US Army kicks out Arabic linguist because he's gay

[snapcat]

How very sad ....

From AmericaBlog ....

After all, how important really is stopping the next September 11 when there are more important issues like gays to worry about. The Republicans are simply obsessed with cultural issues, to the expense of national security and every other problem facing this nation. In this case, they went so far as to blatantly violate their own Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, launching an eight-month investigation - eight months, folks - in order to catch this guy simply for being gay. That is simply an absurd waste of resources during war time.



We have yet to catch Osama bin Laden. We are convinced that we will be struck again. And the Bush administration is more interested in wasting time and resources going after gays. This is what the Republican party has become.

A decorated sergeant and Arabic language specialist was dismissed from the U.S. Army under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, though he says he never told his superiors he was gay and his accuser was never identified.


Bleu Copas, 30, told The Associated Press he is gay, but said he was "outed" by a stream of anonymous e-mails to his superiors in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C....

An eight-month Army investigation culminated in Copas' honorable discharge on Jan. 30 -- less than four years after he enlisted, he said, out of a post-Sept. 11 sense of duty to his country.

Copas now carries the discharge papers, which mention his awards and citations, so he can document his military service for prospective employers. But the papers also give the reason for his dismissal.
​

Finally, read this part of the story. The Army went out of its way to find 'the gay' and kick him out. This isn't just a flagrant violation of policy, it's an incredibly screwed up, and deadly, look at what the Bush administration's, and this Pentagon's, priorities really are. Finding Osama clearly isn't one of them.

Shortly after Copas was appointed to the 82nd Airborne's highly visible All-American Chorus last May, the first e-mail came to the chorus director.


"The director brought everyone into the hallway and told us about this e-mail they had just received and blatantly asked, 'Which one of you are gay?'" Copas said.

Copas later complained to the director and his platoon sergeant, saying the questions violated "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"They said they would watch it in the future," Copas said. "And they said, even specifically then, 'Well, you are not gay are you?' And I said, 'no.'"
​

On topic discussion, please!

 

[Andreus]

most multi lingual guys i know would never offer their services to the american government because it never ends well for the individual.


there are horror stories that I have heard

and really... if I get put on a watch list for offering to help do a vital job, then they dont deserve my help.

 

[Rand]

As the article says, the outings are becoming a way to get back at someone - how horrible and how typical

 

[james1200]

i really don't feel like i live in the same country as these cultural conservative weirdos running the U.S...i really think they have more in common with the islamo-fascists that they are fighting than anyone in my region...perhaps that explains why they hate each other so much...flip side of the same coin and all.

 

[Croynan]

This issue game up about 3-4 years ago with a group of about 4-6 linguists who were considered superior in their jobs.

They were even being considered for posting to the Middle East Area.

The issue of their homosexuality emerged - the President and the Defense Department stood their ground and allowed them to be dismissed/discharged from their concern and interest in serving the United States.

Now that this happens again just continues to show the ignornace still remains and another talented individual is lost in serving his country.



Saw this posted in todays Sydney Morning Herald.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/15/1037080899015.html

US army fires Arabic linguists for being gay
November 15 2002


Nine US army linguists, including six trained to speak Arabic, have been
dismissed from the military because they are gay.

The soldiers' dismissals come at a time when the military is facing a
critical shortage of translators and interpreters for the fight against
terrorism.

Seven of the soldiers were discharged after telling superiors they were gay,
and another two got in trouble when they were caught together after curfew,
said Steve Ralls, spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defence Network, a
group that defends homosexuals in the military.

Six were specialising in Arabic, two were studying Korean and one was
studying Mandarin Chinese. All were at the Defence Language Institute in
Monterey, the military's primary language training centre.

The government has aggressively recruited Arabic speakers since the
September 11 attacks.

"We face a drastic shortage of linguists, and the direct impact of Arabic
speakers is a particular problem," said Donald Hamilton, who documented the
need for more linguists in a report to Congress as part of the National
Commission on Terrorism.
One of the discharged linguists said the military's policy on gays was
hurting its cause.

"It's not a gay-rights issue. I'm arguing military proficiency issues -
they're throwing out good, quality people," said Alastair Gamble, a former
Army specialist.

Harvey Perritt, spokesman for the Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort
Monroe in Tidewater, Virginia, confirmed the dismissals occurred between Oct
2001 and September 2002, but declined to comment further on the cases.

He said of the 516 linguists enrolled for the Arabic course this year at the
Monterey institute 365 had graduated.

The military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy allows gays to serve provided
they keep quiet about their sexual orientation.

Gamble and former Pfc. Robert Hicks were discovered in Gamble's room during
a surprise inspection in April, Gamble said.

After their discharges, Gamble and Hicks applied for other federal jobs
where they could use their language skills in the war on terrorism, but
neither was hired, Gamble said.

AP

 

[ComNavFdgPk]

This article was in my "in-box" when I checked my mail this morning. Thanks to Snapcat for posting it.

The original article had some very scary numbers posted as to the increase in discharges and the $$$ wasted on training the people then kicking them out.

 

[smelter]

They would have been allowed to stay had they not insisted on pink camouflage suits with gold lame trim! The army has standards too ya know!

 

[levenshulme31]

Nice to see freedom being so vigourously defended.

 

[bike10]

Did not Bush say he was uniter and a divider? What does it matter if one is gay and does his/her job?

 

[texpatriot]

What's even more telling, is that this particuliar thread was started nearly a year ago, and the Pentagon is still kicking us out of service. Five years into this "war on terrorism" and they're still kicking us out.

I betcha if Bin Laden was sucking dick in the U.S. Military Bush would have captured his ass my now!

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Persue, may have been a "compromise" when Clinton passed it, but it's clear that it is causing more harm than good for all of us.

 

[smelter]

I guess that war on terror is really important.

BTW, the lady interviewing him in this clip is worthless. WORTHLESS!

The real story is why is the military is this rigid and fucking stupid to fire 58 linguists who are saving lives everyday.

I agree, the lady doing the interview is worthless. If she were Woodward or Bernstein, Googling the word Watergate would return: did you mean 'WATER GRATE' and the websites listed would be about SEWERS.

 

[snapcat]

Kudos on reviving this thread to renew focus on a problem that's gone on far too long.

 

[Just_Believe18]

Hey, I have a question.

Are all Arabic linguists gay?

 

[smelter]

Hey, I have a question.

Are all Arabic linguists gay?

Yes, all Arabic linguists are gay but not all gays are Arabic linguists.

Its very similar to 'All good golfers know how to hook but not all hookers are good golfers'.

 

[OtterJoq]

How tragic. Wonder what the "20%" have to say about this?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

 

[snapcat]

Is this thing on?

Helloooooo .......

 

[smelter]

Is this thing on?

Helloooooo .......

Rush .... Sean ..... BillO .... are you there?