Not everyone is thrilled about the prospects of the post-“don’t ask, don’t tell” era of the U.S. military.
On Sunday’s “The McLaughlin Group,” MSNBC contributor Pat Buchanan argued that the repeal of the Clinton-era policy on homosexuals in the military will have the effect of imposing the values of Fire Island, a popular destination off the coast of Long Island in New York for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender tourists, on the military.
“Well, the arguments against it, John, they come from folks like the commandants of the U.S. Marine Corps,” Buchanan said. “You are trying to impose the values of Fire Island on Parris Island. These are 19-year-old Marines. They’re very macho guys. Many of them are Christian traditionalists and you got these secular values and you bring open homosexuals into the barracks with these guys — it will be hellish.”
Buchanan cited the current Marine commandant, Gen. James Amos, who has raised concerns about the detrimental effect the repeal will have on his units.
“One Marine commandant said simply, ‘Would moving homosexuals into the barracks with my Marines enhance the fighting effectiveness, the cohesion and morale of our Marine units? I don’t believe it would,’” Buchanan continued. “Why change something that is working. The Marine Corps is the finest unit in the world, or one of them, and it works. Why impose outside values on them?”
But in a broader context, Buchanan told host John McLaughlin this was a victory for those who advocate a multicultural society in the United States.
“John this is a multicultural society, there’s no doubt about it,” Buchanan said. “The multiculturals have won. But there’s one culture basically, as I said, to Fire Island, and an entirely different culture. You impose one from outside on the other and you’re looking for trouble. Our Marines do very well without this.”
Buchanan was dour on the values of American society as a whole.
“I don’t think time is on the side of Western civilization, if you want to know,” Buchanan said. “This battle may be won like many others, and I think society is going downhill.”
As for the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy being outdated, Buchanan said he disagreed with its implementation in the first place.
“I think they ought to retain it,” Buchanan said. “I don’t even think they should have put that in to begin with.”
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