Controversy Over Gays in the Military
Our noble Joint Chiefs of Staff, who have yet to say anything meaningful about the Tailhook scandal or the rape of women soldiers by American servicemen during the Persian Gulf crisis, sound extremely worried about two things: A mass exodus of soldiers if the gay ban is dropped, and a breakdown of discipline among those that stay.
On the first point, I suggest the Joint Chiefs relax. Many taxpayers would be relieved to know their tax dollars are no longer being spent to house, feed and train homophobic bigots. But the discipline question is more serious. A well-trained military unit should be able to withstand the revelation that some of its members are gay. If it cannot, the Joint Chiefs and their underlings should admit they have failed in their mission to create discipline, apologize to the American people and immediately resign their positions.
BONNIE K. SLOANE
Los Angeles
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