tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post2786286847425973228..comments2023-10-07T07:44:17.892-07:00Comments on The New Englander: Don't Ask, Don't Tell? Don't Care...The New Englanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06201310505648616855noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-32850620707746665372009-01-26T12:28:00.000-08:002009-01-26T12:28:00.000-08:00Nick,Loved your tearing apart of the cliches there...Nick,<BR/><BR/>Loved your tearing apart of the cliches there...yeah, a Stryker ain't exactly a foxhole, and I haven't seen a group shower since my last command...and even then, that was 30 sec-1 min. of a very long and otherwise eventful day. <BR/><BR/>I've asked a lot of other junior officers what they think and most everyone just shrugs their shoulders in a nonchalant way. <BR/><BR/>It's a high-tech, high op-tempo, high-stress military. Even a junior enlisted infantryman is a lot more likely to be in a training environment quelling a riot in an urban Middle Eastern setting (in a replica at a stateside base, that is) than he is to be getting ready to charge up Hamburger Hill. <BR/><BR/>There are real stressing, vexing issues about escalation of force, cultural and linguistic concerns, and situational awareness in a chaotic environment where CNN and al-Jazeera will be right behind whatever mistake you make. <BR/><BR/>So yes, let's save the drop-the-soap style jokes for Sean Hannity and the rest of the double-digit IQ crowd. <BR/><BR/>..and nope, haven't seen thin red line though I'd love to..will check to see if it's on netflix direct, that's my go-to..<BR/><BR/>best,<BR/>gpThe New Englanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06201310505648616855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-303788995826858872009-01-22T17:17:00.000-08:002009-01-22T17:17:00.000-08:00GP,Great post. I just had to turn the radio off b...GP,<BR/><BR/>Great post. I just had to turn the radio off because some loud mouth talking head was yammering on and on about how bad this is, making all sorts of bogus claims about what servicemembers like you actually think. <BR/><BR/>A few reactions: most people in the military are younger than us (28), and have grown up in a time that is dramatically more gay-aware/friendly/accepting than any other (going back to Ancient Greece, maybe). These days, it is common for children to "come out" in highschool, or even earlier, whereas just a decade ago it was still kinda taboo. <BR/><BR/>The speculation in the press that there will be an exodus if this policy is changed is downright condescending. It assumes that because the military draws strongly from the South and the proverbial 'red states', its members are monolithically opposed to homosexuality. <BR/><BR/>Speaking of condescending assumptions--the way people are talking and writing about this issue assumes that everyone in the military has nothing else to worry about. Well done to spell this out. <BR/><BR/>And what about heterosexuality? Women serve with men. I also love your point about all the deployment love triangle stories. (Have you seen <I>A Thin Red Line</I>?)<BR/><BR/>A quick language point. Ever notice when this issue comes up, so do the same tired cliches? Like references to a "foxhole". Seriously? Are we at war with Kaiser Wilhelm? Are we using carrier pigeons? Come on. Another guarenteed insta-humor phrase: "drop the soap". Like everyone's standing around in group showers all day.<BR/><BR/><BR/>All the best,<BR/>NickNickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05139386442259304692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-180826364166653172009-01-21T22:08:00.000-08:002009-01-21T22:08:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.faggie mogelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10813468940295366133noreply@blogger.com