Letter to the Editor

[Rick336]

Here's a letter to my hometown newspaper The Winston-Salem Journal responding to the condemnation of General Pace's remarks that homosexuality is immoral. He uses the rape of four Airforce subordinates to condemn the entire LGBT community.

I'm working on a response to this opinion.

Here's the letter:

Expressed Opinion

I recently heard a loud outcry from the press and politicians over the expressed opinion of Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that homosexuality is immoral. Good for him!

Here is a man who is guided by his moral compass. Only a fool could argue the point, and many have raised their head. Shame on Sen. John Warner! Does no one remember Air Force Capt. Devery L. Taylor, who was sentenced last month to 50 years for sodomizing four subordinates? Not only was that immoral, it was also illegal! It has happened before.

The core values of the Marine Corps are honor, courage and commitment. The Honor Code is taught and upheld at West Point and Annapolis: don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal, and don’t be a part of anything that brings dishonor or ill repute to the military service. It would be immoral to do so.

When this nation turns its back on morals, as it seems prone to do, then look out, for destruction won’t be long in coming. I am thankful that there are still men like Gen. Pace, who will speak the truth no matter how politically incorrect it may be.

JOE F. SMITH

Winston-Salem

[andrewlittle]

Here's a letter to my hometown newspaper The Winston-Salem Journal responding to the condemnation of General Pace's remarks that homosexuality is immoral. I am working on a reply to this opinion as an openly gay man in the Letters to the Editor section of the paper. The paper's circulation is around 100,000.

The final opinion will be mine but any input from you guys will be appreciated.

Here's the letter:

Expressed Opinion

I recently heard a loud outcry from the press and politicians over the expressed opinion of Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that homosexuality is immoral. Good for him!

Here is a man who is guided by his moral compass. Only a fool could argue the point, and many have raised their head. Shame on Sen. John Warner! Does no one remember Air Force Capt. Devery L. Taylor, who was sentenced last month to 50 years for sodomizing four subordinates? Not only was that immoral, it was also illegal! It has happened before.
The charges that Taylor was found guilty of, according to
http://news.yahoo.com/s/po/20070301/co_po/airforcecaptainconvictedinmalerapes were illegally drugging, kidnapping and raping other men.
Military prosecutors described Taylor, 38, as a serial rapist who met men in bars, spiked their drinks with the "date-rape" drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, and kidnapped them.

Taylor was charged with two counts of attempted sodomy, four counts of forcible sodomy, two counts of kidnapping and one count of unlawful entry.
Taylor was not charged with and found guilty of being a homosexual, he was charged and found guilty of violence. Rape is not a sexually promiscuous act - it is a violent act using sex as part of the violence. Drugging people of any gender, kidnapping them and raping them is immoral and illegal in any context. The tendency to call this "homosexuality", as if it's the norm of GLBT behavior is delusion and insanity. This is about power and its abuse - sociopathically exercising power over another, any other, is immoral - but it not about homosexual relationships. If the victims were women (besides the immoral consequence that it would not get the attention this did), the charges would have been the same, and its illegality would have been the same.


The core values of the Marine Corps are honor, courage and commitment. The Honor Code is taught and upheld at West Point and Annapolis: don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal, and don’t be a part of anything that brings dishonor or ill repute to the military service. It would be immoral to do so.
First, the real idiocy that shows in this persons writing. Taylor is Air Force, not Marine. These are the core values of the Armed Services generally and, as such, Taylor has broken them. He brought dishonor and disrepute, but if those are the major issues then this person is deluded. Taylor drugged, kidnapped and raped servicemen - his crime was not "bringing dishonor or ill repute" - they were consequences of a man using his power and authority to wreak violence. To surmise Taylor did this as a consequence of homosexuality is akin to saying that Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes were the result of being an omnivore. These crimes are the result of Taylor being criminally sociopathic and, incidentally, acceptable enough in his power wielding to make the rank of Captain.

When this nation turns its back on morals, as it seems prone to do, then look out, for destruction won’t be long in coming. I am thankful that there are still men like Gen. Pace, who will speak the truth no matter how politically incorrect it may be.
Thankfully we'll never see the day when these good ol' United States will turn its back on illegal invasions of soveriegn nations, on torture, on illegal seizure and imprisonment, on lying in office, on abuse of power, on profiteering on the backs of the poor, on demonizing minority groups, or any number of other immoral activities. But this homosexuality thing - you know, it's the reason that the climate is warming. If it weren't for them damn homos, we'd have won the war in Iraq already, all the world's poor would be fed and have a place to live, and Pace would be a General in an organization that was purely about ensuring morality and alleviating suffering in the world. Oh, and don't get me started on the daamage they do to the economy.

JOE F. SMITH, Winston-Salem

Mindless TWIT - proof positive that some life forms are still pregnant with the possibility of becoming human.

[Zerbie]

He has not a leg (nay, not even a metatarsal) to stand on!

His logic appears to be, homosexuals might commit rape, therefore throw them out of the military.

Now: heterosexuals might commit rape. Better throw all of THEM out of the military.

Good work, Mister. :rolleyes:

[BruceChris]

About the letter writer, and the Captain. Maybe this is the sort of thing I should pray about, before I think about it.

The alternative seems to be to immediately consider saving the world, by doing away with all of the *bad* guys. And I'm afraid of the people I meet, who think like that.

