West Point Thesis Challenges Army Gay Policy, Wins Award
Good for Alexander Raggio for sticking to his convictions and writing this paper.Fox has the story.
Alexander Raggio was 16 when he learned one of his relatives was gay ” and watching that person’s struggle gave him a grim introduction to discrimination against gays.
He carried those feelings into West Point, and in his senior thesis argued that the military’s policy banning gays is not only wrong, but harmful to the Army.
The Pentagon may not agree, but the U.S. Military Academy gave him an award for the paper.
“I love the Army and I think that this is hurting the Army,” said Raggio, 24, in an interview this week from his new military post at Fort Riley, Kan. “I see it as my obligation to say ‘I don’t agree with what you’re doing.’ I’m not being insubordinate ” I just think we’re making a mistake here.”
He said it was the first time he had spoken publicly about the paper or the award, which he received last year when he graduated from West Point in New York.
While the topic was controversial, and the argument contrary to the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, Raggio was presented the Brig. Gen. Carroll E. Adams Award for the best senior thesis in the art, philosophy and literature major in the academy’s English department.
August 8, 2006 - 10:20 PM on August 8th, 2006
THIS IS THE ARMY MR JONES NO MORE PRIVATE ROOMS OR TELEPHONES:cool:
August 9, 2006 - 09:27 AM on August 9th, 2006
“The Army often talks of doing the harder right rather than the easier wrong, and now it is time to put the policy where the propaganda is,” he wrote in his 24-page thesis. “Allowing the open service of gays in the military is the right thing to do, no matter how difficult a transition it may be.”
Good for him. And good for RightVoices in posting this…
I have to admit, I’m more than a bit shocked.
August 9, 2006 - 09:41 AM on August 9th, 2006
But it’s all his opinion, and many who have much longer service and experience than him disagree.
August 9, 2006 - 09:48 AM on August 9th, 2006
“But it’s all his opinion”
Apparently it’s an AWARD WINNING opinion, and that greatly opens up the possibility that others could be persuaded…
Gay Discrimination in the military will be a thing of the past.
It is inevitable, just as it was inevitable that minorities and women were allowed to serve.
Your brand of bigotry and fear won’t last for another generation, probably.
August 9, 2006 - 09:52 AM on August 9th, 2006
“The Army often talks of doing the harder right rather than the easier wrong, and now it is time to put the policy where the propaganda is…”
There’s a flaw in the above in his thinking. Propaganda?
SFL, your brand of Liberalism may not last another generation.
August 9, 2006 - 10:05 AM on August 9th, 2006
“SFL, your brand of Liberalism may not last another generation.”
I think you have it backwards. From the looks of recent things, Liberalsism is set to make a major come back!
I’m feeling REAL good today, guys!
August 9, 2006 - 11:31 AM on August 9th, 2006
#4; “Apparently it’s an AWARD WINNING opinion:”
Aha! Bingo! You have just revealed a fundamental flaw in your thinking, in the thnking of Liberals!
You assume that the award was given because of his opinion? The award validates, agrees with, and promotes his conclucion? The award proves the author was right?
Could it have gotten the award for any other reasons, like it was well written? Well researched? Controversial, and therefore though-compelling?
I’d say BATTER UP! but I have too much work today for batting practice…
August 9, 2006 - 11:52 AM on August 9th, 2006
“You assume that the award was given because of his opinion? The award validates, agrees with, and promotes his conclucion? The award proves the author was right?”
Swing batter-batter swing!
I never said that the award validates the opinion, Robert.
Now, about those reading comprehension skills of yours…
August 9, 2006 - 12:03 PM on August 9th, 2006
“Apparently it’s an AWARD WINNING opinion:”
Those are your words that you posted. Are you now going to deny you posted the above?
August 12, 2006 - 12:23 AM on August 12th, 2006
I think you might be surprised at how much support I have gotten from some heavy (though incognito) Army brass. The response to my thesis was overwhelmingly positive and supportive. You don’t think that my thesis was given the award without a lot of senior officers reviewing it?
December 11, 2006 - 03:43 AM on December 11th, 2006
Wow, Rbrt sure shuts up fast when an actual soldier posts.
December 11, 2006 - 10:08 AM on December 11th, 2006
First of all, solarc, my discussion was with San Francisco Liberal, and he never responded to my post #9, so the discussion was over.
Second, what is your point (if you have one)? Just some observations, along the line of your post:
- How do you know the poster of #10 was the real author of that thesis? You don’t.
