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Ear to the Ground

Today’s Blog Is Brought to You by the Number…

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Posted on Aug 11, 2006
The number 55

That’s the number of Arabic linguists who have been discharged from the Army for being gay. Fifty-five. (We missed this fact when we blogged about the latest dismissalinterview here—but it’s so shocking we felt we had to bring it up now.)

If the military were serious about winning Iraqis’ hearts and minds, it would find a way to keep most of these linguists in the service.

US Newswire:

The U.S. Army recently discharged a highly regarded Arabic linguist who was the target of an anonymous email “outing” campaign. Former Sergeant Bleu Copas was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., and was a member of the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division. A decorated Sergeant who received impressive performance reviews, Copas also performed in the 82nd Airborne Chorus. His dismissal, under the federal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel, brings the total number of Arabic language specialists dismissed under the ban to at least 55. Neither Copas nor his command know who was the source of the email campaign.

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By Linda, August 22, 2006 at 3:38 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

What ever the reason, government and society will find one. If its not the Arabs, its the Blacks, if not Blacks, its the Asians, if not Asians, its poor people, if not poor people, its the gays, if not the gays, its women, if not the women, its the Homeless, if not the homeless, it is “Them”......? Ask yourself this question. Who then is a resonable person to fight the in-justice and un-equality in our own backyards in our own community, in our own homes? Are you a resonable person? Linda

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By piersgavestonsr, August 13, 2006 at 4:48 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Could this be a deliberate effort to weaken our war effort? It could be either sincere domestic opponents of the war, or a “fifth collumn” working in concert with enemies abroad.

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By R. A. Earl, August 12, 2006 at 2:05 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

There’s no need for linguists to facilitate communication when NEITHER SIDE has any interest in understanding or being understood!

Everyone’s talking. None are listening. As Camus stated… “Man is Absurd.”

The US has one weird definition of FREEDOM. It smacks more of FASCISM to me. And STUPID fascism to boot!

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By C Quil, August 12, 2006 at 6:43 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Sounds like a plan. Fire Arabic linguists because they’re gay but recruit people of marginal intelligence with felony convictions or antisocial personality disorder, like the thug who raped and murdered a fourteen year old girl, because he’s straight and therefore no threat to anybody.

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By Cruz Perez, August 12, 2006 at 5:50 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The administration says that it has the right to do whatever it takes to win the war on terror, up to and including total disregard for the Constitution.  It makes no sense to me that it still sees fit to dismiss a very viable and necessary tool in the “war on terror” because of some misguided idealogical dogma.  Incredible.

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By TomChicago, August 12, 2006 at 5:05 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

24 militaries worldwide, including some of our “partner” nations, allow gay soldiers to serve without this kind of persecution. DADT was a sop to the hardheads that have given to our language the term SNAFU.

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By Michael Hogan, August 11, 2006 at 12:17 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

For goodness sakes, will the US military grow up and realize that being gay is not a problem.  Who cares?  Does any other Western military hold thios nosensical view?

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By harald hardrada, August 11, 2006 at 9:47 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

our glorified leaders fire these people, fire sibel edmonds & out valerie plame because they don’t want us to find out what’s going on

they get all the intelligence they need by reading the old & new testaments together with a child’s guide to the crusades

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By mike zacchino, August 11, 2006 at 9:26 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Pretty sad commentary. 

Perhaps Sergeant Copas and some of the other 54 linguists could form a corporation and offer their services to the Government, making 10-20 times what they earned in the military.  I hear prior service is a plus.

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