What happens when an all-male organization like the Catholic clergy allows homosexuality to become institutionally entrenched? The answer is organizational and moral chaos. The priests start hitting on the altar boys. So-called "lavender mafias" emerge in certain parishes and dioceses. There are occasional, and outrageous, instances of pedophilia. Young homosexuals find the institution of the clergy a marvelous "cover," not to mention an excellent place to meet other homosexuals. And the higher-ups, at a loss for what to do, act to hush up what the Bible would have called these dens of iniquity.
If you doubt that the Catholic Church has a problem with all this, ask Cardinal Roger Mahony, who just announced that the Los Angeles diocese will pay $660 million to more than 500 victims of sex abuse. In the vast majority of cases we aren't dealing with pedophilia--an extremely rare disorder that is no more prevalent in the Catholic church than it is elsewhere in society--but rather with homosexual priests taking advantage of their authority to seduce teenage parishoners and altar boys.
Now consider what would happen to that other predominantly-male organization, the U.S. military, if it got rid of "don't ask, don't tell" and allowed open homosexual relations between soldiers. We can easily imagine all the problems, but is there an upside? The Spartans are one of the few groups in history to allow homosexuals in the military. They tried to use it to fighting advantage. The idea was that men would be more willing to die for the sake of partners to whom they had become sexually attached. So the Spartans fought as couples, with each young soldier romantically linked to an older veteran. Typically the older veteran played the "male" or dominant role and the youthful recruit the "female" or passive role in the relationship.
Putting on my Clausewitz hat, I've been thinking about how this strategy could be employed by the American military. Should the United States army set up gay platoons, where camaraderie is based not on team loyalty and male friendship but rather on sexual partnering among veteran soldiers and new recruits? I mentioned this to a friend in the armed forces and he could only forsee one benefit. He noted that if the American military gets soundly whipped in a future engagement, we could always laugh off the defeat and say, 'Well, yeah, but you only beat a bunch of gays."
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 6)
16. D'Souza's problem is that he equates the abuse of boys by men with homosexuality. This is the "blood libel" that homophobes use against gays.
There is NO EVIDENCE that supports the contention that adult homosexuals abuse children or teens more than do heterosexuals. What people like D'Souza refuse to accept, despite all the evidence, is that men with adult heterosexual tendencies abuse boys perhaps at an equal (or maybe greater) rate than do men with adult homosexual tendencies.
For more info on this subject go to www.boxturtlebulletin.com or to my website, http://www.centerforinquiry.net/li/local_resources/articles/.
Gerry Dantone at 11:52AM on Jul 16th 2007
17. Wow...how can someone so disconnected from reality get a blog that's publicized by AOL?
Pedophilia has NOTHING to do with homosexuality, and the majority of pedophiles are straight. The priests who molested children (not all of whom were male) were predators, not lonely men looking for dates. To attempt to blame homosexuality for the behavior is to suggest that molestation of girls is acceptable.
BTW...Gays have been serving in the military all along, and they serve in the military in countries all over the world, with no problems at all. If someone is shooting at me, the LAST thing I care about is his/her sexual orientation. I always wonder about people who have an issue with gays in the military. Do they think that the gay soldiers' weapons shoot rainbows and show tunes? Do they think a soldier in combat is worried that someone is looking at his butt?
I know a lot of people who have family members who are serving right now. They worry abut their loved ones having body armor and helmets. They worry about snipers and IEDs. They live night and day with the fear that these young people who put their lives on the line will come home maimed...or that they won't come home at all. The issue of whether they're serving next to gay soldiers doesn't even register.
Melinda at 11:52AM on Jul 16th 2007
18. That is it! I have had enough of AOL giving this complete idiot a soap box to spew his hatred from. As of today I am no longer with AOL. I hope others will follow. There are too many people who disagree with this dope for AOL to excuse him away.
Steven Parker at 8:01PM on Jul 16th 2007
19. Sorry, have to give you a C- in Greek history. The Sacred Band of Thebes not the Spartans were known for the "homosexual" pairs. The Sacred Band was destroyed in battle when, under attack by horsemen using lariats and grapnels, a hopite was pulled from the ranks, his lover would break ranks to try to rescue his companion.
With the shield wall of the phalanx broken and the troops in disorder, there was no way for the remaining hopites to defend themselves. So the Sacred Band of Thebes met its end.
longwalker at 12:25PM on Jul 16th 2007
20. Funny. 300 million people in the United States; God knows how many writers, and AOL gives this loon bandwidth.
Alex Hamilton at 12:36PM on Jul 16th 2007
21. Surely you jest? If this is some sort of lame attempt at satire I'm sorry to report you have failed miserably.
I cannot even convey how absolutely exhausted I am of hearing gay men being equated to pedophiles....makes my blood boil!!! It is a convenient excuse for the Catholic church to lay blame and not accept responsiblity for the immense failures of theire all too powerful religious brainwashing club. The priests who molest boys are pure and simple pedophiles...end of story. Deeply disturbed human beings masquerading as 'fathers' of the church.
