Gunboat Posted 16 November , 2005 Share Posted 16 November , 2005 A sensible suggestion, I think it is a fascinating subject and look forward to following the thread wherever it is placed. I think Warpoet has showed great resourcefulness in using this site and I can see from some of the very erudite replies that he will get some very useful help and guidance from the contributors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 17 November , 2005 Share Posted 17 November , 2005 Ya'know ... I can't really understand much of this ... everyone seems to be speaking quite around the bush. If the assignment was to unmask gay poets ... you need to define Gay ... and you need to establish what being Gay is ... or living Gay ... Is it an act of plumbing meeting plumbing? If one's AC was once DC are you labelled forever ... If it is an act of emotion, then who's to say ... Fussells book takes us there ages ago ... Who's to say about any of us if everything we did under the covers of privacy with whomever (or Whatever????) were known to the world or if in the dark corners of our minds and imaginations were known, where would we be? Having been associated with the IB for a while ... many times it pushes great questions or intriguing questions that excite and motivate young minds toward intellectual quests ... Good (?) or not ... I think - on the whole positive - but many of the answers are like Schoolboy Marxism and the romance of war ... and the Muscular Christianity Imperialists of the late 19th Century ... Just remember the REAL historical answer is: "It's not as easy or simple as that." Complexity and the eternal mystery of people are the historical truths I follow and the ones in which I believe. Walt Whitman was important and inspiring regardless of his sexuality - not because of it ... but it does help understand or give us a particular lens with which to view his life and works ... okay ... so what? It is not where he wanted to plant his plumbing that makes Whitman, Whitman ... but his words. I, for one, don't delve into critique, but interpretation is in the listening and feeling of his words. There is a legend that Leaves of Grass was the most carried book in the Civil War ... if true, it was the poetry ... Only in academia can so many moles build hills ... But, again, and furthermore, I may be wrong or simply have too simplistic a view ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrB Posted 17 November , 2005 Share Posted 17 November , 2005 Modern day attitude to gays in the military, in the US forces, is "don't ask, don't tell." This came about during the Clinton administration. Prior to this, homosexuals were persona non grata in the services and the "reason" for this was not that they were poor soldiers, but that they could be open to blackmail and therefore compromise their unit's security. Phooey! It was a reason to gay-bash, period. Politics played a great part. If the soldier was gay and a good trooper, he/she was ignored. If he/she was a trouble-maker, he/she was hounded and pursued until kicked out of the service. This double standard was disgusting. In my opinion, It gave our CID and NIS Hitler youth boys a chance to swagger around and pick on harmless people in the name of Security. Some of the very best Navy Corpsmen I saw in action in Viet Nam were not heterosexual. DrB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borderman Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 Modern day attitude to gays in the military, in the US forces, is "don't ask, don't tell." This came about during the Clinton administration. Always wondered about this "Don't ask, don't tell thing". What if you were a transexual or transvestite - you wouldn't really need to tell. Slingbacks on a 6'2" bricky from Danville Texas might give the game away. Just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrB Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 Yo, borderman....I don't think one of those critters would bother to enlist. Slingbacks on a fella is kinda "telling.!" DrB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borderman Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 I've met some strange Texans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 Just 'cause they're 6'2" doesn't mean they're not women! This is Texas ... and, since we're a state where carry'n a gun is almost mandatory, anyone that size can be just who they want to be ... it's okay by me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now