I’m talking about the Armed Services. In 1948, any number of arguments were put forth about why it was a very, very bad idea to integrated the Army. Today, there are any number of arguments - mostly from those who do not or have never served - being put forth about why it will be a very, very bad idea to let gays serve openly.
Those arguments didn’t hold water then, and the modern arguments won’t hold water today.
But Rich, this absolutely is not the same argument. You might as well say that since women were once barred from the marines, convicted murderers should not be barred from the marines.
Never did the Church say racial integration is immoral, and no valid moral argument could be mounted by a Catholic from that standpoint against it. It does say that homosexual sex is extremely immoral. The government’s official acceptance of overt homosexuality, which is essentially equating it with heterosexuality, is scandalous in itself and facilitates further scandal by allowing for “I’m a proud, gay Marine” advertisements aimed at the young, and so forth.
Yes, I know. The civil society is not obligated to follow the teachings of the Church. But I am. Just because we are Americans, it does not mean we are thereby obliged to assent to the society’s descent into endorsement of moral depravity. How does that thing in the bible go? “It would be better for him if he hung a millstone around his neck than to lead one of my little ones astray” (paraphrase).
And yes, I also know this government will repeal DADT. But just because it will do so does not obligate me as a Catholic to assent to the approval and advertisement of grave immorality, and particularly not for the sake of some soldier feeling deprived because he can’t presently slow dance with his boyfriend at a post social event or announce his “marriage” to his “partner” with total assurance that it won’t be treated the same as if he had danced with his girlfriend or announced his engagement to her. A couple of the previous posts suggest that he wouldn’t even be drummed out of the service for that, but only that it’s uncertain.
If the previous posters about Article 125 are right, all we’re really talking about here is the opportunity a service person might have to march in uniform in gay pride parades or be on “I’m a proud gay Marine” ads in the high school yearbook, or be charged with sodomy but only in connection with, say, a rape or murder. And to do that, we’re willing to have the government endorse homosexuality as an official position.
What this really is all about is getting the government to equate homosexuality with heterosexuality as the official position of the government.