The far right’s latest talking point regarding DADT repeal? The one that says pro-equality activists are being culturally insensitive to those who “potential adversaries” who wish to dislike LGBT people.
This from the American Family Association’s David P. Smith:
The same people who are so thrilled about this change are also the same ones who preach to us all about how our nation and military should be less offensive to these nations who are our enemies. These same people apologize for American ideals and actions on a regular basis and bow to foreign leaders. There is a complete lack of analysis of this new military policy in this context. If we are to be more sensitive and understanding of these other nations, then our nation’s recent actions certainly are not going to accomplish that goal. It is bemoaned regularly how we need to be politically correct and accommodating to those of Islam, but the same people who believe such things are now offending greatly those whom they say they want to be more sensitive.
As stated on the website of the Center for Military Readiness, “Conspicuously missing from the list of 25 gay-friendly militaries are potential adversaries China, North Korea, and Iran. Their combined forces (3.8 million, not counting reserves) are more than two times greater than active-duty forces of the 25 foreign countries with gays in their militaries (1.7 million).” Our nation is thought to be a Christian nation by many of our adversaries and what this new policy demonstrates is something that certainly is not Christian, but will bring even further persecution of Christians trying to exist in these nations. It will bring further hatred of whom they call “The Great Satan” and even further emboldening against our country. One thing that these nations are right about is that this new policy is not of God.
David P. Smith: Don’t Ask-Don’t Care Undermines Our Nation [AFA]
Interesting how homo-hostility is always the one thing on which these folks find agreement. Why is this the one form of faith-based discrimination that’s supposedly right?!
The answer, of course, is that bias against LGBT people, regardless of motivation or justification, is just as wrong as that which has stifled women, people of color, people of varying faiths, the differently abled, or any other population that falls outside a majority or supposed norm. It is not insensitive to oppose Islamophobia and homophobia: It is both logically consistent and inarguably humane! And this is true even when the persecuted individual in one scenario is the persecutor in one another. Because it’s a sweepingly peaceful view within our shared world that deserves our determined focus, even if/when individual human shortfall within that world’s spectrum misdirects what could be, should be, and hopefully will someday be a unified progressive vision.
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*Note: Remember, it was the AFA’s Bryan Fischer who said of Islam: “let’s choke off violent, anti-semitic ideology and actions wherever we find them, whether in the meetings of skinheads or in the mosques of America,” and who has said that “Permits should not be granted to build even one more mosque in the United States of America.”
But as for any Islamic condemnations of homosexuality? Conserva-awesome, natch!
