Gays in the Military -

There are several things to look at here. First of all there are the rights, duties, and obligations of any citizen. Male, female, black, white, or whatever. The fact is that a citizen is a citizen. So, on that level there should be no problem with any mentally sound and physically qualified citizen voluntarily serving.There is another level to this. The practical fact is that there is a great spectrum of people in the military. Many of these people will have no particular problem with people who have some differences. But there are those who do.

When I was brought home from the hospital shortly after birth the first music I ever heard was Mozart’s wonderful opera The Magic Flute. I learned to love classical music, opera, and Baroque - “Ah, Bach” - Radar O’Reilly.

When I was maybe 8 or 9 I discovered my mother’s 30’s and 40’s big band records - old 78 rpm stuff. By the time I was 10 I had discovered jazz at the local library. Jazz from the earliest New Orleans, Memphis, and Chicago. Boogie. Big band. Modern jazz. Loved it all. The library also had the wonderful Folkways series. I learned to love all kinds of real folk music: Andean Indian flute music, Russian Balalaika, African drum chorus, Japanese Taiko drums, wonderful stuff all. (This does all tie in).

In the 8^th grade we baby-boomers had an overflow class at one of the local grammar schools since we had overloaded the local high school. Therefore the 9^th grade was the first time I was actually on the public high school property and had been exposed to older teen types. One day toward the beginning of the school year I was in the band room and one of the older types was going on about the Beatles coming to this country for the first time. You can figure the year from that. Anyway, somehow I got asked about the Beatles and did not know who or what they were. After being told that they were rockie-rollies I must have said something about not liking rock. The next thing I knew I was being beat on by a couple of larger and older types for not liking rock. I quickly learned that blending in with protective camo was a good idea. Minor, compared to having to hide something as large as gay, but instructive nevertheless. Now, this was a persecution for being different, and no matter how right I was or was not; no matter how wrong they were or were not, the bruises were real and I really didn’t lose anything (except more bruises) by keeping my mouth shut when pop music was being discussed. My opinions did not change, just what I exposed. This was only one of the minor things I learned not to blab around groups of redneck boys. These were not really bad boys, I was just different.

Now, what in the hell does this have to do with gays in the military? (Or anywhere else). Well, it is a normal human thing to distrust the stranger. Those who are different may be persecuted. This is a normal pack behavior and we are pack animals. It is all well and good to say that anyone who discriminates against gays will be prosecuted, but if you have been beaten or even murdered that is rather cold comfort to know that you will be avenged. Better to not broadcast your differences and survive. This doesn’t mean that you have to live your life in fear and stay in a closet. It does mean that the correct position is to not rub your difference into others faces. The correct answer to “are you gay” is “that is none of anyone else’s business”.

Go play as you will on leave, but it is not necessary to discuss in bull sessions. The same applies to any workplace environment. If you rub other’s faces in your differences it may be you that gets the bloody nose.

There are two military conditions: not in combat and in combat. If not in combat the main thing you have to worry about is getting beat or shunned. Either is not a goodness. In combat, if your buds think they cannot depend on you, well, you could get shot by the enemy or your own buds. If they think that you are not dependable they may not cover your butt when needed.

This is not to say that gay and military cannot go together. Nuts. They can. People mocked Clinton’s don’t ask/don’t tell policy, but it really is one of the better things that he did. You must understand that I am not a Clinton fan by any means. In combat, you must absolutely depend on your buds and they must be able to depend on you. Any weakness in the unit can be fatal.

It is possible that over time it may even come to the point that sexual orientation is irrelevant compared to the many good things they like about you. But that will take time. No matter how much legislation is passed, you will have to prove yourself as a person and as a soldier before anything else is accepted. Legal props mean nothing in combat. Laws are irrelevant to a corpse. Not fair, I agree, but that is the reality of combat.

I was a Marine. Perhaps the best advice I can give you is: “Just shut up and soldier”.

BTW - rednecks are not the only dangerous group. Try being a conservative around a crowd of libs. Just as bad. Oh, they might not get physical, but the persecution will be just a vicious. They don’t go for the throat, they go for the groin.

Rosie and the Mullahs -

Now, anyone who has eyes and/or ears and is not in some third world country has seen and heard of Rosie O’Donnell. Anyone awake will also notice that she is very loud and opinionated. Anyone not in a coma knows that she is a self-proclaimed lesbian. She has made it abundantly clear that she hates America with a passion.

