Don't Ask Don't Tell: Don't Continue

Jonathan Caperhart's essay in the Washington Post on-line was right on: the old arguments about DADT, e.g., that having gays breaks down group cohesion since gays and lesbians are always on the make, flirting without control unlike those straight armed service personnel, is a feeble excuse, at best.

I appreciate Capehart's last line:

Sirs, gay men and lesbians are serving in the United States military right now. They wear the uniform because, to paraphrase paragraph 5 of Section 654 of U.S. Code Title 10, they want "to make extraordinary sacrifices, including the ultimate sacrifice, in order to provide for the common defense." They wear the uniform because they want to defend the ideals, laws and values of the United States against all enemies. They wear the uniform because they love their country.

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Why is this pertinent? Because we who are clergy and are LGBTQ also get the same fear of straight people in congregations: that we are always on the make. As more than one member of my church has said (before leaving in a huff), "It's o.k. if gays are in congregations or my choir director, but not if he is my pastor." Why? Because I'd be on the make.

It is time!

Pace! B