Post by alschwe35 on Nov 15, 2011 20:22:48 GMT -5
Allie Schwetje
Period 5
American Voices Essay
‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ Repeal Next Step for LGBT in the United States
The United States like any other nation in the world is not perfect. Generally as a people, our values develop into an overall accepted consensus in which we abide to. But we knowingly continue to single out the minority even in modern day society, such as the long heated debate of homosexual or transgender soldiers in the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy. ‘Don't ask, don't tell’ is the only law in this country that authorizes the firing of an American simply for coming out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. This policy not only violates rights of which the United States embellishes including freedom of one's sexual identity, but as well singles out the effected homosexual soldiers. No government should be able to ban any openly gay, lesbian persons from military service. From Congress repealing this unjustifiable law that required thousands of uniformed gays to hide their sexual identity, demonstrates an expansion of tolerance in society regarding representative selfhood in the military regarding LGBT soldiers.
By creating awareness of the unjustifiable actions of the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy, society in general exposed its discrimination for the majority did not agree with the overall consensus. Soldiers fighting for our nation, represent the United States in military service. These men and women are heroes to fight for our nation, and in times of crisis these soldiers are called into duty to protect our society from harm. It should not come down to the point in which LGBT soldiers should be singled out and unable to represent our nation. As citizens of the United States, any man or women no matter their sexual identity should be able to commit themselves to the national army and not be prejudiced against, for those people serving risk their lives for our safety. United States in general took an immediate stand against the homophobic discrimination for it silenced the voices of the affected LGBT soldiers and veterans in the U.S. military from coming out while serving. Discretion in the form of mandated silence is itself a form of oppression, that by our government learning of its unfairness in treating LGBT soldiers in such morally wrong ways prove we are expanding an overall tolerance to those outside the consensus that represent the LGBT soldier minority.
The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal for LGBTS soldiers cannot be seen as anything other than the first step. It begins to show a general tolerance for gay and lesbian soldiers now able to freely serve, but they remain unable to receive the benefits their heterosexual counterparts get and legally vulnerable to homophobic discrimination. The same goes for gay marriage regarded as an universal human rights issue, where it is still unclear as of when in the future the United States will together support same sex marriages in all states. Although it may be a religious issue not acceptable, society continues to generally accept marriage between a man and a woman as lawful. While gay relationships are considered immoral and violate the sacred institution of marriage, the acceptance of LGBT soldiers in the military does prove the United States is beginning to find all people no matter one’s sexual identity as equals by the foundations of basic human rights principles.
Word count: 554
Period 5
American Voices Essay
‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ Repeal Next Step for LGBT in the United States
The United States like any other nation in the world is not perfect. Generally as a people, our values develop into an overall accepted consensus in which we abide to. But we knowingly continue to single out the minority even in modern day society, such as the long heated debate of homosexual or transgender soldiers in the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy. ‘Don't ask, don't tell’ is the only law in this country that authorizes the firing of an American simply for coming out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. This policy not only violates rights of which the United States embellishes including freedom of one's sexual identity, but as well singles out the effected homosexual soldiers. No government should be able to ban any openly gay, lesbian persons from military service. From Congress repealing this unjustifiable law that required thousands of uniformed gays to hide their sexual identity, demonstrates an expansion of tolerance in society regarding representative selfhood in the military regarding LGBT soldiers.
By creating awareness of the unjustifiable actions of the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy, society in general exposed its discrimination for the majority did not agree with the overall consensus. Soldiers fighting for our nation, represent the United States in military service. These men and women are heroes to fight for our nation, and in times of crisis these soldiers are called into duty to protect our society from harm. It should not come down to the point in which LGBT soldiers should be singled out and unable to represent our nation. As citizens of the United States, any man or women no matter their sexual identity should be able to commit themselves to the national army and not be prejudiced against, for those people serving risk their lives for our safety. United States in general took an immediate stand against the homophobic discrimination for it silenced the voices of the affected LGBT soldiers and veterans in the U.S. military from coming out while serving. Discretion in the form of mandated silence is itself a form of oppression, that by our government learning of its unfairness in treating LGBT soldiers in such morally wrong ways prove we are expanding an overall tolerance to those outside the consensus that represent the LGBT soldier minority.
The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal for LGBTS soldiers cannot be seen as anything other than the first step. It begins to show a general tolerance for gay and lesbian soldiers now able to freely serve, but they remain unable to receive the benefits their heterosexual counterparts get and legally vulnerable to homophobic discrimination. The same goes for gay marriage regarded as an universal human rights issue, where it is still unclear as of when in the future the United States will together support same sex marriages in all states. Although it may be a religious issue not acceptable, society continues to generally accept marriage between a man and a woman as lawful. While gay relationships are considered immoral and violate the sacred institution of marriage, the acceptance of LGBT soldiers in the military does prove the United States is beginning to find all people no matter one’s sexual identity as equals by the foundations of basic human rights principles.
Word count: 554