Don't Ask....Don't Tell. Good Policy?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I'm not going to ask what magazine you were reading. Most of the FM's (aka "Field Manuals") that the medic ambulance crews had were more on the classier side. It actually made us think of the women we loved and how we missed them more than motivating persuit of something else. It's kind of strange.

I think reading a clean, romance novel is better than viewing "other" men or women. I wouldn't want my husband to do that and he wouldn't do that.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Aquila

It was the following statement that got me worried...



I began to think, maybe you're a brother! lol

Oh, okay. LOL! Since you called me hon, I can see how you would be worried. LOL!

[Azzan]

Originally Posted by notofworks

Very true. My gay friends tell me they know each other very well. I'd be interested to hear the input, here, of a person who is gay. Of course, in the past, they've not lasted very long on this forum, unfortunately.

Okay, I'll bite. I have been lurking on this forum for over a year, listening to the discussions on here. Of particular interest to me have been the discussions about gays.

You see, I am one. I am not here to push an agenda and I am not going to be drawn into debate. I am simply responding to NOW's request to hear from a person who is gay.

A little about me. I was raised in the UPC. My family is still in the UPC. In fact, I have children being raised in the UPC and my father holds a license with the UPC.

There has been a lot discussion on here about whether being gay is a choice. Believe me, I wish it were! It is not a choice for me and never has been. I cannot tell you how many hours were spent in prayer and days spent in fasting asking, nay pleading, that this condition be taken from me.

I so hated what I was that I have tried suicide twice and been locked up in mental wards. It's only been in the last 10 years or so that I decided that if I were going to survive that I find a way to accept and even love myself.

There was no way I could make my religious training and my "choice" to be gay co-exist with each other and so one had to go by the way side as there is no room for my kind.

So there you have it.

What would you like to know NOW?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Twisp

LOL. That is an awesome insight into the sadness that is my job. LOL

side note: I love my job, but it is slow sometimes.

LOL! Well, I need to log out before I lose my day. I need to go and get high on paint chemicals. LOL! I'm restoring a china cabinet. So much detail to sand. Not sure I'm in the mood for that. But, I've removed the hardware, so I'm pretty much ready. I hope I'm out of sandpaper.

Have a good one. I think I'm logging out now. LOL!

[Twisp]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

LOL! Well, I need to log out before I lose my day. I need to go and get high on paint chemicals. LOL! I'm restoring a china cabinet. So much detail to sand. Not sure I'm in the mood for that. But, I've removed the hardware, so I'm pretty much ready. I hope I'm out of sandpaper.

Have a good one. I think I'm logging out now. LOL!

Have a good one as well. Good talking to you.

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by Azzan

Okay, I'll bite. I have been lurking on this forum for over a year, listening to the discussions on here. Of particular interest to me have been the discussions about gays.

You see, I am one. I am not here to push an agenda and I am not going to be drawn into debate. I am simply responding to NOW's request to hear from a person who is gay.

A little about me. I was raised in the UPC. My family is still in the UPC. In fact, I have children being raised in the UPC and my father holds a license with the UPC.

There has been a lot discussion on here about whether being gay is a choice. Believe me, I wish it were! It is not a choice for me and never has been. I cannot tell you how many hours were spent in prayer and days spent in fasting asking, nay pleading, that this condition be taken from me.

I so hated what I was that I have tried suicide twice and been locked up in mental wards. It's only been in the last 10 years or so that I decided that if I were going to survive that I find a way to accept and even love myself.

There was no way I could make my religious training and my "choice" to be gay co-exist with each other and so one had to go by the way side as there is no room for my kind.

So there you have it.

What would you like to know NOW?

Wow. First, thank you for having the courage to tell some of your story and jumping in here. I hope you're not bashed like I've seen happen here on numerous other occasions. It's not unlike, at all, what I've heard many times from others in your demographic. In fact, your thoughts about "Choice", "Begging God to take it away", and suicide attempts are verbatim what I, and I'm sure others here, have heard before.

I'd like to know your thoughts about the military policy, your feelings about their motives, the fear of some here to shower in a military setting with gay men, and your feelings when you read things such as the one fellow's thoughts about homosexuality being a mental illness.

Thanks again for jumping in.

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Azzan

Okay, I'll bite. I have been lurking on this forum for over a year, listening to the discussions on here. Of particular interest to me have been the discussions about gays.

You see, I am one. I am not here to push an agenda and I am not going to be drawn into debate. I am simply responding to NOW's request to hear from a person who is gay.

A little about me. I was raised in the UPC. My family is still in the UPC. In fact, I have children being raised in the UPC and my father holds a license with the UPC.

There has been a lot discussion on here about whether being gay is a choice. Believe me, I wish it were! It is not a choice for me and never has been. I cannot tell you how many hours were spent in prayer and days spent in fasting asking, nay pleading, that this condition be taken from me.

I so hated what I was that I have tried suicide twice and been locked up in mental wards. It's only been in the last 10 years or so that I decided that if I were going to survive that I find a way to accept and even love myself.

There was no way I could make my religious training and my "choice" to be gay co-exist with each other and so one had to go by the way side as there is no room for my kind.

So there you have it.

What would you like to know NOW?

This post makes me want to cry, and yes, I have heard stories like this many, many times. My heart hurts for you. Thank you for being brave enough to post it.

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Twisp

Whether we have made strides towards decreasing smoking or not, the comparison still stands. If you do not want homosexuals in the military because you do not want to pay for their long-term health care if they get HIV, then the same logic applies to smokers and cancer.



As far as it being terminal, who cares? There are lots of diseases that are terminal and we don't preclude people from joining the military just because they have a chance to get them.



Herpes, gonorrhea and other STDs are just as spreadable as AIDS, and more likely to be spread. While not necessarily leading to death as AIDs does, they still have symptoms that can easily cause a soldier to not be prepared to go to battle or to their post.

Where do you draw the line? If you do not want one disease in the military, then you have to start looking at all of them.

I'm honestly more worried about the years of mental illness that follow many, many veterans for the rest of their lives. What about that cost?

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by dizzyde

I'm honestly more worried about the years of mental illness that follow many, many veterans for the rest of their lives. What about that cost?

What do you propose? Sending all the soldiers home?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Oh, okay. LOL! Since you called me hon, I can see how you would be worried. LOL!

LOL