To the Gay Community: Now That You Can Join the Military, Please Don't!

[Better Believe It]

To the Gay Community: Now That You Can Join the Military, Please Don't!
by Medea Benjamin
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK:Women for Peace
December 21, 2010

The peace group I co-founded, CODEPINK, has not only been protesting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the drone attacks in Pakistan, but we have been going to military recruiting stations, high schools and career fairs throughout the country encouraging our youth not to join the military. We talk to young people about the illegality of the wars under international law since we were not attacked by either Iraq or Afghanistan. We talk about how killing and maiming innocent civilians is morally wrong and creates new enemies, perpetuating the cycle of violence. We explain that the majority of Afghans and Iraqis want us out of their country and that these wars are not making us safer. We insist that our military should be used to defend us at home, not to invade other people's lands.

It might seem contradictory, then, that CODEPINK was an enthusiastic supporter of the rights for gays and lesbians to join and serve openly in the military. But within our organization, it was never even controversial -- we stand up for the rights of all human beings. The decision to join the military or not should be determined by individual choice, not institutional discrimination.

We understand that allowing gay soldiers to openly serve in the military is a crack in the armor of bigotry that will eventually open the way for gay people to marry and be guaranteed equality in the workplace. We understand this victory in the larger context of the march toward full human rights for this oppressed community. And who knows? Perhaps this victory will also serve to strengthen the military's respect for human rights abroad.

We also understand the potential for a powerful alliance between the gay and anti-war communities. We can work together to help young people -- gay and straight -- find careers that won't kill them, maim them, destroy them psychologically, or cause them to do harm to others. We can jointly reach out to those already in the military to speak out against the violations of the rights of peoples whose land we occupy. We can ask gay veterans to join groups like Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War. And we can work together to turn our military from an aggressive force to one that truly defends us here at home.

Read the full article at:

http://www.alternet.org/news/149290/to_the_gay_community%3A_now_that_you_can_join_the_military%2C_please_don%27t%21/?page=entire

[Poll_Blind]

1. I agree.

When I recced I noticed that someone had already un-recced. Oh well, K&R!

PB

[RKP5637]

2. Recommend!!! n/t

[Puregonzo1188]

3. K&R I wasn't out in high school, but I was very active in anti-war stuff

including working with Iraq Veterans Against the War who has a whole "truth in recruiting campaign." While I'm sure the Marines had no trouble reserving a table in the cafeteria, we had to fight with the school administration for almost a month for our right to have equal access (a table with opt-out forms, and literature from IVAW and AFSC on joining the military). We on in the end, after a long battle.

At the same time, I've always seen DADT not as an issue of US Foreign policy, unlike one poster on DU, but as an issue of basic human rights. Medea Benjamin summarized my position excellently.

[JVS]

4. K&R We gotta starve the beast that is the military.

[amyrose2712]

5. +1

[former9thward]

6. IMO Misleading headline.

DADT did not stop gays from entering the military -- just the opposite -- it allowed them to. Before DADT gays were prohibited from the military under any circumstances. DADT did not allow gays to be open which is wrong but you could be gay and be in the military under those conditions. It is wrong to suggest gays should not join. All groups should be encouraged to join the military because a military which is isolated from the rest of society is harmful to all.

[Better Believe It]

8. Nit picking. Do you support the resumption of a military draft if the Korean war resumes?

"All groups should be encouraged to join the military because a military which is isolated from the rest of society is harmful to all."

Millions of young people were drafted and went to war in Vietnam in the 60's and 70's. Well, that military certainly wasn't isolated from the rest of society. Over 55,000 body bags came home and hundreds of thousands of GI's never fully recovered from that war, physically or psychologically.

Tell us how that helped society?

[former9thward]

11. I don't support the resumption of any draft no matter what happens in Korea.

Our military does not need a draft. It gets its personnel by recruitment and meets its goals every year. A draft would just create havoc for the military because they would have people there that did not want to be there. That was much of the problem in Vietnam. Also a draft is very inefficient for the military because of training people who will get out at the first opportunity.

How come you don't mention WW II where there were 500,000 body bags and countless veterans who never recovered either mentally or physically? Did that help society??? It was the Same military as in Vietnam.

[Better Believe It]

12. Good!

How come you don't mention WW II where there were 500,000 body bags and countless veterans who never recovered either mentally or physically? Did that help society??? It was the Same military as in Vietnam."

World War II was a different war with different goals than the war against Vietnam. The invasion of Vietnam was needless and its purpose was to prevent the Vietnamese people from achieving self-determination and independence. And Vietnam didn't attack Hawaii or California.

[former9thward]

22. Yes my point.

It is not the military that is destructive, it is the mission the military is assigned by civilians. Would you be saying gays should not join the military after Dec. 7, 1941 occurred? It was the same military then as is today.

[ProudDad]

19. Yep, now the military gets its recruits

by polluting the minds of children with "dreams of glory" aided and abetted by the M$M and billions of taxpayer dollars...

War and warriors NEVER "help society"...

They are ALWAYS a DRAIN on society and a corrupting influence...

That's why glorification of war and warriors is an abomination!

[ProudDad]

17. To paraphrase a "great" USAmerican

"the military should be starved to the point where it can be drowned in a bathtub"...

[former9thward]

21. Maybe you should find another party.

Your expression never has been and never will be a principle of the Democratic Party. I think you will have to try another group.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. The are ALREADY SERVING. Now they can do it OPENLY

[Better Believe It]

10. No shit! Do you really think the author is unaware of that? Read the article.

Benjamin pointed out in the article that now gay people can "serve openly in the military".

It would have been better and clearer to those who are unfamiliar with her activity and/or who didn't read the article if Benjamin had included that one additional word in her caption, "openly".

Big deal!

Send her an e-mail.

[femrap]

9. I agree w/ Medea....

why become a part of the war machine? I don't get it....

It saddens me to see kids living in poverty and see the military as the only way out. It shouldn't have to be like this. This world is one big, unfair, unjust POS.

[ProudDad]

18. "kids see the military as the only way out"

Very premeditated situation created by the "Permanent War Economy(tm)" of the Corporate States of America...

[Bragi]

13. Great advice: Don't enlist /nt

[AsahinaKimi]

14. Whats that old saying??

What if they gave a war, and nobody came?

[ProudDad]

20. Bingo...

But unfortunately, the taxpayer funded propaganda machine that's polluting the minds of children with "dreams of glory" on the M$M is a formidable force against humanity...

[DCKit]

15. It's up to US to provide alternatives to military service. nt

[ProudDad]

16. K&R

I didn't see that you'd posted this already...

Cool!

[robcon]

23. I would encourage anyone to serve their country.

If someone feels the call, they should join the military.

[w4rma]

24. If only the military weren't currently being misused by Wall Street, I would agree. (nt)

[robcon]

26. Nonsense.

That's up to the individual. If someone feels they could make a difference, I would support him/her.

[Scottybeamer70]

25. I can't even imagine......

wanting to be a member of a "killing machine", so I guess that would leave
me out anyway.