Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Oh, Nevermind

I consider myself to be reasonably well informed on gay issues, especially as they are covered in the media. So I was very much caught off guard by two facts.

First, the May 5/6, 2007 edition of the leading and public voice of the American military establishment, Stars & Stripes, the official newspaper of the United States Armed Forces, published by the Department of Defense, rather nonchalantly reports that Petty Officer 3nd Class Jason Knight has been returned to active duty and even promoted to Petty Officer 2nd Class. Yawn, you say? In 2004 Jason Knight outed himself to the United States and was summarily discharged for being gay. The second fact that caught my attention is the complete lack of media coverage of this rather startling bit of sea-changing news.

According to Stars & Stripes: "On his wedding night in July 2004, then-Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Knight finally accepted a truth he had fought against for years: he was gay.

Almost immediately, he moved to get his marriage annulled. He apologized to the woman he'd married. And when it came time to explain his changing circumstances to the Navy, he left nothing out. Under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, he was quickly discharged from the service.

But now - whether through a clerical oversight or what some claim is an unwritten change in policy to keep more gay servicemembers in the ranks at a time of war - Jason Knight is back on active duty.

Since promoted to petty officer second class, Knight is finishing a scheduled one-year tour in Kuwait with Naval Customs Battalion Bravo. And, already kicked out of the Navy once, he sees no need to hide his sexual orientation."

Yes, as if it is not news at all, this military newspaper tells us that an openly gay American naval officer is on active combat duty in Kuwait.

Is this the first such case? An isolated case? One of many cases? Is the notorious "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy passing quietly and ignominiously into the night? Has a sea change begun in U.S. Military policy towards homosexuals that the White House and the Pentagon hope nobody notices--especially the Red States? Or will a "clerical error" soon be corrected and Knight will be discharged a second time?

Posted May 6th 2007 6:08AM by Richard Rothstein

Favorite Rowing Quotes

"Marathon runners talk about hitting 'the wall' at the twenty-third mile of the race. What rowers confront isn't a wall; it's a hole - an abyss of pain, which opens up in the second minute of the race. Large needles are being driven into your thigh muscles, while your forearms seem to be splitting. Then the pain becomes confused and disorganized, not like the windedness of the runner or the leg burn of the biker but an all-over, savage unpleasantness. As you pass the five-hundred-meter mark, with three-quarters of the race still to row, you realize with dread that you are not going to make it to the finish, but at the same time the idea of letting your teammates down by not rowing your hardest is unthinkable...Therefore, you are going to die. Welcome to this life."-- Ashleigh Teitel

"It's a great art, is rowing. It's the finest art there is. It's a symphony of motion. And when you're rowing well Why it's nearing perfection- And when you reach perfection You're touching the divine. It touches the you of you's Which is your soul."--George Pocock

"Don't blow your load on the first stroke, fellas."--Unknown

"There is advantage in the wisdom won from pain." -- Aeschylus

"MCP, maximum controled pressure. No tomorrow, no waiting, nothing beyond the moment. We seek the perfect balance--total abandon on the drive, total control on the recovery."--Unknown

The Soldier's Song by Demon Hunter

Through the clouds of fallen ash, a lonely mother's cry Among the fields of broken glass the loyal few will rise Faith now regained Finding strenght within the void, of raging fire ignites A spark of ever-burning power and conviction to fight Pride be your name We are the sons of holy wrath, a shining light in the dark The ones who walk amongst despair, no sign of fear in our hearts Stand in death's way Shut out the voice of mindlessness, open your eyes to the truth Believe the words that stand the test and not the slurs of the youth You're not what they say

Armed with resistance and blind to the cost They say your purpose is mindless and lost But we don't adhere to the slader they spill We mourn with your losses and stand by your will

These tears we spill They haunt us still The cries of the weak lie quiet in sleep Beneath our feet

Turn over the tables and watch them run You'll be the weapon they can't outgun


They will spit upon the honor that you guard with your life And run to hide in selfish fear when threat of death is in sight Lay down your shame




“The Soldier’s Song” is for all of the Demon Hunter fans that have written us from overseas, fighting in the war. Many of our fans over there have told us that we’ve been inspiring to them and that we give them encouragement in difficult times.In lieu of a music industry that seems to give US soldiers more to regret than anything, Demon Hunter wrote a song for our soldiers to give them hope and to let them know that they are appreciated. I feel that many people have made these men and women feel unimportant. Many of them have seen friends and family die over there and if these soldiers are told that their time spent fighting this war is in vain, then that implies that these people died in vain. Demon Hunter would rather give these people our support and respect.

The Lord advances like a warrior; He stirs up His zeal like a soldier. He shouts, He roars aloud, He prevails over His enemies. Isaiah 42:13