Is There Another Solution?
While I don’t typically pay that much attention to the trials and tribulations of the U.S. military, I was struck by this particular article:
Army Hopes Dropouts Can Fill Gaps
First, I want to make it clear that I’m not bashing high school dropouts with what I’m about to say. I have been a classroom teacher and still work in the public schools, and I’ve seen first-hand how the public education system can’t meet all students’ needs—educational, emotional, or economic. Certainly the three cases cited in this article are of students whose special circumstances prevented them from finishing high school, and if they want to go into the Army and the Army is willing to provide the classes to help them, more power to everyone.
That having been said:
Really? Are they kidding? Highly educated, emotionally stable, already-invested-in gay and lesbian soldiers are being kicked out of the armed forces in huge numbers every year, and the Army is pinning its hopes on running classes for dropouts? The Army is now spending time and taxpayer money on this program while simultaneously cutting bait on proven and paid for quantities.
By all means, run this program, but any credibility or sympathy anyone lends to the Army’s professed recruiting woes takes a huge hit with the initiation of Army prep school.
2 comments:
Don't Ask Don't Tell truly is outrageous. I know that in 10 years we'll look back in amazement that this kind of homophobia was practiced by our federal government... but we're not there yet, and if McCain is elected, we won't be there anytime soon either.
Don't Ask Don't Tell always made me wonder why so many gays supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries... she supports repealing it now, but it was her husband who put this shameful policy on the books in the first place.
This is another reminder that the U.S. military is an institution based on homophobia as well as class oppression. The military is presented to working class and poor young people as the only option for the future while our government spends massive amounts on war instead of education, health care and social spending. The U.S. military is an oppressive force at home and abroad and as socially conscious queers, we should fight the militarization of our communities and foreign policy.
Post a Comment