Reply #98: That is a very good analogy. [View All]

[KitSileya]

It puts this discrimination into sharp relief, doesn't it? I think that those who support this ban recognize that the JROTC isn't evil, that it does good work for disadvantaged students, and that in a normal situation, joining the JROTC, and then the armed services is honorable. However, we are not in a normal situation. Unlike many civilized countries in the world, the US does not let gays and lesbians serve openly in the armed forces, and in fact, actively drive them out even if it's to the detriment of the military and the nation (re gay arab linguists.) It is a fact that the advent of DADT brought on an increase of gay service members being dishonorably discharged - losing the armed forces many, many skilled and dedicated non-coms and officers.

In addition, the country is engaged in an illegal and unjust war, meaning that each and every member of the armed forces who serve in Iraq is a war criminal. I am not trying to denigrate the troops by that (inflammatory) statement, but that is things drawn to their natural conclusion. Why would we want anyone, let alone our teenagers, to be encouraged to join up as long as there is a man in the White House who orders the men and women in uniform to commit war crimes? Why would we knowingly want to put them in a situation where they have to choose between following their beliefs and following orders - in the former case, they will be prosecuted as criminals and in the latter, they become criminals.