President Obama Gives Shout Out to Homosexuals, Muslims at USAFA
When speaking of the “values” that are an enduring element of America’s power, President Obama said this during the graduation address at the US Air Force Academy yesterday:
We’re stronger when our gay and lesbian cadets and troops can serve their country…without hiding who they love.
Of all the quotes in the long speech on war, policies, sacrifice and the future, this is what the White House highlighted with a “tweet” — and this is what USAFA retweeted.
While this statement received an affirming nod from LtGen Michelle Johnson, the USAFA Superintendent, it is worth remembering that public analyses to date have indicated the US military is not stronger due to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. One DoD report said the repeal had “no impact” on readiness (though a Navy “psychology expert” seemed to disagree), while at least one survey post-repeal indicated even homosexuals thought open service negatively impacted unit morale.
Perhaps someday American society will move beyond the need to discuss sexual behavior during graduation ceremonies. Fortunately, the President didn’t name names, as he did for the Muslim cadets he praised:
We’re stronger when cadets like Wasim Soomro and Ismail Baumy and James Salem know that we celebrate their service as proud, patriotic Muslim Americans…
That may be true, but why do we not also celebrate the service of proud, patriotic Christian Americans? And Sikh Americans? And Jewish Americans? Does not religious freedom make us stronger?
Why is it, do you think, that sexual behavior and Islam are celebrated in America far more than religious freedom?
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Well JD, no one I know celebrates sexual behavior nor Islam, and I don’t know of any religious freedoms less celebrated here in the panhandle. Everyone stills says Merry Christmas 98% of the time and the Chaplain is at almost every function with some blessings for those that wish it. Now we do have some non-believers (I’m not saying atheist anymore because its so abused and a very misunderstood/useless word). These non’s are ambivalent and most of the time just go-along-to-get-along or disappear.
Now to the other parts of your message…
One (only one) DoD report that said the repeal had “no impact” on readiness is not surprising, because the DoD didn’t want it to be a big deal in the first place. If there were impacts, say like a complete disaster or highly successful, you could be reporting something entirely different. “No impact” indicates to me the repeal didn’t matter (to the DoD) one way or another and they can keep the high-ground.
I think it was successful in some ways, particularly these LGBT’s can serve openly. Some will feel creeped out by this and we also didn’t see the mass exit that many predicted. There will always be some discrimination and our laws/rules don’t apply to certain people that don’t respect them. I also believe the religious objections are a personal opinion/choice just like belief itself. The law is the law and we must abide by it until we follow the process to change it.
The media spends too much time blowing stuff out of the water to cause outrage when some should just shut up and color.