- I was a real soldier before Alex Raggio was born. I have far more time in the service than he does. So my opinion on the subject he wrote about is every bit (and probably more so) valid than his.
- What does it matter anyway? It doesn’t.
Return your head to it’s usual location and go back to sleep.
December 11, 2006 - 03:05 PM on December 11th, 2006
Hey Rbrt,
Always nice to hear from you.
- How do you know the poster of #10 was the real author of that thesis? You don’t.
How do I know that you haven’t fabricated your military service? How do I know that you aren’t some fat little thirteen year old with one had in a bowl of chips and the other down his pants? I don’t. Still, I choose to act on good faith.
- I was a real soldier before Alex Raggio was born. I have far more time in the service than he does. So my opinion on the subject he wrote about is every bit (and probably more so) valid than his.
My last response refers to this a bit. I also wonder, assuming you’re telling the truth, if you might be a bit out of touch with today’s military (seing as how you were a soldier before A.R. was even born).
- What does it matter anyway? It doesn’t.
Alas, you’re probably righter than you know.
December 11, 2006 - 03:15 PM on December 11th, 2006
And none of what you posted above matters either.
December 11, 2006 - 03:19 PM on December 11th, 2006
My last response refers to this a bit. I also wonder, assuming you’re telling the truth, if you might be a bit out of touch with today’s military (seing as how you were a soldier before A.R. was even born).
So now you’re implying that today’s military is something I don’t understand? Like the basic elements of soldiering, of the military, of teamwork, have changed?
Clearly you don’t understand it.
December 11, 2006 - 03:34 PM on December 11th, 2006
Clearly you don’t understand it.
Probably not, but if it’s reducible to a series of lame platitudes “like the basic elements of soldiering, of the military, of teamwork…,” then apparently there ain’t much to understand.
I do, however, suspect that soldiers are more tolerant than they used to be; it wasn’t so terribly long ago that blacks and whites or men and women marching together would have seemed unthinkable. There has been a change, then, right Rbrt?
December 11, 2006 - 03:57 PM on December 11th, 2006
Uh yes, solarc, you’re so perceptive and knowledgeable!! You’re right, when I was in Army boot camp in 1976, we were definitely in separate platoons from the coloreds! Of course white officers always commanded the colored units, but that was the only integration! Gotta give that point to you!
December 11, 2006 - 04:18 PM on December 11th, 2006
I wasn’t referring to when you were in the military, dear—-I have no idea how old you are, just that you were in the army before that whippersnapper A.R. was born. My point was that, over time, the make-up of the military has changed—-a fairly safe point to make, n’est-ce pas?
You suggested that some things—-teamwork and blah, blah, blah—-haven’t changed. Fair enough, but other things have.
Dumbass.
December 11, 2006 - 05:22 PM on December 11th, 2006
WTF would you know about any of that, candidate for site designated dumbass? Only what you’ve read. The sum of your experience: Zero.
The make-up of the military has changed? Only in that women have found their way into combat units, a change that has arguably been a mistake.
And ask the Navy about how many female sailors have to offloaded when the ship gets into port—because they’re pregnant.
But I bet you think that’s just peachy.
I wasn’t referring to when you were in the military, dear”-
Having those homoerotic fantasies again? (men in little cheerleader dresses)
December 11, 2006 - 05:31 PM on December 11th, 2006
“WTF”—-watch those abbreviations Rbrt. We know how they get your panties in a bunch.
And ask the Navy about how many female sailors have to offloaded when the ship gets into port”because they’re pregnant.
Right, Rbrt. The female soldiers are just a bunch of sluts. Why don’t you post that on the memorial dedicated to Marine Major Megan McClung.
My God, you are such a hate-filled dirtbag. I can’t believe that anyone would take what you have to say seriously.
December 11, 2006 - 06:49 PM on December 11th, 2006
You are the one who called them sluts. I am talking about the problems that tend to naturally result from putting males and females together in close quarters. You know? Biology? Birds and bees? Or have you forgotten what nature tends to do with males and females, given yours is a world of homoerotic fantasies?
You are doing an excellent job of campaigning for official site dumbass. shiloh had better get to work because you are running up the score!
December 11, 2006 - 06:51 PM on December 11th, 2006
men in panties, men dressed in little cheerleader outfits—these are apparently the fanatsies that occupy solarc’s mind.
December 11, 2006 - 07:07 PM on December 11th, 2006
19- is this what you are referring to Robert:wink:
December 11, 2006 - 09:54 PM on December 11th, 2006
Yes, it has been a problem for the Navy for some time.
