Greg Leake emails:
Hi Luke,
I’m a VietNam veteran (once in a neglectful moment, you referred to me as a World War II veteran, which would have made me about 80 or 90 instead of only 15 or 20 years your senior), and I view this decision as a very bad idea.
It’s a bad idea in a long history of bad ideas as I believe Jurassic Park put it. It may or may not be an achievement for gay Americans, but that completely dismisses the point of whether it’s good for military effectiveness or social cohesion in the military.
Naturally, as combat is the most obvious bang for the buck relative to tax dollar spending, it is the focus of military brass in congressional hearings.
However, the thing that this misses is that the military is a society. The military has very rigidly defined hierarchies of power, authority and can easily be corrupted by favoritism, blackmail, extortion, preferences, and a host of other dark parts of regular experience endemic to the human condition. The closest I can come to thinking of a civilian institution similar to the military would be prison. Some would say the police force, however, cops punch out at the end of their shifts and live with civilians and in the civilian world until it’s time to go to work.
Frankly, in a situation defined by the dynamics of military interaction, one can scarcely think of a more corrupting influence than the introduction of openly homosexual members to that system. I could spin out scenarios by the dozens that could bring down military effectiveness and military operations. Frankly, we heterosexuals do quite a superior job of messing things up all by ourselves without the inclusion of yet another dramatically opposing element into the fray.
I tried to introduce my point of view to some leftist sites, and they almost thought that my experience only led me to conclusions that were satanic. (I know Rabbs has whitewashed Satan to an extent, so please excuse me from rabbinical culture. I’m speaking colloquially.) You know, Luke, I think Jews are right about this one. You have often written about the dark side of human nature unrestrained. Sometimes in military situations you see that dark side very vividly. And with openly homosexual members, with no reason whatsoever to be restrained by the necessity for circumspection, you’re going to see some dark situations indeed.
(Luke, my man, and Rabbs, would you be so kind as to explain to us how that couple who pulled off the scam in People’s Court that you posted will be received when they show up at their shul? Will it be high fives for chutzpah, or will it be condemnation?)
I can’t conceive of any shul being proud of this kind of chutzpah.
According to this show, the Orthodox couple were lying in an attempt to steal $3,000. No shul is going to be proud of that kind of behavior.
This story indicates the Orthodox couple were not lying.
RABBI RABBS POSTED ON FB A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO: $3K for a F’n wig? Are you kidding me?? That was G-d’s doing to tell them to get their priorities straight. Let her wear a $30 scarf, and the rest of the money should’ve gone to poor people. F them for letting me starve while she has to wear a G-d d*n wig when wigs go against the spirit of the Torah anyway.
And then go on TV with their kvetching????? what a desecration of G-d’s name. this makes “Jewish” rap not look so bad.
I’m going to barf.
