by John C Smith

Created on: March 30, 2009

Don't ask! Don't tell! In the military they say if you don't tell us your gay we won't ask if your gay. Last night my wife and I had a discussion on this topic while watching the movie swing vote. She feels they should get rid of that law, I say hell no. It may not be a just and fair law people should be allowed to be who and whatever they want in this date and age. It is however a law that does help more then it hurts. My wife does not know what it is like to be gay or to grow up with a gay person very close to her.

I on the other hand have had that experience My late brother Randy was gay He did not hide it very well and even thou my other brothers and I did not like the fact that he was gay we had no choice in the matter. It did cause a lot of problems for us in the house and in the neighborhood. We were always getting into fights cause of his sexual preference. As a family one learns early that blood is thicker then water and no matter what you stand up for each other, of course I would learn later in life that not everyone in the family got that lesson.

Anyway to make a long story short the don't ask don't tell rule prevents a lot of violence in the world. No matter what we do as a people there are always going to be people who disagree with our choices and who are scared by them. By stating openly that a person is gay might not be so bad until you put that person in the same locker room or shower room or in some cases the same state as one who opposes it. It is like backing a wild animal in a corner they will jump out in fear and attack. So for the safety and well being of all those who are in the armed forces and playing team sports or really just living their lives the don't ask don't tell rule is there not to hide them but to help them.

Fear is an emotion that takes over ones body and mind and can make you do things you would never think of doing. Lets be realistic about it when was the last time we heard of a group of gay people jumping a straight one? I have never heard of even one case but I have seen and heard of many so called gay bashings. No law will ever be able to contain the fear that lives in most, we could lock up everyone who participates in a crime against gay people and it will never stop the crimes from happening. So I say that until we find a cure for fear we need the don't ask don't tell rule. We can not control the fear within people it is the way they are raised, thats just one mans opinion..

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