Pentagon survey on DADT incredibly biased, derogatory

[FreeState]

http://sdgln.com/causes/2010/07/09/pentagon-survey-dadt-incredibly-biased-derogatory-0

WASHINGTON -- Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, today strongly condemned the biased and derogatory design of the long-awaited Defense Department survey on issues related to the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) law.

The survey, which was created and administered by the research firm Westat in conjunction with the Comprehensive Review Working Group, was sent out to 400,000 non-deployed active duty troops at a cost to taxpayers of $4.4 million.

The article does not point this out - but GLBT service members are not guaranteed protection against DADT when answering this survey (though the military is insisting its safe...). Nothing like leaving the minority voice out of a this.

"While it remains safe for gay and lesbian troops to participate in this survey, it is simply impossible to imagine a survey with such derogatory and insulting wording, assumptions, and insinuations going out about any other minority group in the military," said Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army interrogator who was discharged under DADT.

"Unfortunately, this expensive survey stokes the fires of homophobia by its very design and will only make the Pentagon's responsibility to subdue homophobia as part of this inevitable policy change even harder. The Defense Department just shot itself in the foot by releasing such a flawed survey to 400,000 servicemembers, and it did so at an outrageous cost to taxpayers."

Nicholson added, "Flawed aspects of the survey include the unnecessary use of terms that are known to be inflamatory and bias-inducing in social science research, such as the clinical term 'homosexual;' an overwhelming focus on the potential negative aspects of repeal and little or no inclusion of the potential positive aspects of repeal or the negative aspects of the current policy; the repeated and unusual suggestion that a co-worker or leader might need to 'discuss' appropriate behavior and conduct with gay and lesbian troops; and more."

A copy of the survey can be found at www.servicemembersunited.org/survey

[msongs]

1. survey is just another profile in cowardice on this issue nt

[FreeState]

3. It really is appalling

The questions have absolutely nothing to do with what we have been told it was about - not one thing about the legal issues we were all told needed addressed.

The questions in this "survey" have all been asked and answered many times over by the military and the government (even before DADT was put into place the first time).

[sandnsea]

2. It is disgusting and useless

I can see a survey that asks questions about preventing discrimination, harrassment and other legal obstacles.

But this survey asks nothing important and if these questions were asked about any other minority there would be a national uprising.

Just disgusting.

[FreeState]

5. "if these questions were asked about any other minority there would be a national uprising."

And there is the problem. Seriously, it seems like the vast majority of people just don't give a damn.

[MerryBlooms]

15. BINGO

That's exactly it.
Disingenuous survey, to say the least.
Repeal the damn thing and let's get on with what's really important - protecting ALL our troops by bringing them home.

[ruggerson]

33. wow we agree

[xchrom]

4. You need a survey to tell soldiers to integrate? Nt

[racaulk]

6. Seriously.

Why is the soldiers' input on this relevant at all? If DADT was repealed and the military brass told soldiers to deal with it, they would.

Soldiers take orders from ranking officers, not the other way around.

[racaulk]

7. "Would you feel comfortable showering in an open bay shower in front of a known homosexual?"

Really? WTF does that sort of question have to do with military readiness? Besides, soldiers ALREADY do this every day, and there doesn't seem to be a problem with troop morale or enrollment numbers.

Geez. :eyes:

[FreeState]

9. Not to mention its a completely heterocentric question - all the questions are

they completely ignore the voice and options of answers for GLBT service members.

[racaulk]

10. Very good point.

:thumbsup:

That whole survey is disgusting.

[pinboy3niner]

11. "...a known homosexual?"

Shades of the McCarthy era! Does the survey also ask, "Are you now or have you ever been...?"

Geez, indeed!

[FreeState]

19. That always reminds me of "are you an open homosexual?"

Like were a 24 hour convenience store or something. I swear people don't even think of how what they are saying sounds...

[Touchdown]

22. Or a "Practicing homosexual". I don't have to practice, I'm good at it!

[FreeState]

23. LOL n/t

[jonnyblitz]

24. !!!

:rofl:

[Bluebear]

31. !!!!

[Canuckistanian]

37. The word "known" troubles me also

When you attach the word "known" to a type of person it USUALLY connotes criminal or harmful activities.

