It's Wednesday morning around 10:30 when the Oak Hill finally comes into view, its steel-gray bow peeking out from behind a grove of green trees at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.
It's been three months since the dock landing ship left home for Central America, and all of the usual fanfare is waiting to greet its crew: crowds of cheering families, toddlers dressed in sailor suits, and the lucky, excited woman who's been chosen to take part in a time-honored Navy tradition - the first homecoming kiss.
In this case, that woman is 22-year-old Citlalic Snell. She's a sailor herself, assigned to the destroyer Bainbridge, but today she's in civilian clothes - jeans, boots and a stylish leather jacket. Watching pierside as the Oak Hill pulls into port, she absentmindedly twists the small diamond ring on her left hand.
A uniformed liaison who is with her explains how it's going to work: Snell's sailor will be among the first off the ship, and when it's time, Snell will be escorted onto the pier for the kiss.
The liaison asks whether she's nervous.
"Sort of," Snell admits.
As it starts to drizzle, the brow is finally lowered. A handful of top officers are first off the ship, and then comes a young woman in dress blues, Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta.
Snell cracks a wide smile.
"That's her," she says.
When Gaeta spots her, she smiles, too. They embrace. With all eyes watching, they keep the kiss short, and the crowd cheers.
Brock, Et Alia:
ReplyDeleteWhy did the crowd cheer?
Why didn't anyone loudly voice an objection?
Many years ago, I attended the annual Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C.
Everything was fine until a group came marching along, identified as the Gay Men's Chorus.
The crowd cheered and applauded, but I - - - ,
I yelled out every accusation and epithet I could think of, which immediately stunned everyone else into total silence.
I never attended that parade or festival again.
Later, in Salt Lake City, Utah, another Viet Nam veteran and I were riding in his Ford Bronco past the State Capitol, where a group of homosexuals were gathered and preparing to march down Main Street.
Although the organized militant homosexuals were escorted and protected by Salt Lake City motorcycle police, I leaned out of the vehicle window and yelled out accusations and epithets.
My buddy, who was driving, got confused and killed his engine, and a cop angrily ordered him to keep driving.
Another time, I looked in a local newspaper's want ads, seeking an opportunity to earn some money strumming my guitar and singing my songs.
I saw a want ad for a social club for homosexual male "youths" between 25 years old and 14 years old.
A 25 year old is an adult, and a 14 year old is a child, therefore this organization was blatantly advertising for criminal activity.
Well, I wrote letters to editors and made telephone calls to everybody I could think of.
Remember, this was Salt Lake City, Utah, which has a reputation as the headquarters of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints.
Unfortunately, so far as I'm aware, all of my efforts were in vain.
Still, I do what little I can, whenever and wherever I can.
Those are my personal experiences and recollections.
Thank you.
John Robert Mallernee
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Gulfport, Mississippi 39507
I have talked to many military men and they inform me that bullets and grenades can appear from any direction!
ReplyDeletea 14 year old is a child, therefore this organization was blatantly advertising for criminal activity.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.
I have talked to many school age kids and they tell me there is great pier pressure to be gay or lesbian. This is very sad. The brain washing has gone a long way. I believe identifying the gays and lesbians to other fellow military people could leed to tragic consequences. I would be uncomfortable having a gay man watching my 6.
ReplyDeleteThis has never been about anything other than sexual privacy.
ReplyDeleteForcing my son to shower or bunk with homos is no different than forcing females to shower or bunk with my son. In both cases someone is forced into unwilling intimacy with someone who might have a sexual interest in them - yet one is protected and the other would have his career ruined if he dared object.
This is "equality"?!
Then there's the command and morale aspects... Few would argue that women are still a problem as they're an "officially-sanctioned-victim-group" - superiors must walk on eggshells and CONSTANTLY CYA to avoid a career-ending accusation of bias.
Now we've added homos into this mix?
The only "problem" with DADT is that they weren't permitted to "let their freak-flag fly." Why is it necessary to flaunt your sexuality while on duty? How does this support the mission in any way?
What do you think will happen to the first person to complain about "sexual harassment" from a homo?
What do you think will happen to anyone a homo accuses of "bias" or whatever?
Do you REALLY think that the rules against fraternization on deployment/duty will be enforced against homos?
Then there's the lesbian angle - a DOUBLE-victim! G*D help the man who runs afoul of a BLACK lesbian - he'll be lucky if they don't bring back keel-hauling just for him!
This is a huge, stinking bomb which has no benefits to the Services - no upside, only down!
Personally, I'm 100% SURE that this is just another aspect of The Enemy's plan to destroy America - in this case by ruining what readiness remains...
PS: I don't "hate" anyone, and I have no "phobias." I couldn't care less what any 2 (or more) consenting-adults (and/or their farm-animals) do on their own time in the privacy of their own space.
I *DO* care that it's shoved in my face every damn time I turn on my TV, pick up a newspaper or listen to the radio. I *DO* care that they're corrupting the minds and morals of my children with their sick agenda. I *DO* care that they're working toward shutting down anyone who dares stick to their morals and convictions and decline to participate in their deviance.
"IF it feels good, do it" -- FINE! -- but CAN'T YOU PLEASE STFU ABOUT IT??!!
ETA: Under DADT there were many homos who served, and often their peers/CoC knew what they were. So long as they weren't a problem, it wasn't a problem.
ReplyDeleteDADT gave the CoC a method of dealing with the PROBLEMS!
Now that's been taken away, and the results will be incalculable harm to our DoD - across the board!