But, Rosie, where else could you be? Nowhere else in the world are you guaranteed the right of free speech, no matter how loud or stupid. Did I say stupid. Well, yes, I did. One of Rosie’s main rants has been that she does not believe that the Twin Towers were taken down by Moslem terrorists. She thinks that the good ol’ USA government blasted them down. Her evidence? Well, it was a while between the planes hitting and the towers collapsing. And the fire didn’t have anything to do with it. After all, steel doesn’t melt! Now, I beg to differ, steel will melt with enough heat. But that isn’t what did it. The steel was annealed. To anneal is to remove the temper (or strength) by heating. Now, steel will anneal as low as 1000° F. More heat, less time to anneal. Less heat, more time to anneal. If we take a tempered steel rod, say ½”, it is difficult for even a strong man to bend bare-handed. If we take the same piece of steel and anneal it, then we could bend it with no problem. Why is Rosie stupid? Because she has been shooting her mouth off for months without checking any facts. She has spouted dangerous charges with absolutely no foundation other that her own uninformed prejudice. Now, if you do a Google on the whole thing and check it out it becomes readily evident that the serious scientists and engineers state that the plane crash did cause all the damage. On the other hand there are a boatload of nuts and conspiracy theorists who think that the planes could not do the damage. I know that I do not place my confidence in nuts.

Since Rosie seems to want the US to die out and go away, what does she think will replace it? Well, at the moment, the strongest haters of America seem to be the Moslem extremists. It is not illogical to suppose that if America is torn down from within the replacement is likely to be Moslem. Not strong enough? How bout the fall of Rome? Rome was a lot stronger than the Alaric and his boys who sacked Rome in 410. BTW - there was a global climate cooling in 535 which was NOT caused by the Americans, unless the Indians were more powerful than we think. But, I digress, as usual.

Back to Rosie and the Mullahs - Sharia law has a whole lot to say about male homosexuality and practically nothing to say about female. What the Mullahs have apparently decided is that males can be executed if married or merely receive 100 lashes if not married. Now, since there has been no specific mention of female homosexuality in the Koran, the Mullahs have decided that since no penetration, the death penalty is inappropriate. Therefore women only receive 100 lashes. A lighter punishment, as it were. But hey, you know, 100 lashes can kill you just as dead as beheading if not very carefully administered. It is also a sight slower and more painful way to go.

So, Rosie, keep it up. Bring the troops home. Let no one enlist in the evil military. Let no funds be appropriated by Congress. Never study war no more. But get ready for your 100 lashes. For the stern, puritanical, fanatical and hate-filled Moslem terror types that will fill that power vacuum will surely not put up with a nasty, loud lesbian. If they don’t kill you out of hand.

What is a man -

Forgive me if I drag the Church in fairly heavily. I am an Orthodox Christian - and I do mean way down deep - all the way. I cannot discuss things that really mean much to me without explaining the Church’s position. Especially since in this country “Christian” has become such a pejorative, partly due to the antics of the fringier protestants, and partly due to the reactionary hatred of Christianity (as mis-understood) by the phase 4 liberals. Remember my 5 classes of politics? I find it interesting that the ACLU is all for the University of Michigan (I think?) putting in footbaths for Moslem students at $25,000, but has a hernia if some Christian wants to pray on campus. Lets see - Christians are worse than people who want to kill us? Shows the consistency of modern hatred of Christians.This whole Sex/Sexuality/Gender thing is somewhat overrated. Look here, lets start with sexuality. We here in America think that where there’s an itch, it must be scratched. Pish and likewise tush. In the Orthodox Church we have had gay priests for CENTURIES. Here’s the rules: a married man may be Ordained. However all Bishops are single (either widowers or never married), and no ordained man may become married. If one is gay, then one confesses same. If one is ordained and/or living the Christian life, there is NO sex outside marriage. Period. We do not get emotional about what lights your fire - there is NO sin in being attracted to the same sex. You just don’t have to follow the itch if you are not married to same. (I’m only speaking within the Church, this is not directed at anyone outside). Even active gays are dealt with the same as anyone else who is having sex outside marriage. This is not to say that the Bishops don’t look extra hard before they ordain someone gay - they do. And said individual does not go around blabbing it to the rest of the world. Gossip, cruelty, indifference are just as deadly as licking the wrong organ if not more so. Please note: we do not think that our views should be the law of the land. These rules are for us, not everyone else. And outside the church we rather think that each individual must make up his own mind as long as he harms no one else. Please note that Church doctrine and the position of the individual in that Church are not always the same. Individual Orthodox are just as capable as anyone else of being cruel assholes. They just don’t have Church backing in hatred. There is no place for hatred within the heart of the practicing Christian. It must be rooted out with prayer, fasting, and confession. Hatred is a deadlier sin than just about any other and separates us from the Man-Loving God who is Master of the Universe.

Now 99.9% of the vocations and avocations and general living tasks in this world don’t require a pecker or a pussy or boobs or whatever to fulfill. There may be some things that generally men are better at or some that generally women are better. But ultimately, individual skills, physique, etc. are the determining factors. Football (yech!). OK. Most women would get creamed, but then so would I. There may be many women who can do it - let ‘em. Who cares? Now socially, I am an old atavism: when I go dancing, I lead, woman follows. Me Tarzan, you Jane, etc.

