The Dallas Voice classified department received a call today from an agency asking for rates. That’s not unusual. But the client was an unexpected one — the U.S. Army.
The “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal law says that gays and lesbians can serve. What it doesn’t assure is any equality. There is no mandate to seek out gay and lesbian recruits. No general handed down orders to make sure there are plenty of LGB troops.
What the call indicates is that recruiters are ahead of the vocal opponents of repeal. Now that they can recruits gays and lesbians — why not?
What the call also pointed out was another unintended consequence of DADT. The law hurt LGBT businesses. While the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard were spending money advertising in every other media outlet, gay media received none of that income.
Not only was the federal government discriminating against gay and lesbian soldiers, but by not advertising in LGBT publications, they were discriminating against LGBT businesses. Ironically, it wasn’t until the Army came to us for a rate card that we realized we were among the victims of DADT.
Equal protection, not equal ad dollars, is guaranteed in the Constitution.
Blaze, Isn’t equal ad dollars mentioned in one of those amendments? We’re delighted the Army called for ad rate info. We weren’t about to go out of business because that ad revenue wasn’t coming here. But I think it’s an interesting result of a discriminatory law. All of us pay taxes but all of the money directed toward media went to straight media. I didn’t mean this to be taken on the same level as people whose lives were ruined as a result of DADT, but I thought it was an interesting bit of unintended discrimination.
It’s a petty grievance compared to what gay soldiers had to put up with for so long.
Always the victim, aren’t you, David? If you could monetize pity parties, you would be a rich.
Wow. Not looking for pity. Just pointing out that discrimination goes beyond intended victims, And my main point was that while the Army doesn’t HAVE to advertise with us, the rank and file is way beyond where the generals were.
I ordinarily keep my cool when making comments on dallasvoice.com, but JEEZ, you guys…SHUT THE FUCK UP!! This article/commentary is nothing more than making and sharing an observation. There’s no reason to take what has been written, manipulate it and turn it against the author or the publication. If you have nothing better to do with your time, then either (a) find a way to volunteer and help others in our community or (b) go join the Republican party. They need all the followers they can get right now, and anyone who would make snippy, childish, tauting, arrogant remarks like these clearly SHOULD be followers, because you are not leaders by any definition of the word.