Gates says he wants to soften gay expulsion rules

Wednesday 01st July, 02:38 PM JST

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northlondon at 01:00 AM JST - 2nd July

hahahahahahaha. then you go on to talk about reality...hahaha

That is correct. Good evening fatfrench, a bit early for you isn't it ? Do you actually have anything to say ?
fatfrenchfool at 01:02 AM JST - 2nd July

yeah sure do. you are wrong as usual
Den Den at 07:05 AM JST - 2nd July

"Isn't that just a gay mans fantasy ? That straight men 'can pop off at a moments notice' ?" Before posting you should do some research, I suggest internet, or, if you are really in the army, you will know where the special "glory holes" are on base. I think you are confusing a very common temporary sexual release with a lifestyle chosen by 10% of western citizens. Just because you pop off occasionally, doesn't mean you are gay, but you can't be a hypocrite and attack those you live a life of their own choice.
JoeBigs at 08:56 AM JST - 2nd July

Dubya at 10:19 PM JST - 1st July To serve, one should be of sound mind. Gays are not. If they want to serve, thay have to stop being gay.

Leadership has nothing to do with ones sexual orientation. If an officer or enlisted man/woman can handle him/herself under fire who cares what they like.

Your claim is more of personal beliefs than of any research ever done.

northlondon at 12:53 AM JST - 2nd July No disrespect to any soldiers here, but that's the truth people. And the Army wants to train young men to become fit killing machines.

So you are saying that a gay person can not be a lean mean killing machine?LOL I would put money against that statement of yours.LOL

I would bet, that right now there are many, many, many gay men and women serving in armed forces throughout the world. I would also bet that they are fine Soldiers/Sailors/Marines (Royal Marines)...LOL Funny

northlondon at 12:53 AM JST - 2nd July So when posters here talk about hours and hours of sensitivity training to soldiers to accept gays and discharging soldiers just for beating-up a fellow soldier in the barracks, then there is absolutely no understanding of what the Army is all about and what it requires from its soldiers.

The Army (all Military forces) is all about discipline, if you allow soldiers to fight in the barracks then there is no discipline.

Do not know what force you served in but, in the U.S. Navy sailors were brought up on charges if caught fighting each other.

The only folks that had problems on my Submarine were the ones who had no discipline or the lazy ones. You did your job no one cared what you did on your time.
amerijap at 09:46 AM JST - 2nd July

The Army (all Military forces) is all about discipline

Well said. For them, gay culture could be a huge detriment to the military organization where your drill sergeants give you folks a lot of hell in an ordinary training. Even though some gay soldiers have special skills in foreign languages that enable them to translate the foreign sources or open up communication in foreign/international relations, they’re gonna be discharged once they reveal their identities.
smithinjapan at 09:57 AM JST - 2nd July

northlondon: boy you sure took a beating, so to speak, on this thread. Just goes to show you shouldn't inject your personal fear of homosexuality into a debate about the ability of individuals. Being gay has nothing at all to do with leadership ability.

10% of the human population is gay; that's a statistical fact, and runs from people on your favourite football and rugby teams to men and women in the military. Try learning a little -- might make you a little less scared.
skipthesong at 10:50 AM JST - 2nd July

While I was in the Army, I too knew of a few gays and I had no problems with them serving along side me nor did I ever even think about not performing any medical assistance that was needed for them (medic) however just as much as I would support keeping men separate from women in terms of barracks/bunking, I think there is a need thought that of gays as to where they should sleep. I wouldn't like to go as far as having separate bunking areas, but why should one sacrifice their comfortability for another person's? No, I am not saying I would fear getting raped but just as a woman would feel uncomfortable sleeping around men due to unwanted thoughts, I am sure a many hetros would feel just as uncomfortable sleeping in the same area as homosexuals. Or are we, those who are straight, to drop that? My brother was in the Navy, on small crafts and the bunks are basically only two if less inches apart. if you understand a woman's concern, you should also understand a straight person's concern.
HonestDictator at 12:04 PM JST - 2nd July

Some people would feel uncomfortable about that Skip but if that person is there to do their job, especially in the military, they'll do their job (most intelligent people have good work ethics). I was in college where I had to share my dorm room with 4 openly homosexual men. I was able to sleep very well without any crazy stuff going on, or worry about anything weird happening. So while I understand the concern, I don't think it will be that big an issue (except for maybe a few incidents by the bad apples).
SezWho2 at 12:30 PM JST - 2nd July

Alphaape,

I'm not sure that Obama can, by Executive Order, set aside a law passed by Congress and upheld 5 times in the federal courts. If he could, there are a lot of other laws that I'd like to see him overturn by Executive Order. What a nuisance this Legislature is!
adaydream at 01:57 PM JST - 2nd July

northlondon You're so wrong. I served active duty and I served with gay Marines. I never had a problem of any kind with them. They did their jobs as well as anybody.

Except for the fact that they were gay, they were Marines. < :-)
goodDonkey at 02:40 PM JST - 2nd July

I was in the military and just wanted to add to the consensus that northlondon is full of crap. He might have been able to scare people into his beliefs 20 or 30 years ago but most people are not superstitious about gays anymore.

I guess that's the difference between those of us who were in the reality military. It has been over 30 years since I entered the Air Force. I knew gays in the military back then. It is about time the law catches up with reality. As far as northlondon catching up with reality. I won't be getting my hopes up any time soon.
skipthesong at 04:26 PM JST - 2nd July

Honestdictator: Well, why, instead of having a bedding area for women and one for men, why not just make one?
skipthesong at 04:27 PM JST - 2nd July

but by no means is being gay a reason to be disregarded nor is it a reason to get discharged.
teleprompter at 08:10 PM JST - 2nd July

"Liberals" like to say Clinton was our first black president. (I still don't quite understand - or care - what they meant by that...) But I reckon if that was the case well then Obama must be signaling the identity politics crowd that he is ready to be our first gay president.
American_Girl at 05:45 AM JST - 8th July

"Liberals" like to say Clinton was our first black president. (I still don't quite understand - or care - what they meant by that...)

It's actually meant to be a joke, and not a very good one. It's a stereotypical and rather racist way of saying that Clinton was a "player" by screwing around on his wife while in the White House...literally...and then denying it even after being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Somehow that's supposed to be viewed as ghetto cool and a very "black" thing to do.