Qualifed -gasp- GAY people have been brought to the attention of Condi by Rep. Ackerman, a Dem!

[babylonsister]

I don't know if I hope all those fired tell this admin to take a hike, or if this is a good thing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/07/AR2007020702208_2.html?sub=AR

snip//

Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.) went after the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay people in the military yesterday, jokingly telling Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the administration seems to fear a "platoon of lesbians" more than terrorists.

Ackerman was reacting to Rice's testimony that there is a foreign-language deficit at the State Department. He noted that the Pentagon had fired interpreters and language experts who were gay.

"Well, it seems that the military has fired a whole bunch of people who speak foreign languages -- Farsi and Arabic, et cetera. After they train them . . . for 63 weeks, and presumably they all passed all kinds of security things," Ackerman said. "For some reason, the military seems more afraid of gay people. . . . And if the terrorists ever got a hold of this information, they get a platoon of lesbians to chase us out of Baghdad."

Ackerman suggested that the State Department hire back those people to do "what you're suggesting would cost a lot of money to do and to train."

"Can we have some kind of union of those two issues? Can we marry up these two -- or maybe that's not the right word. . . . Can we have some kind of union of those two issues?" Ackerman asked, sparking laughter.

Rice promised to look into it. Last night, Ackerman said in an interview that, after the hearing, he received a call from an aide to Rice who said that his suggestion was being taken seriously.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. madness

k&r

[varun]

2. The largest employer in this country discriminates...

...and we are the paragon of human right?

[justiceischeap]

3. I love it!

"And if the terrorists ever got a hold of this information, they get a platoon of lesbians to chase us out of Baghdad."

[donco6]

4. Finally, a little logic interjected into the debate.

And done wittily, no less. Bravo!

[rodeodance]

5. i do not think many gays would volunteer for the mideast!!

[Jamastiene]

6. And why not?

Many many gay people have served this country throughout its military history. I do believe that if any gay person today thought there was some point in the fight in the ME, they'd go now as well. What did you mean by what you said exactly?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. There are 65,000 gay soldiers currently serving in a military that doesn't want them.

I'm sure more would be serving if they could do so openly.

[ThomCat]

8. If they have already volunteered for the military,

do they have any choice where they're deployed?

And if they're inclined to join the military, would they care where they're deployed?

[cboy4]

10. It was a total stereotypical implication that gay guys are too

girly and frightened to attempt or even be interested in such a dangerous/"masculine" occupation.

Yea, I'm sure there are no gay police officers or firefighters either doing those dangerous jobs. :eyes:

[Jamastiene]

11. That stereotype is so wrong.

A lot of my aunt's army buddies were gay men and they were great soldiers as well. I don't get the stereotypes and how it is allowed to stand on a progressive web site is beyond me. I don't get it.

[cboy4]

9. RUDE

:eyes:

[foreigncorrespondent]

12. Really?

Best go tell the many closet queers that they shouldn't be there then, huh?