Tom I know the history of pouge and the original/correct spelling, I however opted to use the spelling that most of our young Marines are using...guess that's a comment on our education system!
I knew I would end up starting something but... a significant part of humanity is homosexual. Any belief system that preaches love and acceptance without accepting these people does all humanity a disservice and smacks of hypocrisy. No, radical homosexuality is not mainstream but, as with radical anything, most homosexuals are not radical. I'm not so sure I even buy the argument that most people don't want them around, I believe that except for the “in your face idiots” on both sides of the augment most people don't give a shit. To base all ones opinions of homosexuals on the nut jobs, washouts and oh poor me segment of their orientation is about as fair as painting all southerners with the "6 generation inbreeding mountain hillbillies" brush
BillT's arguments against homosexuals in the military have little to distinguish them from the ones used when all "them niggers" were "forced" onto the military. Yet for decades the armed forces were the most integrated, least contentious segment of American culture (at least until the me firsters and PC crowds started to mess with our country and the expectations that people should meet set standards instead of changing the standard to serve an agenda). Were there issues...yes but were they as common as "mainstream culture"...nope. Hundreds of thousands of service people did their stint and learned that blacks are just like the rest of us some outstanding and some major pieces of fecal material, those attitudes carried with them when they returned to "mainstream culture" and help power the original civil rights movement. Radicals push the envelope but nothing changes if there is not an underlying cultural acceptance.
Too often the hater's raise hell about being "forced" to accept something/someone counter to their beliefs, all while firmly sure of their moral imperative to impose their version of reality on others. The Westboro idiots come to mind. Do not take this next statement as an endorsement of Islam, especially the radical version but; sometimes it amazes me when the same people who make fun of the 12th century mindset of Islam and the Quran pound on the bible as the unalterable fount of all wisdom. Conveniently ignoring the fact that the basis for the bible is even older than the belief system they are mocking and has been “altered”, both by intent and piss poor translation, innumerable times.
The arguments that we need the military/police/fire, whatever: to be all male, all strait, all this or that; or we will have problems is pandering to the same mentality as the people who modify performance standards in order to "include" everyone. If you can't interact with other adults of any gender/orientation without "problems" then YOU may the problem not them!
OK flack jacket on, helmet secure...post!