random thoughts

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It’s time for the American military to wake up and smell the coffee - and admit the obvious truth - gays have been serving in the military for as long as there has been a military.


They serve proudly, honorable and distinguish themselves in war and peace.

But that’s only if they never, never, ever admit to being gay.

The same kind of asinine statements about having blacks and women in the military are now surfacing again.

There’s nothing like a little ignorance in positions of leadership.

The Washington Post reports that Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia said that if they began to loosen one restriction, others might unravel, leading to a louche atmosphere brimming with “alcohol use, adultery, fraternization and body art.” Don’t ask, don’t tat.

Obviously Senator Chambliss has never been on post or he’d know there’s tons of alcohol abuse, adultery, fraternization and body art. Tattoos are as big a tradition in the military as anything else.

Now you can be ten kinds of sexual deviant, beat your kids and wife, drink to excess, sexually harass woman military personnel and be allowed to serve.

If the military can withstand those activities, they can surely withstand openly gay men and women serving their country.

At one time John McCain, a long supporter of the military and what it wants, said he would support a new policy on gays in the military as soon as the top brass in the services told him it was time.

According to the New Your Times, McCain told a group of college students that he would drop his objections on the issue “the day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy.

They did.

Now McCain is backtracking on that statement as fast as he can.

If a man or women wants to serve and is qualified, let them serve. We need the best and the brightest in our military be they white, black, female or gay.

Obama is doing the right thing.



AIG

One only wonders what the big brass at AIG is thinking - except how to fatten their wallets.

They announced yesterday that they were taking a pay cut of sorts, chopping 10% off their bonuses .

We’ll see how that works. Last year they said employees would return $45 million in bonuses by the end of 2009. So far only $19 million has been returned.

I'm betting AIG doesn't care - they got a bailout and are reaping the rewards.

Somewhere along the line AIG forgot who gave them a helping hand when things were tough.  They should get a memory refresher and return the favor.

The obvious reponse by the American people is to boycott AIG.  Stop using their products. Cancel your policies.

If they want to play hardball with bonuses, let's play it back.




Maybe those who promised to return the bonuses were waiting to see how big a chunk of change they got this year before deciding on whether to make good on their promise.