December 11, 2006 - 09:57 PM on December 11th, 2006
Post #13: “…some fat little thirteen year old with one had in a bowl of chips and the other down his pants?”
solarc’s homoerotic fantasies have now reached the point where they involve underage boys. He is spinning out of control.
Good grief, man! Get help, immediately! They have treatments, drugs, whatever to treat even your affliction!
December 12, 2006 - 02:21 AM on December 12th, 2006
The make-up of the military has changed? Only in that women have found their way into combat units, a change that has arguably been a mistake.
And ask the Navy about how many female sailors have to offloaded when the ship gets into port”because they’re pregnant.
It doesn’t sound like you’re just talking about the birds and the bees, Rbrt. It sounds like you’ve decided what sort of soldiers women make.
I’ll bet that you were a great soldier, Rbrt. That’s why you have so many great points to make. Because of all your experience, right, Rbrt?
You were never a soldier. You were and are a hate-filled loser as unable to make a real argument as you are unable to write a grammatical sentence. The country you claim to love so much would have no use for you.
December 12, 2006 - 03:09 AM on December 12th, 2006
And so with post #26 you reveal yourself to be likely another member of the ranks of the ignorant degenerates who occasionally happen upon this website and deposit their digital diarrhea before going back to Daily Kos, moveon.org, or michaelmoore.com.
I was never a soldier? And how and wtf would you ever know about it? Like much of what you post about, you just don’t know, but that doesn’t deter you at all. You are the clear winner for site dumbass, imo. My credentials have been well established on this site long before you ever decided to diminish it with your presence.
I am unable to write a grammatical sentence? Yeah, right. Again you are shooting blanks.
The country I claim to love so much would have no use for me? I have already served it, you armchair idiot, and I have also risked my life in community service for the last 22 years. Something you don’t know about, and yet another thing you would never understand.
And just what have you done for youer country, for your community? You want to throw stones? Put up or shutup, bozo. Anything besides type out your pathetic drivel on various websites? Anything useful, even a little?
December 12, 2006 - 03:34 AM on December 12th, 2006
I was never a soldier? And how and wtf would you ever know about it? Like much of what you post about, you just don’t know, but that doesn’t deter you at all. You are the clear winner for site dumbass, imo. My credentials have been well established on this site long before you ever decided to diminish it with your presence.
I can’t imagine that “your” country did or does have any use for you. We all know how easy it is to pretend who we are on the internet, right Rbrt? I don’t believe that you ever were a soldier and no amount of your bitching and moaning and carrying-on will convince me otherwise. I could give a fuck about your credentials. I know a grumpy, useless coward when I see one.
And just what have you done for youer country, for your community? You want to throw stones? Put up or shutup, bozo. Anything besides type out your pathetic drivel on various websites? Anything useful, even a little?
I work for for the American laborer, something that an unpatriotic crypto-fascist like you would be to stupid to understand.
Whatever you were or are, my country has moved beyond it. Fade away, tough guy.
December 12, 2006 - 10:40 AM on December 12th, 2006
You work for the American laborer! Well lah deee dah. There’s really something to take note of. There’s really a great resume, a credential that gives you the basis to criticize oyhers who have done things for their country and community that you don’t even understand.
I don’t know you either, but from your postings, I’d say you are another little turd, floating in the toilet bowl of the blogosphere. You are probably a big star on Daily Kos, a Gold Member of the Michael Moore fan club, a loyal DU poster, and a contributor to moveon.org.
Flush! Watch the turd known as solarc spiral down the bowl into the sewer, where he belongs.
Now I know you’ll have to have the last word, because you are just the kind of troll that relishes it (as evidenced by you starting this by reopening an old thread with your post #11).
December 12, 2006 - 03:20 PM on December 12th, 2006
done things for their country and community that you don’t even understand.
I’ve already established beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’ve lied about this. If you keep insisting I’ll just have to assume that you’re mentally ill.
Now I know you’ll have to have the last word, because you are just the kind of troll that relishes it (as evidenced by you starting this by reopening an old thread with your post #11).
Are you going to let me have the last word, douchebag? Or are you going to win that moral victory?
December 12, 2006 - 05:12 PM on December 12th, 2006
I’d let you have the last word except for one thing you posted:
I’ve already established beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’ve lied about this.
You have established nothing other than that you are a waste of oxygen.
December 12, 2006 - 05:42 PM on December 12th, 2006
You have established nothing other than that you are a waste of oxygen.
I admit that was unnecessarily cruel, and I apologize. I don’t think our disagreement needs to include things that clearly are out of bounds, and that was.