Robert Partridge’s Feb. 15 letter is way off base (“Don’t diminish military’s capability”). First of all, the overwhelming majority of gay persons kicked out of the armed forces are punished for their orientation as gays, not for their behavior.
Second, President Clinton is not condoning behavior such as performing sex on unconsenting Marines, as Mr. Partridge suggests. President Clinton intends to lift the ban on gays serving in the military. He says that unlawful or forced sex will continue to be outlawed.
I think Mr. Partridge’s letter reflects the atrocious double standard at work in our military. He, like many other “military men,” is afraid of being fondled, raped or even harassed by openly gay men allowed in the military. If we follow this line of reasoning, we should exclude heterosexual males from the military since they commit many more atrocities against females, military and civilian (just ask the Tailhook victims).
I would also remind Mr. Partridge that the “unnatural” sex acts he refers to should describe unwanted sex of any kind, not just homosexual sex.