As far as your military comments....you are terribly misinformed and a complete idiot if you really believe any of what you said.
Mr. D'Souza you owe an apology to every gay man on the globe for continuing the defimation of their characters that has been perpetrated on them for far far too long...
As a Lesbian woman I am deeply offended every time one of my bretheren is so viciously attacked by the legions of the ignorant that run rampant in every corner of this planet!
Clearly your your heart and soul have not entered a state of awareness, wisdom, light, tolerance and compassion.
Rebecca at 12:38PM on Jul 16th 2007
22. The Spartans did not last very long as a culture. Darwinian mechanics favors monogamous male/female mates when it comes to humans. Probably because it takes nearly 20 years to raise a new human and mating for life is the best way to insure that commitment. Most modern humans live in a fat comfortable artificial enviroment so they don't feel pressured by the Darwinian equations any more. Which is fine as long as the keepers of the artificial enviroment stick around. If things ever go down the tube then the whole gay thing might matter, but at this point in time it's of no real consequence to the species.
Darkmanwp at 12:30PM on Jul 16th 2007
23. I think that our soldiers have enough to worry about without having to deal with relationships in the front lines with either men or women. It is much to soon to do away with don't ask don't tell, especially at a time of war. We don't need a soldiers to be looking over his shoulder concerned with the way he is perceived by his fellow comrades, and distracted by the real enemy at hand. This question of sexual preference in the military will not be answered here today or tomorrow or even in the next 3 years. Contrary to what the media reports and what television has propagated our society has not reached such a level of open mindedness.
Sukie
sukie at 12:38PM on Jul 16th 2007
24. Mr. D'Souza, As always I enjoy your analysis. I may not necessarily agree with everything in your position, but it certainly adds spice to an interesting debate. Thanks, I hope to read more from you.
Ctrylwyr at 8:51AM on Jul 17th 2007
25. I would respect you DD much more if you just came out (pardon the pun) and said, "I hate gays." Instead you attempt to hide it with silly imaginary scenarios about having gay troops.
As to the church, anyone with half a brain knows there have been gay priests since Day One. Most DO NOT molest "altar boys" and have done their jobs and remained celibate. My guess is that at one time yes being gay was taboo and no doubt gay man hid in the priesthood. Why do you automatically assume a gay man cannot remain celibate anymore than a heterosexual one can? Either way, it is a challenging way to live - as a priest. It is time for the Catholic church to let priests marry.
David S. at 12:49PM on Jul 16th 2007
26. Denish D'Souza, please look up two words in the dictionary. #1- pedophila and #2- Ignorant.
Patty at 1:01PM on Jul 16th 2007
27. Well, you do write for AOL. I guess I can't expect anything more than this sort of garbage from you, Dinesh. I've only been reading these articles for a little bit now, this being only my second comment, I believe, and I've lost all respect for you. In fact, I don't think I ever had any respect for you to begin with; you're a true to life hater monger.
Have you asked the child molestors if they're gay? Oh, of course not. You're just jumping to conclusions. Silly me, for thinking you could be a little more open minded. And to think that all men in the military are straight is laughable. In fact, a close family friend of ours is a Army Ranger, and he's gay. I think I'll have him fight for my freedoms (And possibly twist your head off) rather than some snot nosed straight kid who suffers from panic attacks at the first sign of war.
And in your next article, maybe you can tell us what makes you think there aren't homosexual relationships in the military (There are plenty of heterosexual couples, and I see no problems so far), and what "problems" you can imagine. I'm sorry, but even if I were gay, I'd keep my eyes on the enemy, not my gunner's ass.
You're not respectable. I'm not even sorry to say it. You're just pathetic.
Christian at 1:11PM on Jul 16th 2007
28. I think this is a wonderful idea! Yes, the Spartans were fearsome and effective, and so would our new gay and lesbian platoons, which I assume we'd deploy only for the most dangerous, dead-end missions.
What other sorts of loyalties could we tap into, I wonder, because you know we'd have to avoid the appearance of discriminating against any particular group . . . Oh I know, let's have a neo-con pundit brigade! Let's put all the wealthy, bestselling far-right hawks together, dress them in fatigues and send them off to get shot and blown up. Let's not forget to send them to Walter Reed when they come back maimed. They can watch each other's backs when the going really gets tough, and no doubt would be at least as effective as anyone else . . . Also, this would also do wonders for morale, for the good men and women who have actually put their lives on the line again and again in Iraq and elsewhere.
best,
mw
michael white at 1:32PM on Jul 16th 2007
29. The open minded enlightened sexual identity entities , mixed in with all the perverted sexual fetishes for a sexual orientation rape kit of a destination for molestation that's the truth of the homosexual agenda situation.
Johnny at 1:41PM on Jul 16th 2007
30. What is so fun about this comment blog..nothing..it just goes to show hate ,tolerated. I refuse to come back with other outrageous comments other than..It is always the person in a glass house to throw the first stone,,tell that to your "best Friend".
Ken Eckhart at 1:43PM on Jul 16th 2007