LadyPact
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Marc2b
I don’t see what the big deal is. This is America and we have a thing here called freedom of speech. A reporter, or any person for that matter, may ask Barney Frank anything they damn well please and he is free to respond or not. Personally, I think he handled the question well – not overly mocking but just mocking enough while pointing out flaws in the question’s premise. I would also remind people that one of the beautiful things about freedom of speech is that it makes it easier to spot the assholes. So let freedom ring… and let people speak up!
On this we agree.
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As for Barney Frank himself, he’s had enough political shenanigans to be disliked as a typical politician, his sexuality really isn’t an issue.
While it's rare for Me to make contributions in this section, any time I that I do so, I attempt to keep to the subject at hand. I'm not looking at Frank's entire political career. I'm looking at the interview on one subject.
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The DADT issue does touch upon a thorny fact: Men and women have separate showers mostly because we have been raised to believe that it is wrong for the opposite sex – except for specific circumstances (spouses/lovers/doctors) – to see each other naked. The great fear of the moralists, of course, was that “sinful” passions might be aroused – and there is some truth to that. The arousal part, not the “sinful” part. I know that if a beautiful young woman was taking a shower next to me, my pecker would let me (and everyone else in view) know that it was ready, willing and able to perform its duty… which would be kind of embarrassing even though it is perfectly normal and natural.
Truth be told I think that most women and more than a few men would be uncomfortable with co-ed showers because they are uncomfortable with being gawked at sexually and there is an analogy to homosexuals and heterosexuals showering together. VioletGray is quite right that the abolition of DADT is unlikely to result in a sudden upsurge of gay soldiers sexually assaulting their comrades in the showers (and if one did, the military has its own court system to deal with such violations) but knowing that Private Johnson is gay and that you're his type might still be enough to make some people feel awkward and uncomfortable in such situations. So what do we do about people who are uncomfortable showering in the presence of gay people? Barney Frank nailed it: We let them make their own choices. If you don’t want to shower with gay people then don’t join the military or the local gym and don’t live in the dorm at college. You make your choices and then accept the consequences that flow from those choices.
In this, I think you are skipping something. My belief is that there is an additional vulnerability in the case of women and men and gay men and straight men in the same circumstances. We know that acts of sexual assault against women have little to do with sexual acts themselves. It's about violence. In the case of men and women with equal defensive training, such acts of violence can be easier to commit. Not especially the same case when we are talking about people of the same gender. Let's not forget the spikes that were experienced in reports by women who were being sexually assaulted when women were integrated into certain areas. That's a little more than feeling awkward.
As sad as I am to say it, I do believe there will be an increase in violence as gays are open in their service. Actually, I don't really think every homosexual is going to feel free to announce their orientation as soon as DADT is abolished. Some will be so glad not to be living a life of secrecy that they will do it right away and others are going to sit back and wait.
This violence won't be instigated by gays. It's going to be by those straight folks who are similar to the guys who used to roll guys in the park or outside of clubs. There are going to be a few high profile cases, the military will administer the strictest punishments (which, keep in mind, is not prevention) so that the culture will change.
As a military wife, I see these things coming. I'm not proud of them, but I know this is a possibility.
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RE: Barney Frank De-Balls A Wingnut - 
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