Now in the whole gender thing, what IS a real man? I don’t really like this term. It doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. I really like the Yiddish word mensch. The Yiddish meaning of the word is actually pretty simple: a good person, a role model. Now this gets closer to the roots of the thing.

A mensch should:

Have personal integrity.

Be capable of kindness to those under him or in his care.

Be respectful and polite to everyone he meets.

Be strong when needed.

Be firm when needed.

Be gentle when needed.

Be brave when needed.

Be capable of discerning which is needed and when.

Show the love of God to his neighbors and see the face of God in each child of God, even the Moslems, and I really have trouble with this one.

Know when to apologize, even to a child, if necessary.

Be humble before God, and be neither arrogant nor falsely humble to other people

Be prepared to protect those under his care, even with his life, if necessary

Be the head of the family even as a good captain on a ship.

Come to think of it, I struggle with just about every item on the above list every day.

Now nothing of the above list has beans to do with being a bully, putting anyone else down, etc. My observation is that a man who needs to marry a maid is in sad shape and is not much of a man. Also if one has to bully those weaker to feel superior, treatment, up to and including surgery to remove the ugly growth above the neck may be indicated. It doesn’t even have to do with sex, a mensch is still a mensch even if his balls get shot off.

Now the list for a woman is just about the same thing, isn’t it? The only difference is in the last item, which (unless she is single) should read:

Be the fit helpmate even as a good executive officer on a ship.

And likewise, a woman is still a woman even after a hysterectomy or mastectomy.

Now a general note on all this: even as any good captain in his right mind will consult the xo on any major decision and then stand responsible for the results, so it should be in a healthy relationship. Things can shift back and forth according to the abilities and so forth of the individuals at hand. Herself is an exceptionally intelligent and capable human (well, not so much physically, any more) and I damn sure respect her brains and opinions and listen to her on most anything. However, on decisions that affect the ship of this household - the ultimate responsibility is mine, even if it is her decision that we are going with, I am still responsible and must not reproach her if everything does not turn out perfectly. (Told you I was an atavism).

I don’t belong to the camp that thinks that gay or tranny or adulterer or whatever are just choices. There is too much decent (not pop-junk) science that shows that there are differences. However, I do think that we do control our reactions to whatever nature/nurture and experience have brought to our tables. My favorite sport once was adultery, but when Herself and I married I determined not to practice it again. I haven’t and won’t. This is not meant to be anything other that a general comment on our society. Too many scratch any old itch that they have at the moment with little thought of the consequences. This will lead to a downfall of society in general.

General affect can be a real misleader. Some of the most testosterone laced manly men that I have known are queer as a three and so on. I also remember a fellow that my ex knew. He was one of the absolutely nelliest guys I have ever know. I mean he swished with the best. Any normal reaction would be that this fella’ needed wrist splints. He was also one of the most dedicated (and successful) womanizers I ever met.

What does all this lead to? Hell - I don’t know. Take it for what it’s worth.

We will not accept this -

A dear friend once asked me what I meant when I said that most of us conservative types would not object so much to homosexuals if they behaved themselves in public. She said that most of the gays she knew did behave. The above is a good representation of what us straight types object to.

From the Orthodox perspective (which is where I come from), we are more sorrowed by the Roman Catholic Bishop giving these people communion than surprised. First off, communion implies being in accord with the doctrine of the church at hand. It is clear from the dress and behavior of these people that they are not in accord with the doctrine of Rome. Further, their web site makes it abundantly clear that they are not Christian in any sense. They are an anti-Christian parody.

This doesn’t particularly surprise us Orthodox types. First off, in the Orthodox Church, you are given Communion by name. So - you must be known by the Priest. It is considered normal to check in with the Priest before you plop yourself into a Communion line. Even when the Bishop is visiting, the Priest, or a Deacon who knows the parishioners will be standing beside the Bishop to tell him your name (and to indicate if you should not be communed). If you are an unknown quantity, the Priest or Bishop will query your standing: what is your name? What is your home parish? When was your last confession? Have you fasted? Are you properly prepared? Since we firmly believe that this is the literal Body and Blood of Christ we are not going to Commune someone who is not prepared by prayer, confession, and fasting. It absolutely is the duty of the Celebrant to safeguard the Precious Gifts, not to throw them to the unworthy or unprepared.

