The repeal of the 17-year-old ban on gays serving openly in the military seems to be destined to die on the molting wings of a lame duck Congress. Despite overwhelming support for the repeal by service members, the public, and the courts, homophobic lawmakers influenced by fringe elements in their caucus refuse to end an abusive policy of discrimination.
As gridlock shutters the prospect of repeal, I propose a simple liberty affirming, equality mandating measure that would settle the issue for good: “Draft Baby, Draft!”
With only one percent of the nation serving in the military isn't it time for the other 99 percent to get involved? Not by simply shaking a service member's hand and thanking them for their service, or giving them a "great deal" at the used car lot, but really get involved. Close your business or leave your cubical you 99 per centers - say goodbye to your family and loved ones, grab a gun and stand shoulder to shoulder with a one per center and kill another human being for your country.
How many rich Republicans or Princeton Democrats would be willing to strap on a gun and fight an endless war in the Middle East - none. How many would enact legislation to force their sons or daughters to do the same - none.
At the real prospect of a draft, lawmakers would be tripping over themselves to welcome anyone into the military who would take the place on the draft role of one of America's hetero-heros who are too busy to be bothered with defending their country. Maybe Congress could even legislate a rainbow substitutions clause in the draft - a gay swap-meet where cowardly heterosexual citizens who got drafted could exchange their ticket with brave homosexual citizens willing to volunteer to risk his or her life for a country that considers them unworthy of equality.
Mixed messages and hypocrisy run deep in America. The bipartisan Dream Act allows a path to full citizenship for illegal immigrants who are willing to attend college or volunteer for military service. First, the two acts are not the same. One is a self-serving privilege - college. The other is a selfless act of citizenship - military service. To say that an illegal immigrant can get full U.S. citizenship with the right to marry, the right to cover a spouse on their insurance, and whatever else it means these days to be a citizen in this country, simply by putting on a uniform … while a taxpaying legal homosexual citizen is not afforded the same opportunity is the cruelest form of hypocrisy.
Another mixed message comes from the military itself. A1l branches of the service teach and expect their soldiers to live the values of honesty and truth. Some would say these values are critical to the soldiers' ability to perform the difficult tasks they are expected to perform everyday. Yet homosexual soldiers are expected to lie and misrepresent themselves to a depth heterosexual soldiers are not.
For those that want to judge others unfit to serve I say “Draft Baby, Draft!” Let a self-righteous 99 per center grab a rifle and stand with a soldier and catch bullets for their country - let that soldier judge the 99’s fitness for citizenship. When the first round cracks overhead, believe me, they won't give a damn about sexual proclivity - and neither should anyone else. Until the entire nation is willing to go to war, no one who volunteers and is physically able should be denied the opportunity to do something the others will not.
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