Theresa M. Walter
English 102
Denise Snee
December 28, 2008
Cover Letter
Being that I am in the military, it was somewhat easy for me to choose and write on this topic. However, I did spend some of my time trying to figure out which side I wanted to choose. It is a heavily debated topic and I can agree to both sides, but just as with most arguments you have to choose a side. I have worked side by side with gays in the military and I really don’t have much of a problem with it. As a matter of fact one of my best friends is gay. However, it does make conversations difficult when I make a joke and I say something like “that’s so gay”. It makes me feel bad when I say it in front of someone I know is gay, but I believe it has become part of our everyday terminology – at least in my workplace which is not an excuse at all, but I guess that I will have to keep myself more in check if openly gay men and women are allowed to enter the U.S. military.
Openly Gay in the Military?
Discrimination in any form is unacceptable. The United States has over come discrimination based on race as well as gender. Now we must eliminate the discrimination of sexual orientation specifically the military’s policy towards homosexuals serving in our armed forces.
There is a longstanding view that homosexuality is incompatible with military service and that it would lower morale, harm recruitment and undermine unit cohesion. However, the vast majority of Americans favors an end to discrimination for gays and lesbians and feels that homosexuals should be allowed to serve in the military. Several countries have abandoned their anti-homosexual policies in the recent years; it is time for the United States to as well.
Historically, the military did not officially exclude or discharge homosexuals from its ranks, although sodomy was considered a criminal offense as early as Revolutionary War times. (Herek) In 1942, as the United States prepared for World...