tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post6684904111873063837..comments2024-03-23T18:50:32.902-04:00Comments on Telling Secrets: Perturbing the forcesElizabeth Kaetonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-81718148068034030852010-03-01T11:24:50.794-05:002010-03-01T11:24:50.794-05:00I'm with Bradley. Can we truly expect fairnes...I'm with Bradley. Can we truly expect fairness from an organization whose purpose is to kill and destroy human life? The bit about them "protecting" our freedom is false. Bumper sticker a friend 'o' mine saw the other day: "U. S. Marine Corps - when it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight." Of course, in this, our imperfect world, I hope the old General is a fading away breed, and part of the fading away patriarchal paradigm.Lerewayahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02638467256648146421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-9208002469356846542010-02-28T23:35:34.084-05:002010-02-28T23:35:34.084-05:00In my multi-faceted life, one of the facets is tha...In my multi-faceted life, one of the facets is that I am a Reserve officer in the Canadian Forces. In that capacity, I attended a USAFR conference a few years ago. We few Canadians were there for two days of a four day conference. The other two days consisted of briefings specific to the USAFR, including a briefing on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."<br /><br />Several of the American officers and Senior NCOs present wanted to know what the Canadian equivalent was to "DADT." They were mostly surprised when I summarized it as "Tell Me If You Want, I Don't Give A Rat's Ass."<br /><br />They were even more surprised when I told them about the very senior folk I knew who were openly LGB. Their jaws dropped when I talked about the absolutely first rate staff officer I had working for me who had just concluded her transition from male to female - and had subsequently married another woman. Currently, one of the very senior officers involved in the relief operations in Haiti is an openly gay man.<br /><br />DADT is stupid. Canada got rid of regulations against LGBTQ in uniform almost 20 years ago, and its more than 25 years since the last serious investigation. Anti-harrassment training in the CF specifically deals with homophobia, along with sexism, racism etc.<br /><br />The USAF COS is a doddering fool - at least on this issue. Fortumately, the Chair of the Joint Chiefs is more secure about his masculinity.Malcolm+https://www.blogger.com/profile/08469936715413110334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-67283315762191274742010-02-28T21:46:44.104-05:002010-02-28T21:46:44.104-05:00"Perturbing the forces" -> it appeals..."Perturbing the forces" -> it appeals to me on so many levels. I like the idea of perturbing the forces, shaking the tree, or rattling cages. It all speaks to challenging the status quo; challenging the complacent and kicking apathy in the butt.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623709712119761741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-80993415722669159202010-02-28T20:52:14.717-05:002010-02-28T20:52:14.717-05:00Gerry - I think the golden ideal of "serving ...Gerry - I think the golden ideal of "serving with honor" has been seriously tarnished.Elizabeth Kaetonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-72772989570574258542010-02-28T20:51:23.942-05:002010-02-28T20:51:23.942-05:00Really, Prior? OMG. I had read somewhere that wo...Really, Prior? OMG. I had read somewhere that women don't drink after 7 PM so as not to have to get up and go to the latrine in the middle of the night for fear of being raped.<br /><br />Unbelievable.Elizabeth Kaetonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-81079736169835389202010-02-28T20:50:08.995-05:002010-02-28T20:50:08.995-05:00"Of course us LGBT's will be legally able..."Of course us LGBT's will be legally able to get killed for a country that won't let us marry."<br /><br />Sad ironies abound.Elizabeth Kaetonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-57551918585458969472010-02-28T20:22:47.825-05:002010-02-28T20:22:47.825-05:00Elizabeth dear, consider the source. The General i...Elizabeth dear, consider the source. The General is in his late 50s and graduated from the AF Academy when Gays and Lesbians lived so deep in the back of the military closet that they couldn't see light.<br /><br />His generation is the last bastion of the DADT crowd in the military. Recent polls show majorities of the line troops as supporting repeal while the General Staff, etc. are uncomfortable and dreaming of a return to what they had 10, 20, 30 years ago.<br /><br />It al reminds me a lot of the orthodities, viagravillains, et. al. running loose in the church.<br /><br />The abuse of women in the forces is a disgrace and brings up all kinds of questions about the Military Codes of Justice and the concept of honor.gerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09992216957664459649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-82737886815754234512010-02-28T20:20:40.887-05:002010-02-28T20:20:40.887-05:00Women soldiers in Iraq have died from dehydration ...Women soldiers in Iraq have died from dehydration because they were afraid to leave their bunks for fear of rape.<br /><br />BUT the Chief of the JCS has changed his position, so there's that ...Prior Aelrednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-72653166424849335872010-02-28T18:49:18.785-05:002010-02-28T18:49:18.785-05:00What a joke, then again, does this surprise anyone...What a joke, then again, does this surprise anyone from an organization that's built on the premise of killing and violence. Your tax dollars at work. The number #1 use of your tax dollars at work.<br /><br />I figured they were ready to give up DADT when recruitment was down. Of course us LGBT's will be legally able to get killed for a country that won't let us marry.Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00878086886816560424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-35562251770949750472010-02-28T17:37:49.629-05:002010-02-28T17:37:49.629-05:00Despicable. Sad. Angry.
Yup, that'll do.Despicable. Sad. Angry.<br /><br />Yup, that'll do.Elizabeth Kaetonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-68403665661057223602010-02-28T14:53:58.770-05:002010-02-28T14:53:58.770-05:00I recently finished a book called, "when ever...I recently finished a book called, "when everything changed" by Gail Collins about the women's movement from about 1960 onward. I was shocked to read the statistic about sexual assault of women soldiers from our own men. It is frightening and despicable. It seems our US women serving our country are more in danger from their fellow servicemen then from the enemy they fight. It makes me sad and very angry.hipumpkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02759320878655793066noreply@blogger.com