All bigots on deck!

The Obama administration has begun to look into whether the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay members of the U.S. armed services should be modified or revised entirely. You may recall back in 1993, President Clinton considered lifting the blanket ban on gays in the military and came up with that non-compromise that in practice really had no effect on the ban at all.

Well, the bigots, haters, and fundies in the armed forces once again are marshaling their forces to keep all that dirty nasty gay off of them.

Obama is consulting with the Pentagon on the issue and says he supports eventual repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which prohibits gays in the military from being open about their sexual orientation. A bill that would allow gays to serve openly has been introduced in Congress.

A statement issued by the retired officers Tuesday said passage of that bill "would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all levels, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service, and eventually break the All-Volunteer Force."

Among the signatories were Gen. Carl E. Mundy, Jr., a former commandant of the Marine Corps; Adm. Leighton W. Smith, a former commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe; Gen. Charles A. Horner, who commanded U.S. aerial forces during the 1990-91 Gulf War; and Adm. Jerome L. Johnson, a former vice chief of Naval Operations.

The retired officers said they strongly supported the principle that "homosexuality is incompatible with military service" and warned that repeal of current law could jeopardize morale and "unit cohesion."

Now, let's see, where have we heard that excuse about morale and unit cohesion before? Oh, yeah: in the resistance to integrating the military in the 1940s. It's even the same thing with regard to "undermining recruiting and retention" and with parents allegedly being reluctant to send their children to military service. Well, you know what? Maybe we're better off if those bigoted fucktards don't send their children to the military. What, are they afraid that they'll be turned gay in boot camp? Besides, I have news for you: there are plenty of gay personnel already in the American military.

Look, I realize I've never served in the military, but I have seen plenty of discrimination*, so don't even start with me about how I don't understand military morale and all that bullshit. And the plain fact of it is that the resistance to the lifting of the ban is just another way to justify bigotry and hatred. And in the America of 2009, with an African-American president, a female Speaker of the House and Secretary of State, and people of all creeds and cultures in leadership roles throughout our society -- including the military -- you just can't rationalize hate anymore.

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* I also published a lengthy law review article in 1994 specifically regarding the ban on gays in the military, so I've done my homework. (I don't believe the article is available online.)