Listen Now!  (5:12 Minutes)

Download the MP3  (1.7 MB)

• More Torrance Daily Breeze Podcasts
• Podcast/iTunes FAQ
• Download the Latest iTunes Software
• Search All News Podcasts

Is repealing `Don't ask, don't tell' asking for trouble? - Repealing it may be the right thing to do, but there's only one reason to do it: military effectiveness.

Repealing "Don't ask, don't tell" may be the right thing to do, but there's only one reason to do it: military effectiveness.

Yet, repeatedly, we hear the argument that disallowing gays and lesbians to be "openly gay" in the military is a denial of their civil rights. This argument isn't only mistaken, it is misplaced. Approaching DADT as a civil rights issue is appealing and convenient, but it's not quite that. Or rather, it isn't only that.

The military may be a microcosm of society in some ways, but it most definitely is not a democracy. Individuals don't have the usual rights that we honor in civilian society and, in fact, forfeit their freedoms when they wear the uniform.

If you want to test your free speech rights, try criticizing your commanding officer.

This issue is so fraught with emotion and personal conflict that it's difficult to summon the necessary dispassion   Read Full Article...