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO - The number of Arabic linguists discharged from the military for violating its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is higher than previously reported, according to records obtained by a research group.

The group contends the records show that the military — at a time when it and U.S. intelligence agencies don’t have enough Arabic speakers — is putting its anti-gay stance ahead of national security.

Between 1998 and 2004, the military discharged 20 Arabic and six Farsi speakers, according to Department of Defense data obtained by the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military under a Freedom of Information Act request.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6824206

[terrya]

1. Just in time for the new Congress.

My understanding is Congressman Marty Meehan wants to hold hearings on lifting "Don't Ask Don't Tell" next year. This story is a perfect context to those hearings.

"DADT" needs to be lifted now. There's no justification for bigotry whatsoever. The United States is the only industrialized country in the world that still bans openly gay men and lesbians from serving their country in the armed forces.

[BOSSHOG]

2. You can't snap your fingers and get competent conservatives with integrity

tony snow and snapping fingers and denying history. Wow, is bush's legacy gonna be a long motherfucker.

[fasttense]

3. I have difficulty believing all those linguists just happen to be gay.

Don't you think they were pretending to be gay so that they could get jobs with the contractors at ten times their military pay. Being gay does not prevent you from getting a security clearance unless you are in the military.

[uppityperson]

4. Besides which, being Arab or linguistically savy in Arabic makes you suspicious.

[Ian David]

5. But what happens if a gay translator gets a paper-cut?

And how can you perform your job properly if you can't trust the guy in the next cubicle to watch your back when the sandwich trolley goes by?

And what if the gay translator wants to use your shower at your house after he sleeps in your bed?

I mean, THINK OF THE CHILDREN!


:sarcasm:

[Bluebear]

6. And COHESION! What about the unit COHESION!

:eyes:

[tanyev]

7. 55 mentioned in this post:

But the GAO also noted that nearly 800 dismissed gay or lesbian service members had critical abilities, including 300 with important language skills. Fifty-five were proficient in Arabic, including Copas, a graduate of the Defense Language Institute in California.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-durang/hey-bush-whats-all-t_b_27016.html

[Ian David]

10. Oh, yes. We fired ROCKET SCIENTISTS for being gay

Because only heterosexual, manly men secure in their masculinity can be trusted around giant towers of pure power.

[twilight_sailing]

8. How many years have they had to solve this problem?

We need translators. Period.
Should have been taken care of long ago.

What a bunch of excuse making nitwits they are.

[leftchick]

9. what this proves beyond a doubt

is that this admistration has no intention of "protecting" us. Never has, never will.