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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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Gay sailors talk, voting for change
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| Gay sailors talk, voting for change | ||
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by Shaun Michael K. -
Special to the SGN A few days ago I mailed an absentee ballot for the 2008 general election back to the states from Italy, where I currently serve active duty in the U.S. Navy. I voted for Sen. Barack Obama. Let me tell you why. I am a sailor. I am Gay. I am not alone. I proudly serve, protected somewhat by the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, along with thousands of other Gay and Lesbian warriors. Although we serve a country that has yet to grant us the same rights we defend for others, it's safe to say we are a patriotic lot, enduring combat deployments without the benefit of enjoying drinks at the disco. The American dream slowly turned into the American nightmare over the course of the last few years. It feels as though we wake up every morning nursing a giant hangover from binge-drinking government moonshine. "Dude, what happened in the last eight years? I can't remember a thing." We desperately need some Alka-Seltzer. The race for the highest political office in the land will end as the last votes are tallied November 4. The 2008 general election is the most important presidential race in recent history. Make no mistake about it; now more than ever, the world is watching. The economy continues to worsen while the blood of American service members continues to spill. The U.S. government continues to bleed as well, only their blood is green and in the form of money or credit. Can somebody please get us a Band-Aid along with that Alka-Seltzer? My headache just got worse. It is time for a change; our country needs a makeover. Who better to spearhead that challenge than Obama? Critics of the Illinois senator say he has no experience governing. President George W. Bush had experience, and a lot of good that's done us. Experience is in the eye of the beholder. Joe (not his real name) is a 27-year-old sergeant in the Army based out of California. Joe is a Gay male who will vote Republican in November because they almost always annually raise the base pay for U.S. servicemembers in January. "I'm worried about my pay and benefits," Joe said via e-mail. "Republican presidents seem to take care of soldiers' pay and benefits more than Democrats." Joe has a point. President Bush has raised servicemembers' base pay to higher percentages than any other president in recent history, but at what cost? I have been the recipient of some of those pay raises, however, I will bite the hand that feeds me if that hand cannot fix the economic situation for all Americans, not just those in uniform. A lot of good that two-percent annual pay raise is going to do for us while everyone else is losing their job. The new Montgomery G.I. bill, recently passed into law in July, was signed by the president only because Congress attached it to a war spending bill. The G.I. bill is comprised of various education assistance programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans, servicemembers, and some dependents of disabled or deceased veterans wishing to pursue an education. The G.I. bill is one of the greatest recruiting tools used by military. The G.I. bill is extremely important to Gay servicemembers and needs to be protected. I believe that, if elected, Obama would continue to reward servicemembers and find ways to improve our economy and honorably withdrawal from Iraq, something important to all the men and women of our armed forces. Glenn, a Gay 26-year-old army captain deployed to Iraq, recently lived through a third attack on a military vehicle he was in. "This time, I wasn't hurt like I was the first time," said Glenn, who is nearing the end of his second tour in Iraq. "This [Operation Iraqi Freedom] is going to go on forever if we don't leave." Glenn will cast his vote for Obama, citing the senator's promise of an honorable withdrawal. "There are a lot of us [Gay servicemembers] here," said Glenn. "Nobody ever asks the guy next to them if they are Gay or not; the question never comes up." The Department of Defense (DoD) has confirmed the death of over 4,100 servicemembers since the beginning of the Iraq campaign in March, 2003. The cost of human life and the economic impact is staggering. Gay and Lesbian servicemembers who intend to vote Obama instead of McCain soon find out they are the minority. The Defense Department encourages voting. Each command in all four services has a voting assistance officer; however, within the DoD, Sen. McCain is a hero. Truth is, he's not just any kind of hero - he's a war hero. Voting for Obama is considered unpatriotic. If you express support for Obama, people ask, "Obama never served in the military; how can he be the commander in chief?" Still, I believe Obama would be a good commander in chief because the senator has said, time and again, he will base his decisions to defend the country off of the advice of military commanders. He is saying that he will listen to the advice of the Joint Chiefs and their subordinates rather than personal opinion. That is huge. The current commander in chief allowed Secretary Rumsfeld to fire military commanders who didn't agree with their terribly flawed war policies. McCain talks about the Navy as if he's still serving. Frankly, it scares me to think of the mess we could find ourselves in if another former military commander is elected to office. I prefer the president be a diplomat, not a soldier. The last thing we need is another cowboy. I respect Sen. McCain for his outstanding service to the country while he was a naval aviator, and admire his courage during his prisoner of war years in Vietnam, but neither military service nor prisoner of war status should grant you the job at the White House. The biggest issue facing Gay and Lesbian servicemembers is "Don't Ask Don't Tell." The failed military policy has been the cause of over 12,500 servicemembers being discharged from active duty. The "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy is an American law which allows homosexuals to serve in the military as long as we remain quiet about our sexual orientation. Questions about sexual orientation are supposed to be forbidden. Disclosure of orientation, references to a homosexual partner, public supports of Gay and Lesbian causes, and other related behaviors can be grounds for discharge from the military. Almost 13,000 Americans have been discharged from the service since the law passed 15 years ago. "Every command I've been to, including my recent deployment to Afghanistan, I've never ran into any discrimination," said Marshal (not his real name), a 28-year-old Gay Marine stationed in Italy. "The younger people in the military don't care who is Gay or Lesbian, they care about the mission and staying alive so they can see their friends and family again." Marshal, like many Gay servicemembers, does not hide is real identity when he is around his peers. The only time he has to "tone down" is when he is around senior leadership he said. "I'm voting for Obama because he is willing to take a look at the current policy on Gays and Lesbians serving in the military," said Marshal. "Obama is a step in the right direction. Don't Ask Don't Tell is outdated and needs to go." Our nation's allies seem to agree. Twenty-two allied countries with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan allow Gays to serve. McCain continues to stand behind the current policy saying that homosexuals serving openly have a negative impact on morale, unit cohesion, and discipline. During his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado Obama was the only candidate to say that he would support Gay rights. A group of Gay servicemembers watched the speech and cheered so loud I was sure they could hear us all the way from Italy. "2008 was a positive year for Gay and Lesbian rights," said Linda (not her real name) a 31-year-old Lesbian soldier. "We desperately need to elect Obama; he is the candidate that shows the courage to help us with our fight for equality." I can relate to Obama because he is the minority. When Obama says that he is different, his attackers say he is playing the race card. The same goes for us; when someone from the LGBT community speaks out against inequality our attackers say we are playing the Gay card. There is an understanding there that should bond us. Obama is different, not because of his skin color, but because he is embracing the kind of change that scares people. A new path towards understanding is rocky - we in the LGBT community know that better than anyone - but with Obama in office, it may get a little easier. The world has changed and our government needs to change with it. Conservatives are looking to the past, desperately trying to preserve an America that no longer exists. Obama is looking towards the future, at an America that should exist. I felt great when I filled out the absentee ballot. When I dropped the envelope off at the post office, I felt hopeful and optimistic, almost as if the American nightmare had once again become a dream. I walked away thinking that maybe, just maybe, by electing Barack Obama, we can put away the Alka-Seltzer and help him help us stop the bleeding. |
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