The Onion #2

I just couldn’t stay away from the videos on The Onion because they are just so hilarious. This time, I viewed one titled ‘Gays Too Precious to Risk in Combat’ Says General. The best line in the video was when the general being questioned explained why homosexuals should not be allowed to be part of the military: “They’re special, pure, and rare, like a gleaming diamond, or a snow white colt. We must protect them.”

The reason that this article was produced is because one of the biggest issues in the United States today is whether gays and lesbians should be/are treated the same way as heterosexuals. For example, they are not allowed to marry…this is one of the biggest controversies today. Should they be allowed the same rights as heterosexuals?

As far as the military is concerned, the United States government has issued a policy called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This prohibits anyone who “demonstrate(s) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the military, because it "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability." The act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation, or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. The policy also requires that as long as gay or bisexual men and women in the military hide their sexual orientation, commanders are not allowed to investigate their sexuality. However, there is still a lot of discussion about whether or not homosexuals should be allowed in the military at all.

The article is taking the controversy of homosexuality to a new level by making fun of this policy, saying that gays shouldn’t be allowed to join the army…not because they are “different,” but because they are so important to today’s society. I found this article very interesting because the point they are trying to make is “Are homosexuals really any different? If they want to fight for their country, then why shouldn’t they be allowed to join the military?” However, this is still open to personal belief.