Intolerable McCain

By now you've probably heard of Sen. John McCain's reply to SDLN on DADT: "homosexuality"...is an "intolerable risk to morale, cohesion and discipline" (via Pam).

Several comments: I believe that this letter will one day look as bigoted and ignorant as these letters contained in the Frank Kameny papers.


I have more faith in our men and women in uniform than McCain. I think they will overcome prejudice on the gay issue just as they overcame difficulties desegregating. That isn't to say that there won't ever be homophobic members of the service just as you couldn't say there are no racist soldiers currently serving, but as an institution the service will adapt, as it always has. And there's already anecdotal evidence that soldiers are more accepting about it than old has-beens like McCain.

The way McCain's letter is written, with repeated references to "homosexuals" and "homosexual behavior" puts the emphasis on sex. One could infer that in McCain's mind he's envisioning rampant dick sucking among the troops if we were to repeal DADT. That's wrong...gay men and women simply want to serve their country and have the same rights to form close human relationships just like everyone else, without having to live in fear or lie about it.

And, the last paragraph of McCain's letter (above) is just blatant hypocrisy.

It makes me sad...I have a lot of respect for McCain, the former POW and I doubt I could endure what he endured in Hanoi. But I've lost all respect for McCain the politician. He could have been a great leader. But he's sold out -- like the rest of the GOP -- to the radical religious right.