Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Wall Street Journal
December 8, 2008
Pg. 17
Bad policy on gays is not a good reason for a ban.
By Learned Foote
For nearly four decades, Columbia University has excluded Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) from its campus, a decision made in the wake of student unrest in the late 1960s. But this Sept. 11, candidates John McCain and Barack Obama reignited the debate before a crowd of 8,000 students when they both came out in favor of ROTC's return.
Last week, this latest argument over ROTC ended when results of an undergraduate referendum were tallied. The pro-ROTC side lost by 39 votes.
A few gay students, I among them, publicly supported the return of ROTC. Today, opposition to ROTC's return focuses predominantly on the federal law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which prevents gay people from serving openly in the armed forces. Columbia Students for Naval ROTC, a coalition of roughly 30 students, included four gay people. Notably, the other three gay members were veterans, men and women who had served under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Every member of Columbia Students for NROTC -- gay and straight -- opposes that policy, and yet we strongly believe in NROTC's return. Why?
The ROTC programs produce more officers than service academies like West Point. More than 60% of officers in the army are ROTC graduates. Through ROTC, students receive a liberal arts education thanks to generous scholarships, often covering the entire cost of tuition. They spend their undergraduate years studying alongside the civilians they may eventually risk their lives for, promoting a healthy interaction between civil society and the military. Upon graduation, students in ROTC receive commissions and command 30-50 soldiers or sailors, immediately contributing to military leadership.
Columbia has a long history of military service. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower once served as our university president, and 23,000 midshipmen trained on our campus during World War II. Our Naval ROTC once graduated more officers per year than the Naval Academy.
Today, Columbia could make a key contribution to military service. A Columbia education provides a nuanced view of our complex global society. As an elite institution, we could help bring balance to our military, which is underrepresented both in the Northeast and among the wealthy.
My perspective as a gay student greatly affects my views on ROTC. University President Lee Bollinger stated that to invite ROTC back to campus would violate the university's nondiscrimination policy. Many gay students rallied together, and the Columbia Queer Alliance argued that the return of ROTC "would be a grievous setback in the fight to remove discrimination from campus."
I found myself torn between two sets of values. I wanted to fight discrimination, but I also wanted Columbia to restore its relationship with a fundamental American institution. My conversations with gay veterans helped resolve these differences. They too believe that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is discriminatory. But rather than boycott the military until matters improved, they decided to prove that they too could serve their nation.
An estimated 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serve in the armed forces. Their dedicated service inspired 104 retired generals and admirals to come out against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Working within the military to change hearts and minds, they accomplished more to fight discrimination than Columbia ever has by standing on the sidelines.
We cannot discount Columbia's potential to help create liberalizing influence from the bottom up. The few Columbia students currently participating in off-campus ROTC programs in the Bronx can do precious little to effect change on their own. As a university funded in part by taxpayer dollars, we cannot excuse ourselves from actively engaging with the military.
Most importantly, we cannot meaningfully address the discrimination of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by keeping the military off campus. Let us do our duty as Americans. Let us imagine a military that represents our best values.
Mr. Foote is a sophomore at Columbia.
December 8, 2008
Pg. 17
Bad policy on gays is not a good reason for a ban.
By Learned Foote
For nearly four decades, Columbia University has excluded Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) from its campus, a decision made in the wake of student unrest in the late 1960s. But this Sept. 11, candidates John McCain and Barack Obama reignited the debate before a crowd of 8,000 students when they both came out in favor of ROTC's return.
Last week, this latest argument over ROTC ended when results of an undergraduate referendum were tallied. The pro-ROTC side lost by 39 votes.
A few gay students, I among them, publicly supported the return of ROTC. Today, opposition to ROTC's return focuses predominantly on the federal law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which prevents gay people from serving openly in the armed forces. Columbia Students for Naval ROTC, a coalition of roughly 30 students, included four gay people. Notably, the other three gay members were veterans, men and women who had served under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Every member of Columbia Students for NROTC -- gay and straight -- opposes that policy, and yet we strongly believe in NROTC's return. Why?
The ROTC programs produce more officers than service academies like West Point. More than 60% of officers in the army are ROTC graduates. Through ROTC, students receive a liberal arts education thanks to generous scholarships, often covering the entire cost of tuition. They spend their undergraduate years studying alongside the civilians they may eventually risk their lives for, promoting a healthy interaction between civil society and the military. Upon graduation, students in ROTC receive commissions and command 30-50 soldiers or sailors, immediately contributing to military leadership.
Columbia has a long history of military service. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower once served as our university president, and 23,000 midshipmen trained on our campus during World War II. Our Naval ROTC once graduated more officers per year than the Naval Academy.
Today, Columbia could make a key contribution to military service. A Columbia education provides a nuanced view of our complex global society. As an elite institution, we could help bring balance to our military, which is underrepresented both in the Northeast and among the wealthy.
My perspective as a gay student greatly affects my views on ROTC. University President Lee Bollinger stated that to invite ROTC back to campus would violate the university's nondiscrimination policy. Many gay students rallied together, and the Columbia Queer Alliance argued that the return of ROTC "would be a grievous setback in the fight to remove discrimination from campus."
I found myself torn between two sets of values. I wanted to fight discrimination, but I also wanted Columbia to restore its relationship with a fundamental American institution. My conversations with gay veterans helped resolve these differences. They too believe that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is discriminatory. But rather than boycott the military until matters improved, they decided to prove that they too could serve their nation.
An estimated 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serve in the armed forces. Their dedicated service inspired 104 retired generals and admirals to come out against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Working within the military to change hearts and minds, they accomplished more to fight discrimination than Columbia ever has by standing on the sidelines.
We cannot discount Columbia's potential to help create liberalizing influence from the bottom up. The few Columbia students currently participating in off-campus ROTC programs in the Bronx can do precious little to effect change on their own. As a university funded in part by taxpayer dollars, we cannot excuse ourselves from actively engaging with the military.
Most importantly, we cannot meaningfully address the discrimination of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by keeping the military off campus. Let us do our duty as Americans. Let us imagine a military that represents our best values.
Mr. Foote is a sophomore at Columbia.