A question for straights;

[Stella_Omega]

Now that the DADT act that prevented you from "coming out of the closet" and admitting that you are attracted to members of the opposite sex has been repealed; How many of you are thinking about enlisting?

How many straights would have enlisted if they had been allowed to be "out" about their straightness?

Don't you worry that you might get straightbashed anyway by some heterophobic gorgeous man?

Why did you choose to be straight, anyway?

Thank you for your answers. I'm too lazy to do my own research.

 

[mynameisben]

I fear nothing. Government legislation will never sway my sexual orientation.

What the hell do lawmakers know about sex anyway? Most of them are still taking notes on a can of Shinola.

 

[JackLuis]

Lyndon never asked me, so I never told him, I was attracted to women, girls and women and girls.

I joined because I needed a job, and I thought that the Army might make a good career. I was naive at 17.

I'm not sure that I would re-up now though, even if I could.

 

[TxRad]

The question never came up at the draft board but there was this one guy in a dress.... I think he ended up being Canadian or in Canada at least.

1965 was a long time ago.

 

[Safe_Bet]

**Channels Jimmie Blow Job and Analkiss **

Gawd dam breeders! This never would have happened back in my day! It's all that dam Harvey Milk's fault... him and his dam equality for ALL garbage!

All them hets will get all the good gays killed cuz they're "distracted" by thinking about their wives and girl friends! Dam unamurican pussy lov'in preverts!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I have gay friends. Everyone always assumes me & cocksuckers are a toxic mix, but aint so. I dont get the appeal of cocks, but I never understood Britney's appeal. I suppose what I dislike is flaming homers, like my neighbor and her Rainbow World home, car, and dog.

If I invite you in for a beer dont try and re-decorate my house or style my hair.

 

[oggbashan]

Since, if I wasn't way past the age for enlistment, the UK armed forces have never bothered about sexual orientation, it wouldn't be a problem.

There is an appropriate Churchillian quote.

When told during WWII that "the traditions of the Royal Navy will see them through..." he replied:

"Which tradition is that? Rum, buggery or the lash?"

Og

 

[Stella_Omega]

Well come on men! You can now tell the recruiters straight up that you like girls and they can't turn you down.

So are you planning to make that aspect of your life a major part of your soldiering career?

Or are you more interested in protecting your country, in which you've been a second-class citizen, but you know-- you're making some headway nowadays. And hey, I'm right on that bandwagon. Hets can be perfectly nice people. I know some.

 

[bronzeage]

Now that the DADT act that prevented you from "coming out of the closet" and admitting that you are attracted to members of the opposite sex has been repealed; How many of you are thinking about enlisting?

How many straights would have enlisted if they had been allowed to be "out" about their straightness?

Don't you worry that you might get straightbashed anyway by some heterophobic gorgeous man?

Why did you choose to be straight, anyway?

Thank you for your answers. I'm too lazy to do my own research.

I never saw straight as a choice, but I did choose to be this attractive.

Fortunately for me, it works on both sexes.

I have always seen homophobia as just another manifestation of fear of rejection.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Hi Stella, long time listener, first time caller.

I've always been straight, I was born this way. I don't care what other people do in their bedrooms, it's really none of my business. Just don't try to keep women from me and it's all good.

I did in fact enlist. I was active duty from 86-92. I chose to enlist for a lot of reasons. In no particular order:

I needed a career path. I was 19 years old and had no real skills.

I needed discipline and structure in my life.

I had a certain amount of patriotism.

I had lived all of my life in one place and wanted to see more of the country and world.

I had a subtle urge to fight. I wanted to be part of some kind of combat. I got that in Desert Storm.


I'm so glad you chose to ask this question. Thanks for taking my call.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Thank you, caller from Kentucky.

I want to ask you, how many young, straight men and women would actually WANT to enlist, if DADT is officially off the books? Would you encourage them, or do you worry about being attacked by their fellow troops?

