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The Wright Perspective℠
Social Commentary from the C-Suite to Main Street℠
A Blog by Gary Wright II
Military Recruiter is a bigot and a racist - but the problem starts at the top!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
When I was in the Navy, I remember being told, "The only color here is blue! There is no black, white, etc. We are all equal." I wish that was the truth.
In "public view" the leaders in the military act professionally, but as soon as the cameras are gone - they fall back to their personal habits of hatred. Racism exists just as much in the military as it does in the 'real world'.
Here is proof:
Army Recruiter Sergeant Marcia Ramode sent a disgusting email to potential recruit Corey Andrew, an openly gay African American man, that he should "go back to Africa and do your gay voodoo limbo tango and wango dance and jump around and prance and run all over the place half naked there and practice your gay morals over there..."
The sergeant is obviously guilty of being a racist and a bigot. Unfortunately, the problem starts with the leaders of our military. Recently, General Peter Pace expressed his controversial views to a Chicago newspaper, but after complaints, he said that it was just his "personal opinion."
The blame even goes as high as our 'Commander in Chief', who refuses to discipline the General. During an April 3rd press conference, Bush was asked directly about his reaction to the remarks by General Peter Pace, and whether he also believed that being lesbian or gay is immoral.
Bush declined to directly comment on the characterization by Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, of homosexuality as immoral. "Don't ask, don't tell is good policy," Bush said, citing the present military policy on gays.
When I served in the military, I challenged the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, and was immediately discharged. My argument was that if you make discrimination illegal, you must make all forms of discrimination illegal.
It is wrong to call someone "a nigger", it is also wrong to call someone "a faggot." Why is one a crime and not the other? Again, it starts with the leadership of the military, and the failed policy of "Don't Ask Don't Tell."
Because of the failed policy, gay slurs and violence are rampant in the military. Our country is discharging two people every day simply because they are gay. These people are highly skilled, highly trained, creative, and responsible.
At a time when our military capabilities are stretched too thin, why are we firing people who have served their country honorably? Instead, they lowered the recruiting quotas. When they couldn't meet the reduced quotas, they reduced their standards. Now they are recruting criminals and people who aren't capable of doing the high-skill jobs that need to be done.
My friend argues that the standards can be lowered because these people aren't getting the high skilled jobs - we are just recruiting them to fill body bags.
Either way, we need to fix our military - and it must start with changing it's leaders.