Well done! The military has moved past the the DADT crap and is promoting those based on their skill, knowledge and service records. I know the republican bigots will be clamoring for her to be removed and how this is an "abomination" on the military. But like it or not its here to stay so get used to having openly gay people in the military! Being against such things means you are against the constitution mind you. Anyway, Congrats To Brigadier General Tammy Smith!
Its great that now people like this woman can be open and honest about their relationships and sexual orientations without risk of losing their jobs or being court-martialed. Of only they didn't have to deal with bigots trying to remove people like her from the military.
Because gay people are SOOOOO privileged in today's society amirite? What with being the targets of hate crime, discrimination, and social ostrazation. Sadly, I know the conservative answer to my question will be "yes."
Just think what would happen if we advanced people due to the accomplishments and abilities and not their federally recognized ethno-social groups in the civilian world. For one thing, obama wouldn't be president.
I just want to know what she was promoted for. We know it was not for being gay, so why even bring her being gay up?
I would think a 26-year long career is a good enough reason for this promotion. Sally Ride was an astronaut because of her knowledge and skill, not because of her orientation. Both the military and NASA tend to be meritocratic.
Because its a "first" and the media likes talking about "firsts." Also, one could take this as a sign of a movement towards tolerance in the military. Although I get the feeling you aren't legitimately asking a question and instead are looking for an excuse to go "Oh those lesbos, always shoving their sexuality in others faces and making it an issue!"
Look, I think most of us don't care what side of the bread you like to get your butter on, just when it comes down to it, you pull the trigger on our enemies when it comes down to it. And no, I don't think our military is well served by saying we take either of the two kind of people photographed below.... Gay: Straight:
I'll have you know that the gay dancer squad is vital in military operations involving distracting the enemy.
And her appointment does what good? Another indication of decadent western culture, particularly the great satan America and muslims use it as an excuse to spit on us. more. I wonder. Is this our "Sorry-Excuse-for-an-American' President's intent?
But the U.S. military also has a long history of giving out b.s. awards and promotions just to make a PR spectacle out of something that they hope will make the military look good. In the end, it's all about meeting their recruitment quotas, because that's where they get a large portion of their funding from. Heck, they were awarding Silver Stars to friggin' guard dogs during the Vietnam War.
what makes you so sure that THIS SPECIFIC CASE is an example of that? What factor has made you decide this is a b.s. promotion?
While I see nothing necessarily wrong with gays serving openly in the military, so long as they conduct themselves accordingly just like everyone else, I am not a big fan of advertising their orientation for one and all to see, the reason being my concern for what would happen to them should any be captured by any of a number of our enemies. I can say that if I were gay and in the military, I wouldn't want my sexual orientation knowable by a simple typing of my name in a search engine. In fact, i'd be pretty mad about it. ...but maybe i'm wrong, and there's nothing to worry about whatsoever...
I knew this would come, but I was hoping it would be about 20 years from now. I was hoping it would be a man who joined as a private in 2012, shamelessly admitting his preference. He would then serve faithfully for at least 20 years, never raping any soldiers. He would make his bed, wear his uniform, fold, iron, landscape and peel potatoes flawlessly, march in straight lines, exercise daily and eventually kill a lot of foreigners. Instead we get a woman who probably grew up making beds, folding and ironing. Don't ask referred only to the recruitment interview, right? Don't tell refers to every day in your military career. She joined before Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which means she lied. Not only that, I'm sure even the ugliest woman in the military gets 100 solicitations a year. Anyone with that many headaches shouldn't be a soldier. For 25 years she had to lie to countless people, and for that they make her a general?
Talk about your misogyny! There was a hard-as-nails female officer who retired a few years ago who was a legend in the armed forces and who was suspected of being gay. The joke was she operated on a "I don't tell, and I'll kill you if you ask" policy. What evidence does Phil have that this officer doesn't fit this mode rather than the one he is setting out for her?
Congratulations to General Smith. However, this great accomplishment (anyone being promoted to General) is overshadowed by the fact that she is gay. This event also has a sad story to it. Tammy Smith's father traveled clear across the US from Oakland, Oregon to attend the event and also under the belief that he would be the one pinning her stars onto her uniform. Because of the "agenda" to promote her sexuality instead of her accomplishments, it was decided that her "wife" would pin the stars on her uniform instead. Her father is heart broken.
