For decades now, the United States Military has banned openly gay men and women from serving in the military. One of the first items in President William Clintons administration was to attempt to eliminate this prejudice. However, it only led to a partial change in policy, specifically with "do not ask, do not tell," according to Benjamin Laheys Introduction to Psychology book. This policy is still in existence today.

The other day, I was at work cutting out newspaper articles. One article in particular caught my eye. It is entitled "Nine Gay Linguists Discharged From the Army." You can read the full article at this link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-linguist16nov16.story I read the entire article. Apparently, the central incident consists of two men caught in their room after curfew. After being carefully searched, a Valentines Day Card and a non-pornographic gay movie were found. These two men, along with others, were discharged. Not for fighting, damage of property, disloyalty, etc. But for being gay.

Now, I have a lot of respect for the United States Military. And I mean a lot, especially considering I feel I could never fit in due to my taking comments personally at times and my sensitive nature. Ever since its founding, its members have worked to protect the fundamental rights of the people of this nation and I personally. However, there is one principle issue that I do not understand. And that is how the military is so dedicated to be on the defense in the name of freedom, but contradicts the ideals of liberty and tolerance by being prejudiced against gay people. The question is this: How does ones sexual orientation really affect their status in the military or any other organization? And secondly, what business is it of theirs?

I do not say that what those two men did was necessarily wise, but I do say in the name of love for ones fellow man that the militarys action in this case is blatantly wrong. It both confuses and amazes me to see how people in the military are so advanced in technology and information about other countries, but grievously lacks knowledge in the area of psychology. Anyone with a basic knowledge of homosexuality in the psychological field should know that it is not a "chosen orientation." No one chooses to feel how they feel toward another, whether of the same sex or not. The person who is gay is that way because of factors beyond their control. It is true that one can choose how to channel their feelings, but the attractions are not chosen. This incident, which I also read about in the Daily Breeze, only leads me to one conclusion: Disturbingly, and lamentably enough, the military appears to be homophobic for no evidential reason whatsoever.

I do not understand the position of the military in this matter. But then again, I never understood the ways of prejudice or hatred. To me, this is what this incident demonstrates, along with many that I have read. I remember in a guestbook entry at www.youth-guard.org reading about a man who was discharged from the military for being gay. According to his account, he became so depressed and anguished that he had a nervous breakdown five years later and went on an SSI disability. Thirty years later (this entry was written in 1999) he is still afraid to be around people. As a human being with common decency and compassion for others, this story saddened my heart greatly. A man who should be enjoying his life had thirty years of it ruined by a traumatizing incident of discrimination.

I have found that those who live by hatred and prejudice die in it. It has happened in history, with Adolf Hitlers fanatical hatred of anyone who wasnt blue-eyed and blond haired, with Joseph Stalins hatred of anyone religious, Senator Joseph McCarthys Communist Witch Hunt, and Osama Bin Ladens decaying countenance at age 44. Prejudice and hate, I have seen, has a way of eating away at the one that holds it in their heart, whereas love and respect builds and enriches one because of its redeeming and psychologically building qualities.

I believe that the military should replace ignorance with knowledge and fully live up to its moral side of protecting freedom, as well as the physical battles it has fought to protect the liberties this country still lives by today. It needs to cease the apprehension and fear that it has held and stop its homophobic policies. If it does not, it will continually remain in the paradoxical truth of placing forth valor in the name of freedom while at the same time unethically violating that freedom by throwing out its members because military officials happen to find out some members are gay. As a human being that loves and cares about others regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, I respectfully state that this is wrong, and that it needs to be changed. Otherwise, ignorance will continue to remain in the place of knowledge. And from personal experience, I know the one result that willful ignorance brings forth. It brings forth doom.