Comments on: Duffy: Servicemembers should battle military ban

By: Michael Duffy

Michael Duffy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:41:58 +0000

thanks for your support all-
A, thanks for your pionts also. I am not in a stable relationship so i can’t know what it’s like for a loved one with kids home. Thanks for commenting.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:21:03 +0000

Rick, thanks for the heads up on the Newsweek article by Quinlans:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192456

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:52:08 +0000

Thank You for serving in the US military and as a solid role model for the Gay community.
Hopefully in the near future the previous praise won’t appear oxymoronic / ie: DADT
Keep Safe and Be Well * Love Ya

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:06:29 +0000

Michael Duffy Said:
I think we’d need a lot of support from the civilian sector to organize something of this magnitude. A site to register our names. A media outlet following the story. Enough participants so that it would be impossible to fire them all. Again… delivery to the CDR and Chief Obama’s desk so he can fire us himself… etc… not an easy nut.
=======

I’m still skeptical but I understand where you’re coming from.

P.S.
I look forward to hearing more from you.

Have pity for the Menstruator. Something made her a very angry person.

By: RICK

RICK — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:41:10 +0000

Everyone needs to check out this weeks Newsweek magazine and Anna Quinlans article on gays in the military–awesome !! Obama-you listening ?

By: A

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:35:18 +0000

My partner is an active service member and I often talk to her about DADT. See me being on the outside looking in it is hard to imagine serving a country and defending freedoms that she cant even enjoy openly. I am so proud of her for putting her life on the line everyday, for fighting for something that is greater then her. However, my heart hurt every time she walks out of the door because I worry about when and if she will walk back in. In the event that she did not there would be no service members at my door to tell me what happened, no flag neatly folded, no ceremony where our children or relationship would be honored by the country for which she serves. Why??? Because we (our children and I) don’t exist …At work she can’t share stories of her family, of her kids, of her love. She has pictures of us in her wallet which she can not share. We live near her serving post so when and if I am seen by her coworkers I am her roommate, sister, best friend, etc. Our kids can’t play with the neighbor kids because all of their parents are in the military and we can’t risk our daughters inadvertently outing her because they don’t understand; they love their Mommies.

As much as I feel that if enough LGBT service members were to come out all at the same time the military could not discharge them all and it would force them to face us… she reminds me of several of our friends who were outted and forced out of the military not only for homosexual conduct but they tacked on anything they could find, making it one big man hunt…I remember a story she told me about a woman in her basic training that was a lesbian…she was open about the fact that she did not like men. She said one day the woman was found in her room beated, and bleeding… she had been gang raped by several male service members… I asked my partner what happened to her of the people responsible, she said simple, “she dropped out and the male service members who were ID received a slap on the wrist.” They are all still in the military actively serving as I write this. She told me she even remembers others laughing saying “I bet she likes dick now!”

I share this with you only to say that it is a greater risk then just loosing their careers… without the power of numbers Gays and Lesbians would be targeted not only for their sexual preference but for what they represent to the organization they are making a stand to. I believe that to make this effective we need the government to back us so that there would be severe punishments in place for those who target our sisters and brothers for their sexual orientation. I have heard to many stories from my LGBT friends serving of brutality and harm, I have seen some serve two+ terms in the desert only to come home and be discharged for homosexual conduct, I could go on and on.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:42:02 +0000

Interesting article Michael. I’m glad your voice is on 365. The logistics of organizing a mass military “come out” are daunting but you have inspired an idea that may take fire. It’s a great idea but don’t take it on as a burden. So much is happening from so many places to bring about equity on the civil rights issue of our times-from the young grads at West Point to Vermont and Iowa. And your blog and ideas are part of this growing stream. There will be two steps forward and one step back before we help each other move on.

Obama does have a lot on his plate. There is abundant opposition to him fulfilling his promise to us on DADT. Your message seems to have reached another SOLDIERinIRAQ and from these first connections your network will grow. Having your voice online will give many comfort in knowing there are many others in the military unjustly having to keep their heads low. I’m looking forward to reading more from you. Thanks.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_westpoint_knightsout_031609w/

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:04:57 +0000

Good article: Welcome to 365.

By: R&R

R&R — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:01:41 +0000

I agree with those that make the comment that Menstruator is really bitter about something. You can feel the bitterness in all of her comments. I suspect she would have the “War is not the Answer” sticker on her car – and secretly add to it “or else, off with your head!”

Most men and women who join the military realize that sitting down and chatting with Hitler, Tojo, Stalin, or wife beaters accomplishes nothing. These people are into control at any cost and are not the least bit interested in “chatting.” Military leaders may make bad decisions, but that does not eliminate the need for a military in this human world we live in – it never will. Any “peacenit” interested in sitting down an chatting with those that are planting bombs to kill civilians in Iraq? I’m sure they would love a nice quiet chat. It is all about “my way or the highway”, without exception or chatting.

By: Debra

Debra — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:58:48 +0000

Michael…don’t try to please people with your posts…write about what touches your life. There will always be those here who will hate on anything and everything. It’s the anonymity of being behind closed doors alone with the keyboard that give people the cajones to say half of these things. I doubt if they were standing in front of you they would have anything to say at all. I am interested in reading about what goes on in the world you are living in, so please don’t even think of the hate-filled ones when writing.
Enjoy your day!