This Associated Press story upsets me. A gay Navy dog handler was hazed and harassed for two years before getting fed up and telling his commanding officer he was gay — a violation of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, for which he was honorably discharged. The man was later diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from the hazing.
Two things need to change here. First — and I may not see this in my lifetime — people, maybe soldiers especially, need to stop being so misanthropic. It’s misanthropic to hate gays, Arabs, foreigners in general, those without crew cuts, etc. Apparently, all the dog handler did to earn enough abuse to give him PTSD was to refuse to have sex with a prostitute.
And second, “don’t ask, don’t tell” needs to disappear. President Barack Obama has said he would repeal it but hasn’t yet. This country won’t live up to any admirable stand of equality until every last policy like “don’t ask, don’t tell” is repealed and forgotten.
— Ben Wolford
Managing editor
