While reading an article on CNN this morning, it pleased me to see that the author brought up a number of issues that I have considered in regards to the possible repeal of DADT. Rather than reinvent the wheel by re-writing what I think was a well written piece, I am posting a link to the article below. I urge you to read the article and then consider the following points:
- The military allows servicemen & women to serve so long as they stay in the closet. Some Batay Knesset allow gay-Jews alliyot and Kibudim …until the shul knows they are gay.
- There is concern over the same-sex attraction that would cause discomfort in housing and bathroom facilities, which are split by gender. The guy/girl sitting on your side of the Mechiza will be there whether or not you know s/he is gay.
- A repeal of DADT will not mean a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. Recognizing gay community members in a Jewish setting is not the same as trying to redefine Halachic marriage.
- Whether or not a solider is good should be determined by their actions, not their sexual orientation. If we are going to evaluate Jews (something better left to the heavenly courts) let us do it by religious observance.
- “On a smooth transition: It comes down to strong leadership”
- The military conducted a survey of military personnel to evaluate attitudes; perhaps an attempt to gauge Jewish attitudes wouldn’t be so crazy.
I think this is a poignant and fair dichotomy. I've actually thought along these lines myself a couple times. Pleased to see I'm not alone! :)
ReplyDeleteQuestioning Yid,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing my views. I expanded slightly on this in my most recent post, following the repeal. I look forward to reading on your blog as well.