"Known pedophile" comes to mind as does "known criminal" or as you say, "known communist".

[Turborama]

30. The actual question doesn't use the term "known homosexual" and is multiple choice

The actual question: If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and you are assigned to bathroom facilities with an open bay shower that someone you believe to be a gay or lesbian Service member also used, which are you most likely to do?

It's not a yes or no question, it's multiple choice.

Here are the answers they can give...

“Take no action"

“Use the shower at a different time than the Service member I thought to be gay or lesbian"

“Discuss how we expect each other to behave and conduct ourselves"

“Talk to a chaplain, mentor, or leader about how to handle the situation"

“Talk to a leader to see if I had other options"

“Something else"

“Don't know.”

Page 26: http://www.servicemembersunited.org/survey

ETA It is telling that they use the term "Take no action" instead of "Take a shower", though.

[Smashcut]

35. Please stop presenting the "real" question as if it's ANY LESS OFFENSIVE

Who gives a shit that it's multiple choice?

Would this question be acceptable to you if it was about any other minority group?

[QC]

36. No, it would not be acceptable if directed at any other minority.

But you cannot expect people to understand that if defending a politician to whom they feel a peculiarly intense attachment requires them not to understand it.

[joeybee12]

8. Repeal and Deal

They are TRYING to come up with an excuse to NOT overturn it. FUCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK!

[Smashcut]

12. It's absolutely disgusting

[MerryBlooms]

13. Geez, are they trying to 'weed out' or what?

I'm going with the 'weed out' and 'what'. This survey is crap.

[jonnyblitz]

14. I agree. If my gay ass was still in the navy I would be very

leery about filling this out.

[MerryBlooms]

16. Oh yes, absolutely, I would also.

I am so disgusted and disappointed.

I posted the survey on my Facebook page along with my opinion. I believe this survey should be posted to the high heavens so people see this survey for what it is - bullshit ... ssdd ... fuckers

[Touchdown]

20. Me too. I wouldn't fill it out or send it in

I don't know about what life is like under DADT, since I was in the Army during the all out ban, so I had no choice but to hide.

[jonnyblitz]

25. I was in for a few years after Desert Storm so i got a bit of

the DADT and, to be honest,I couldn't tell the difference from my limited observation. I just remember when somebody get caught the rest of us would be on pins and needles wondering if , when interrogated, they named names. they always forced the ones that got caught to name names. I am not sure if they did that after "don't ask don't tell". all i know is it got old hiding it and worrying for ten years. you STILL had to hide under DADT.

[QC]

17. How very, very hopeful and changealicious! n/t

[Touchdown]

21. That's what "Fierce Advocacy" looks like!

:dunce:

[QC]

26. Fierce!

[Touchdown]

29. Hey! No dissing President Kitty!

He's adorable! :hug:

[pinboy3niner]

18. Perhaps the troops should have their own DADT policy for this bogus survey

The possibility of troops boycotting the survey to send their OWN message probably isn't realistic. Neverless, the thought "warms the cookies of my heart."

[Bluebear]

27. .

.

[Withywindle]

28. OMG, I just read the whole survey.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

It pretty much boils down to

"I will treat other human beings as human beings if I find out they are gay/lesbian"

a) yes
b) no
c) maybe, but ick
d) I'm too ignorant to know.


For, like 32 pages of variations on that theme.

[uppityperson]

32. you missed "talk to a chaplain". The survey is offensive.

First part is "tell us everything is peachy fine and you're happy to stay in the military because you like to kill people or can't find a job in the depression", second is as you write.

[Withywindle]

34. I did blank that out.

And I know how much the military has been overrun by "chaplains" who are basically Dominionist holy warriors who want to re-enact the Crusades.

[jp11]

38. The only thought I had about the survey and outcome being bad

was if somehow the results say just about anything other than 'the repeal won't have any real negative impact on our military readiness, or troop morale/cohesion' if it says repeal is going to be bad, then the survey was a load of BS. In that case Obama should either get DADT repealed by having the report signed anyway or give the pentagon the 30 or 60 days they would have had if the study said the truth and they signed it to prepare for the repeal, then issue an executive order or whatever he has to do to repeal DADT on schedule, if he doesn't he is a coward.