The Constitution And Human Rights: Not Subject To Public Opinion Polls!

Back in 1947, a survey was done of military personnel, asking them how they felt about integration of whites and African Americans.

Also, they were asked how they felt about Jews and other minorities!

Not surprisingly, a vast majority made clear their Antisemitism and racial hatred! Narrow mindedness and prejudice was very evident!

However, in a courageous act, President Harry Truman went ahead in 1948, and ordered racial integration in the armed forces, whether those in the military liked it or not!

Why was this? Because President Truman knew this was not an issue of how people felt, or what public opinion was! It was a question of human rights under the Constitution of the United States! Truman was not setting out to be popular, but to do what was right to do in the promotion of equality and justice!

Therefore, the recent survey asking how troops felt about the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military, and therefore the allowance of openly gay and lesbian soldiers as a result, was inappropriate and wrong, as it is not the issue of how military personnel feel! It is the issue of human rights, which should not be subject to a vote of the people!

This has been mentioned in an earlier entry on this blog, but it is being brought up again, upon the news that an openly gay soldier, Lieutenant Dan Choi, has been removed from the military because he is gay and said so publicly! This is happening to many others just at the time when the policy might be changing!

This is a miscarriage of justice and should not be happening, but it is, and it is disappointing that it is taking so long to bring about the end of this discriminatory policy, which forces talented and skilled soldiers out of the military, simply because of their sexuality! 🙁

Again, it should not matter what public opinion is on this matter, any more than gay marriage and adoption should not be denied, no matter what people think! These are human rights, and public opinion cannot stand in the way of a person’s basic human rights!

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