We have heard a number of folk, who identify themselves as homosexual, orate in a menacing matter about how them hets has better not let their sexual preferences come up in conversation, or... show pictures of their wives, I suppose, when the other guys are talking about their boyfriends and husbands.

There also seems to be some assumptions that hetero men don't have what it takes to be a real warrior. YOur words seem to belie that...

 

[Boxlicker101]

When I joined the Air Force, way back in the stone age, "gay" meant cheerful and jolly and happy. I don't remember if they asked my sexual orientation or not, but I would not have concealed my straightness. I do remember the recruiter did not come on to me, but I didn't see anything notable about that at the time.

 

[Katyusha]

Thank you, caller from Kentucky.

I want to ask you, how many young, straight men and women would actually WANT to enlist, if DADT is officially off the books? Would you encourage them, or do you worry about being attacked by their fellow troops?

We have heard a number of folk, who identify themselves as homosexual, orate in a menacing matter about how them hets has better not let their sexual preferences come up in conversation, or... show pictures of their wives, I suppose, when the other guys are talking about their boyfriends and husbands.

I've heard that. But why is it that being a straight female seems to be more acceptable than being a straight male?

I'm straight. I'm not ashamed of it. Everyone I know knows it and they don't care. It wasn't a choice I made...I didn't wake up one day and decide to be straight. I didn't make the decision after years of experimenting or something, which I know some throwbacks still seem to think. It's just who I was, who I am, who I will always be. I can't be attracted to women because I'm just not attracted to women. *shrug*

I don't think there will be very many attacks on straights in the military. The true heterophobes who would perpetrate something like that, as opposed to those who just don't like it, are fewer and farther between than has been postulated. The few who did would likely get in a world of trouble, because they would have very few supporters in carrying out such an attack against a fellow servicemember.

So if someone I know who is straight wants to enlist, wants to serve their country this way, I'd be very encouraging and supportive. I am very encouraging and supportive of ANYBODY who wants to serve, gay or straight. I don't see, and I never did see, why the distinction matters so much.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Most young, straight men and women enlist because they need something else.

Some people have a violent side and a real need to fight. While not always a good social skill, it's absolutely vital for certain military career fields. You ever met a marine that didn't like to fight?

Some people just want to get away.

Some people want skill training, to get classes and education paid for.

The reasons for joining are as varied as the people that join.

The unique thing about the military was that AFTER everyone joined, all of those differences went by the wayside. People from all walks of life and all cultures are stripped down and reformed into a single unit with a single purpose.

When I shipped out to desert storm, I left my base in the US one day, and was on the ground in Saudi Arabia the next day. I shipped out as a single, not as part of a whole unit. When I arrived, I didn't know a single person there and it didn't matter. We all immediately blended into the situation. Everyone knew their place and purpose. There were no gaps in culture, communication or understanding. We were launching out strike missions the same day we arrived.

I can't speak to the rest of your question because I was allowed to join. Rightfully or not, that's just the way it was way back then. I met their criteria and shipped out.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa3zoo4IQxA
THE USUAL SUSPECT MARINES.

 

[sr71plt]

Most young, straight men and women enlist because they need something else.

There you go again.

Straights and gays enlist for pretty much the same reasons. They want to get a leg up on life--training that leads to a civilian job, the best chance they can see at a career and livelihood, to get away from something pulling them down, and/or a sense of wanting to serve their nation's well-being.

Freckled people join for more or less the same reasons.

 

[jomar]

Gay or straight the people I've talked to lately who are joining the military are doing so because they can't find a job and the signing bonus clears their debt.

 

[jomar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa3zoo4IQxA
THE USUAL SUSPECT MARINES.

That was actually pretty good.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

There you go again.

Straights and gays enlist for pretty much the same reasons. They want to get a leg up on life--training that leads to a civilian job, the best chance they can see at a career and livelihood, to get away from something pulling them down, and/or a sense of wanting to serve their nation's well-being.

Freckled people join for more or less the same reasons.

Agreed, but that wasn't the point of MY original question that has so many people torn up.

