Pace’s point of view
Re “Leader of Joint Chiefs says he regrets remarks on gays,” March 14
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that homosexual acts were immoral, and he compared such acts with committing adultery, saying the military punishes adultery. In a later written statement, to be fair, he said he should not have focused on his “personal moral views.” What he failed to say was that he was comparing apples and oranges.
The correct comparison is not with adultery but with single heterosexual service members having sex with unmarried persons of the opposite sex. So does this that mean the military will start discharging service members for having heterosexual relations? Otherwise, Pace’s stance, personal or not, is logically inconsistent, hypocritical and discriminatory on the basis of gender.
RON SAMUELS
Studio City
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I salute Pace for saying homosexual behavior is immoral. The Bible, Torah and Koran consider such behavior immoral. Only 14 years ago, Congress and President Clinton barred open homosexuals from serving in the military. Some in Congress want to make our laws more in tune with modern times. If we do so, let us do it fairly. Allow open homosexuals to serve and repeal all federal laws that make adultery and consensual sodomy crimes for military members. Lastly, because sexual orientation does not matter any more, require all shower, bathroom and sleeping quarters in the military to be coed. It is the only logical and morality-neutral thing to do.
WAYNE L. JOHNSON
Alexandria, Va.
The writer is a retired Navy Judge Advocate General Corps. commander.
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It appears that Pace wants to cherry-pick moral issues to voice concern about. In his mind, he equates homosexuality with the sin of adultery. Although one of the Ten Commandments clearly deals with adultery, there is nothing in them about homosexuality. If Pace wants to express moral outrage over an area for which he carries tremendous responsibility, how about that other biggie of the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not kill? The unjustified and immoral war in Iraq has resulted in the killing of tens of thousands of Iraqi innocents, not to mention more than 3,000 U.S. troops.
BILL CRANHAM
La Quinta
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Pace’s comments point to a lack of tolerance that may illuminate why our armed forces seem to be failing so miserably in Iraq. Pace’s point of view demonstrates the lack of diplomacy in our country’s current military strategy and a lack of compassion that leads straight to the disaster at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Maybe we need to rethink our military training from the ground up, stressing the teaching of understanding, compassion and respect for the rights of others. If we did, maybe we would not find ourselves in the midst of an unwinnable war in which even our own American heroes suffer under the rule of these self-righteous powers-that-be.
MAX EMBER
Los Angeles