A Gay Sailor Speaks Out in Support of Capt. Owen Honors

[FLAprogressive]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/01/a-gay-sailor-speaks-out-in-support-of-capt-owen-honors/69017/

"This letter is in reference to the SLDN's recent comments against Capt. Honors previously of the USS ENTERPRISE.

By making statements against him your organization has become a participant in the action that so many gay men and women face every day in the service, harsh and uninformed judgment.

In your hasty remarks against Capt. Honors, you forget those videos were for the eyes of USS ENTERPRISE sailors only. You are condemning a man on events that have happened over four years ago.

Every gay man or woman that has joined the military has done so knowing that they weren't walking into an environment that would be appealing to their sense of delicacy. Sexual orientation aside, every man or woman joining the military does so with the knowledge that the only way to get through is with tough skin.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has done so much for the recent repeal of the much hated "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy it is truly a shame to see you take such a biased stance against Capt. Honors.

As a gay man that served onboard the USS ENTERPRISE during both the '06 and '07 deployments I was never once offended by Capt. Honors' choice of humor.

I have begun to make contact with my fellow gay service members who were also on those deployments. We will band together to show our support for Capt. Honors.

I ask that you, at this time, retract your statements against Capt. Honors until the full investigation has been completed or you have attempted to discuss this issue and hear the thoughts of those who served him on the '06 and '07 deployments."

[provis99]

1. alt headling: gay man defends anti-gay bigot.

Well, I suppose there were some slaves who defended the slaveowners, too...

[Cid_B]

4. What a snobby attitude..

Like he is too stupid to know what he should be offended at but you do..

If you want to be peeved at Capt. Honors then go ahead but this guy can have his opinion as well.

[noamnety]

5. No, he's too stupid to know

that his being okay with bigotry as humor does not mean that everyone onboard the ship has to put up with it.

[dencol]

2. This sailor needs to learn...

The world does not revolve around him. The behavior was unbecoming of an officer, who should be leading by example. As a society, we should not people who cannot control their actions and behavior lead others.

[noamnety]

3. We already know "the thoughts of those who served him."

Some people were fine with his offensive content, others filed complaints.

I don't understand why some of the military people don't get how harassment works. If the XO is distributing sexist/homophobic content to his ship and 95% are fine with it while 5% filed valid complaints, that doesn't mean the minority has to accept the hostile environment as part of their job because others were okay with it.