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris

[u-dog]

You not actually use the words "nitwit" or "ignoramus" in your letter. And though true, it would be best not to suggest that that Joe is too stupid to be allowed to reproduce.

And speaking of nitwits, who decided that that piece of s*** was worthy to be seen in print?

[Zerbie]

So Rick,

what have ya got for a response so far?

[Pathfinder]

I remember riding in a car with one of our unit's captains shortly after "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was passed. While I'd always respected his devotion to duty, his loyalty to his troops, and his exercise of common sense, what he said during this short trip absolutely floored me.....

"Why, if they start letting queers in, what's next? People who practice bestiality? And what about people who practice necrophilia? The Army won't be safe for anyone!"

Needless to say, I did not initiate this conversation. As far as I was concerned, the less I said on the subejct, the better, especially when in uniform..... In fact, I lived in something of a panic the entire 10 years I served in the Reserves and National Guard and cannot imagine what it must be like for those serving in the active military.

Of course, I've often wondered what he would have said to me, had I looked him squarely in the eye and said, "But, sir, they've already let queers in. One's been sitting beside you this whole time, has worked on all sorts of projects for you and this unit, holds an Army Commendation Medal, an Army Achievement Medal, countless letters of commendation (two written by you), and graduated from training at the top of her class."

I do think about it from time to time and have to smile..... It's probably a good thing I remained quiet for two reasons: 1) "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, would have ended my career; and 2) The shock might have caused him to wreck --- he was driving.

[Rick336]

So Rick,

what have ya got for a response so far?


Zerbie,

I sent a response to the newspaper today. It will probably be printed sometime next week. I'll post a link to it when it comes out.

He did a little flag waving in his letter so I waved the flag right back at him.

Rick

[Rick336]

Last week I posted a letter from my hometown newspaper that praised Gen. Pace's comments condemning homosexuality as "immoral".

Today, Sunday April 1st the newspaper printed my response.

Here's the original letter from March 23rd:

Expressed Opinion

I recently heard a loud outcry from the press and politicians over the expressed opinion of Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that homosexuality is immoral. Good for him!

Here is a man who is guided by his moral compass. Only a fool could argue the point, and many have raised their head. Shame on Sen. John Warner! Does no one remember Air Force Capt. Devery L. Taylor, who was sentenced last month to 50 years for sodomizing four subordinates? Not only was that immoral, it was also illegal! It has happened before.

The core values of the Marine Corps are honor, courage and commitment. The Honor Code is taught and upheld at West Point and Annapolis: don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal, and don’t be a part of anything that brings dishonor or ill repute to the military service. It would be immoral to do so.

When this nation turns its back on morals, as it seems prone to do, then look out, for destruction won’t be long in coming. I am thankful that there are still men like Gen. Pace, who will speak the truth no matter how politically incorrect it may be.

JOE F. SMITH

Winston-Salem

Here's my response printed in the Sunday, April 1st Winston-Salem Journal:


American Values


The March 23 letter “Expressed Opinion” praises Gen. Peter Pace’s comments, calling homosexuality immoral. The letter writer uses the example of Air Force Capt. Devery L. Taylor, who was convicted of raping four male subordinates, as proof of the immorality of homosexuality.

To call Capt. Taylor’s crimes “immoral” is an understatement. His despicable abuse of the four servicemen deserves to be rewarded by a long prison sentence. But to use this to condemn an entire group of people is a terrible disservice to the millions of gay Americans like me who love our country and cherish its values.

The Marine Corps’ honor code of courage and honesty are indeed virtues to be upheld. But American values also include equality, respect, diversity and fairness. These values are at the core of our commitment to liberty and justice for all. To disregard them is to undermine the principles this country was built on.

RICK HUNTER

Winston-Salem

[Sherrie Z]

Go, Rick!

Great job! Congratulations! : )

Hugs,

Sherrie

[Emproph]

Dispassionate and to the point.

Good job Rick! :award:

[Zerbie]

Nice job. Good closing line!

[Rick336]

Thanks y'all. I appreciate your kind and supportive words. :)

I'll more than likely get some negative response to my letter but that's to be expected.

The circulation of the Sunday newspaper is around 125,000 not including the clicks on the newspaper's website. My letter will remain on the paper's website for another month which will probably add another 50,000 to 75,000 views. I expect around 150,000 will read my response.

If out of that number I can influence the opinions of just one half of one percent ( 750 people ) then it's well worth the effort.

Winston-Salem is a very conservative Southern city. Most in the area are strict Southern Baptists. Two years ago the Southern Baptist Convention was held here at one of the state's largest Baptist churches.

Back in 1996 the North Carolina gay pride organization held their annual festival in here town. Several thousand gays and lesbians from all over the state attended.

The following week 10,000 fundamentalists Christians marched through the city condemning the gay pride celebration as evil with signs reading "God hates Sodomites!" and "Homosexuals are hellbound."

On the bright side, Winston-Salem is also home to a SoulForce Equality Rider. Matt Hill Comer who is right now on a bus somewhere in the Southern U.S. is from Winston-Salem. This very active 20 year old gay man is on the front lines in the fight for equality.

Thanks Matt for your courage and commitment to equal rights for LGBT people. And thanks to all the Equality Riders for what you are doing out there on the road.

We love you guys.

Rick Hunter