My question was about many WOULD have or WANTED to join, but didn't because of the policy. Here's a copy and paste of what I asked.

Would you have wanted to sign up if it was allowed when you were of age?

Nothing real complicated in the question, but apparently I'm Satan incarnate for asking it..............

 

[sr71plt]

Agreed, but that wasn't the point of MY original question that has so many people torn up.

My question was about many WOULD have or WANTED to join, but didn't because of the policy.

Nothing real complicated in the question, but apparently I'm Satan incarnate for asking it..............

You're not getting the point. You are differentiating where others of us are trying to say there's no differentiating to be had in that area that isn't produced by innate prejudice (yours).

 

[Wildcard Ky]

You're not getting the point. You are differentiating where others of us are trying to say there's no differentiating to be had in that area that isn't produced by innate prejudice (yours).

Jesus F'ing Christ. I asked an extremely simple question: If the rule hadn't been there, would you have signed up? It was my question, so I think it's safe to say that I "get the point" in what was meant by asking it.

You uber sensitive types are just dying to make it out to be something dark and prejudice. WTF is wrong with you people?

 

[sr71plt]

Jesus F'ing Christ. I asked an extremely simple question: If the rule hadn't been there, would you have signed up? It was my question, so I think it's safe to say that I "get the point" in what was meant by asking it.

You uber sensitive types are just dying to make it out to be something dark and prejudice. WTF is wrong with you people?

Ummm, no. You don't get the point at all yet. But that's OK with me. You've got lots of company.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Agreed, but that wasn't the point of MY original question that has so many people torn up.

My question was about many WOULD have or WANTED to join, but didn't because of the policy. Here's a copy and paste of what I asked.

Would you have wanted to sign up if it was allowed when you were of age?

Nothing real complicated in the question, but apparently I'm Satan incarnate for asking it..............

Like I said, there are gotchas which we tend to expect that go along with "Simple uncomplicated questions." It doesn't matter that you have peace and good will in your heart, because nobody wants to eat a shit sandwich-- JUST IN CASE you're hiding one behind your back.

The desire to eat no more shit sandwiches outweighs the desire to assume you-- or anyone else-- is a nice and decent person.

Honestly, if the reaction you've gotten hasn't convinced you of that, what will?

FIRST you convince people you aren't planning a shit feast. THEN you ask the simple uncomplicated questions.

This is communication 101 for crissake.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Like I said, there are gotchas which we tend to expect that go along with "Simple uncomplicated questions." It doesn't matter that you have peace and good will in your heart, because nobody wants to eat a shit sandwich-- JUST IN CASE you're hiding one behind your back.

The desire to eat no more shit sandwiches outweighs the desire to assume you-- or anyone else-- is a nice and decent person.

Honestly, if the reaction you've gotten hasn't convinced you of that, what will?

FIRST you convince people you aren't planning a shit feast. THEN you ask the simple uncomplicated questions.

This is communication 101 for crissake.

Like I said: There are no "gotchas" or shit sandwiches in my question. I can't help what others may or may not have done on this board. I didn't do it, and frankly, I don't like being dumped into that category for no reason at all. It's not like I have history of doing that kind of thing. I'm pretty damn honest if I do say so myself. If I feel strongly enough about something to make an argument, I'll dive right in. You've seen enough of me to know that.

The reaction that I've gotten says to me that there are some very arrogant, narrow minded people on this board. You look for the evil in anyone that isn't part of the clique or whatever you choose to call the group.

I thought this was a place of open dialogue and discussion. Apparently not. Not only is a simple question attacked as being something devious, you've called me a bigot, and SR has the complete arrogance and condescension to tell me that I "don't get" the point of my own question.

For a place that supposed to be full of very open minded and accepting people, it seems to be full of just the opposite.

Congratulations, you've become that which you claim to hate.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Kentucky, dude. Lemme play you a violin.

I've tried a couple of approaches to an answer here, but-- naw. That is just chock full of self-pity and White Man's Pain and you should be embarrassed.

Try reading my comment as if you were not the center of the universe.