Anything that the government does with respect to the LGBT (that's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community is of interest to us, but this report should be of interest to a segment of the population that, unfortunately these days, probably doesn't get along all too well with the LGBT community: Republicans. (For the record, I firmly believe that Southern Conservative Democrats began a takeover of my party -- the Republican Party -- which they completed with the election of President George W. Bush; I am actively trying to wrest control from these hatemongers and bring the Republican Party back to its original owners, the Moderate Republicans.)
You see, a report has just been issued by an independent party that the federal government has spent approximately $363,000,000 over the past decade -- all in just one area: keeping gay men and lesbians out of the armed services.
As a Republican, to me, this is appalling. Spending what amounts to an average of $36million per year in order to keep people who want to be in the military out of it, when there really isn't a good reason as to why they shouldn't be allowed to enroll (like having a violent felony conviction) is a great example of wasteful government spending.
As a gay man, this also is appalling to me, because -- should I ever become crazy enough -- should I want to enlist in the armed services, I would not be able to do so because of blatant prejudice. And to think, at a time when the armed services needs more people in its ranks to help fight the War in Iraq because our young men and women who have enlisted in the military service are dying as time drums on.
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is doing a fabulous job in helping those gay and lesbian servicemembers with legal difficulties that they encounter (or might encounter) while in the service. They have a petition that you can sign supporting a lift on the government's ban against gay and lesbians openly serving in the military.
Report: Military gay ban cost $363M
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