Don't Ask Don't Tell..

     On January 29th 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was set in motion in the U.S military. For those of you who don't know Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a policy that states that the government would no longer ask you what your sexual orientation is when signing up for the service, you just don't tell them, or anyone else for that matter that you are gay or lesbian otherwise you would not be able to do your patriotic duty and enlist. You see it was the military's idea that having gays and lesbians in the military was "bad for morale."  About 12,000 men and women have been given the boot from the military, because they were outed somehow. I am currently reading a book by author Randy Shilts called "Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S Military." The book gives very detailed stories about gays and lesbians in the military. Back then even rumors that you were a homosexual got you out of the military. Men would tell the draft board that they were gay to get out of going to Vietnam. If the government found out, not only

would you be kicked out of the military, you would be blackmailed if you weren't out to your family, military officials would force you name other known homosexuals in the military, and your name would be leaked to the press and it would be put in the paper that you were discharged from the military for homosexuality. It was seen as if you were a traitor, or being un-American.  After a while you had to have proof that you were a card carrying homo. You had to have a letter from several lovers stating that you engaged in homosexual acts IN DETAIL. Then "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was enforced. Obama promises to get rid of the policy, but people are still being discharged under said policy. So, until then if you want to serve your country, but you are gay or lesbian, too bad, the military doesn't want you. Sure they might need more troops in Iraq or Afghanistan or whatever poor country they are invading at the moment for the sake of "democracy," but not if you’re a homosexual.

The story of former Washington's National Guard Colonel Margarethe (Grethe) Cammermeyer, who is a veteran of the Veitnam War, for which she recieved a bronze star. She served our country for 25 years, and eventually accepted the position for Chief Nurse of the National Guard. In a top secret interview before offcially getting the job she was asked if she has engaged in any "immoral behavior." At first she responded "no," then paused and asked what the definition entailed. After hearing a list of immoral conduct like drug abuse, homosexuality was included in that list. As a solider, she felt that it was wrong to lie about who is then told the man that she is a lebsian. Despite all the depositions of the men and women she worked with that loved working with her, and how it didn't effect the morale of the unit at all, Grethe was kicked out of the National Guard. She was the highest ranked officer discharged on homosexuality. She sued of course, on the grounds of discrimination and won. She was reinstated into the military and served until she retired in 1997 after 31 years of deticated service.


(picture above) Margarethe Cammermeyer standing next to Glenn Close who played her in the made for T.V movie based on Cammermeyer's autobiography "Serving In Silence."

Col. Cammermeyer and her partner Diane Divelbess