Lt. Choi in NC!

I heard Lt. Choi tonight at NC State University. It was an amazing evening. It started out slow. It got interesting when Todd Jeffrey's--a retired military service personnel--commented on a column he wrote for NC State University's newspaper, the Technician. Choi defended freedom of speech, and then used that freedom to tell off Jeffrey's.

This is, in part, what Jeffrey's wrote:

For those who argue from the heart and not the head, they may not know the military, due to its unique mission (which includes killing people), is legally exempt from many of the federal laws which govern job employment. The military can and does discriminate against handicapped, obese, tall/short people, etc. Nobody has a right to join the military, it is a privilege with very specific entrance requirements.

The majority of people who are currently serving in the military do not want DADT repealed. Talk shows and newspaper editorials are filled with people who argue for the right for homosexual people to serve, but have never spent one day in uniform themselves. To say the military should let openly known homosexuals serve, because Walmart hires homosexuals, is truly a case of apples vs. oranges.

Just because a person does not endorse homosexuality does not mean they are a bigot or close-minded. It is a choice many people refuse to accept for religious or moral issues. You cannot order a person to accept homosexuality. The military has realized this for over 220 years and is one of the major reasons why it has not allowed it. To allow the trampling of heterosexual rights to allow homosexual rights is not consistent with military values.

Another consideration is the harsh reality of military leadership. A Commanding Officer will never place a flamboyantly gay person in charge of leading troops into combat if his mannerisms and way of speech reflect his sexual orientation. I guarantee you, the bonds of esprit de corps and unit cohesion, which are vital to a combat unit, would be shattered if this occurred. That is the last thing you want missing as you climb out of your foxhole to face the enemy.

As a former military leader, I willfully, voluntarily and without complaint or regret, had numerous of my rights suppressed so you, the civilian reader, could live your rights to the fullest. The military is not perfect, but DADT remains the best solution for all involved. If DADT is repealed, I believe it could possibly cause our nation harm and make soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines question if they want to continue their sacred and honorable duty just so the rights of a very small minority can be affirmed.

Sigh...

Sad...

But freedom of speech lives on!

Pace!

B