This issue here is not whether someone is homosexual. We do not condemn someone for being attracted to someone else. We do condemn any sex outside marriage. We will not Commune an adulterer or a philanderer - that’s a matter of Church Doctrine and is rather firmly enforced. When the woman caught in adultery was brought before Christ, He did indeed say “Woman, your sins are forgiven”. But He also said “Go and sin no more“. The sin no more is often overlooked in this non-moral age, just as the sins forgiven was ignored in the hyper moral atmosphere of Puritanism. Christ did not waste words. He meant all of His words. We cannot Commune someone who is not earnestly striving to sin no more. This does not mean that we will make it. But we must try. In-your-face celebration of sinning is not a possible Christian position.

When nailed on his communing of Nancy Pelosi, whose beliefs and actions are clearly and publicly not in compliance with established Roman doctrine, this particular bishop just shrugged his shoulders and said that he was not a “gatekeeper”. This is not in accord with the Orthodox understanding. In the Sacrament of Ordination, the Bishop places the Lamb into the Ordinand’s hands and says: “Receive thou this pledge, and preserve it whole and unharmed until thy last breath, because thou shalt be held to an accounting therefore in the second and terrible Coming of our Great Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ”. I have talked with many Priests about this, and every one of them states that at that moment their knees just about buckle. They know that this is serious business. And they regard their priestly function as one of grave importance. This is not to say that we don’t have some bad priests and bishops, we do. They are human. But it is proportionately very few. A shepherd most certainly is a gatekeeper.

As an Orthodox Christian I cannot tell the Roman Catholics what to do in their church, but I can comment on behavior which is clearly not in accord with Christian doctrine. And this is certainly not defensible on any level. Of course, we are not terribly surprised since we regard the Romans as schismatic and the first protestants. In this country, our culture descends from Western European (Roman) culture, and we have been taught that the Orthodox East left the Roman West. Well, t’aint so. See my earlier article about why I am Orthodox for a discussion of this point.

Apart from my reaction as an Orthodox Christian there is my reaction as a United States Citizen. I see little difference between this in-your-face offensive behavior and a deliberate punch in the face. Both are deliberate assaults. And these freaks know it and glory in it. Why is immoral behavior “progressive”? There is a great deal of difference between the behavior of a reasonable and thoughtful and considerate person who happens to be homosexual and the antics of these demented self-hating creatures who are trying to be as offensive as possible. The responsible gay community does not do itself any good by tolerating these pervert’s behavior without condemnation. What this does is strengthen the opposition of the “Religious Right”. And, while laws may get changed, there is little chance of acceptance by “middle America” until these people are publicly and clearly rejected by the majority of the gay community.

HERSELF SEZ: The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is now an international organization with a missionary agenda. If there is not a chapter near you - - there will be. Just wait.

Gender and the IRS –

A woman is suing the IRS to deduct the expenses for the sex-change process she underwent. She argues that because gender-identity disorder is a recognized mental disorder that is generally treated with hormones and surgery, the costs are legitimate medical deductions.

I don’t know that I buy this argument. At the moment this accomplishes the desired goal. But classifying this as a mental disorder ignores the medical aspects of having one gender brain in an opposite gender body. If male/female are exactly the same other than the externals and the hormones produced by those physical glands then this is indeed a mental problem. And a curable one at that.

However, if male/female are different because of real physical brain differences, then incorrect gender is a physical defect no different from any other and could/should not be treated any different than any other surgery to correct any other genetic anomaly. If this is not imagination then no amount of head pshrinking is going to mean a thing.

Brain scientists seem to be more and more convinced that there are subtle but measurable differences among male, female, gay, and lesbian brains. Are these “non-standard” brains defective? Are they normal? Where do these differences originate? From stresses in the womb? From external chemicals ingested while growing the fetus? Genetic inheritance? Chance mutation? Or are they normal products of normal reproduction? These questions really should be answered before we decide the wrong gender is a mental problem.

This is hardly in the same boat as choosing to have lips puffed up (which looks like hell, anyway). It does not seem to me to be in the same league with vanity surgery at all.

Now the whole gay born/made argument has to be reexamined. I had a very well known, somewhat liberal, psychiatrist wistfully tell me years ago that he was sorry gay had gotten popular and pc. He had never seen anything as easy as “turning” something like 90% of the gays who came to him for that in very short order. I had to point out that the ones who came to him already had the desire to be turned. And the will can overcome a boatload of adversity.

So, I will state what should be the obvious. Some gays are made. Whether self-made or “mama made him that way”, or whatever. Some are just situational. And some are “born that way”. Eventually a simple gene read should be able to tell which is what. But right now, a little rationality is called for.

Likewise we will possibly be able to diagnose the gender misplaced and correct it while young. One of these days. But, for now, anyone who is desperate enough to survive the whole gamut of testing, head shrinking, and the painful surgery involved damn sure ain’t kidding. A bit more drastic than just sticking some silicon in a boob. So, IRS, back off.

Of course, if we had something rational like the fair tax, the damned IRS would not need to be informed of the private affairs and motivations of citizens anyway.