Tiny Queer Footballs

Eagerly Awaiting a Response to a Much Overlooked Issue

The following is a letter I wrote to Represtantive Meehan (D-MA). I’ll post his response when I get it.

Rep. Meehan,I applaud your recent re-introduction of the “Military Readiness Enhancement Act.” I was the person in the corner live-blogging the event. As a gay former Airman I recognize the need to lift this hurtful ban on Military Professionals is like lifting a dark stain from Our Flag, however, I have some concerns for the effectiveness of the bill.

As I have noted in a discussion on Pam’s House Blend with Director of Communications for SLDN, Steve Ralls, the bill allows for military members to serve openly with conditions if it is passed, but it doesn’t get rid of the underlying problem of Article 125 of the UCMJ, “Sodomy.” The article is supposed to be applied to ALL members of the military equally regardless of sexual orientation specifying basically that which goes on behind closed doors is regulated to a specific position and only with a married member of the opposite sex. This means that even if the “Military Readiness Enhancement Act” is passed, it would still mean that Gays and Lesbians would not be allowed to serve openly.

Gays and lesbians would still be punished disproportionately to their heterosexual counterparts if they admitted to having a signifigant other, or boyfriend, or girlfriend, because this would imply an admission of sodomy. What this bill actually does is allow gays and lesbians to be openly celebate. It’s a reality that article 125 is not applied consistently throughout the military except in cases of homosexuality, adultry, rape, incest, or child molestation. Anyone can observe this by listening to candid conversations among military members of all branches of service. General Pace was wrong to call gays and lesbians “immoral,” but this shows how article 125 will be applied disproportionately. Simply stated, instead of gays and lesbians having to change pronouns when referring to their partners, they must eliminate pronouns out of their vocabulary all together. Where, sir, is the equality in this?

My reccomendation is to amend the “Military Readiness Enhancement Act” with either an amendment to Article 125 in the UCMJ or an elimination of Article 125 all together and still allowing punishment for Adultry, Rape, Incest, or Child Molestation. As it currently is, Article 125 negates the “MREA.”

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Daimeon Pilcher
TinyQueerFootballs.com
Get-The-Skinny.com

RSS 16. March 2007 (16:25)
Filed under: Don't Ask, Don't Tell