I got an anonymous letter from a bisexual soldier
we talked last week or the week before about how
the American Family Association and Family Research Council
were being called hate groups
in these presentations taking place in front of military members and and they
were being told
better if you don't donate to these groups et cetera now this is someone who
wants to remain anonymous but he
shed a lot of light onto what's going on he said I am a member of the military
intelligence community in wish to elaborate on the statements made in the
video
about the AAFA being labeled a hate group
before I start I have to begin by saying I'm expressing my own views
I don't speak on the happen the military what the soldier was speaking up was the
process by which the government issues security clearances to individuals
granting them access
to classified information did this and allegiance two organizations identified
as hateful
would or perhaps could be considered a derogatory connection
and therefore inhibit an individual but to
from obtaining or maintaining security clearance while I agree that individuals
expressing hateful speech
should be viewed more cautiously I'm inclined to express caution for the
following reason:
if we grant that the government should be in the business of excluding
individuals on the basis of their beliefs
then the risk is that the government or perhaps more accurately the
administration
will attempt to consolidate power by excluding those individuals who express
contrary opinions and therefore inhibit descent
I would suggest that restricting individuals actively participating in
hate group does not rise to this level of censorship
the danger remains in excessive use a power
by the government and the citizen has a responsibility to maintain awareness
that the government for that reason
due to my status within the military please protect my identity as much as
possible
I would like to add that I am bisexual and have not inconsiderable dislike for
individuals who would participate
in such organizations so this is an interesting argument which is
if you start allowing
the military to put
individuals in a lesser light or to prevent them from having certain
promotions are access to certain things
hate group designation could extend simply to groups that you disagree with
and then you could have an administration that simply keeps anyone
that they disagree with politically
out of positions of power where otherwise they would be completely
qualified
is that a legitimate concern when we talk about groups like these being
labeled hate group is that is a reasonable
slippery slope argument to you Louis I think that's a legitimate concern but I
think
most level minded people would agree that the two groups here that we're
talking about
are definitely a group I think we just have to keep a close eye on it
and I and see where it goes but if the consensus is that these are
I'm are hate groups then I think it's okay
and I think we have to remember this is not the government designating this
group is a hate group all by themselves
the it is widely established by non-governmental groups that the FAA and
the FRC are hate group so I think that
the concern is fair but it would require full cross over to the government
itself maintaining a list in these hate groups and
certainly no republican-controlled House
and if we have a president Republican president again is going to put anti-gay
groups on that list
I don't know I think that the concern is is want to think about
I don't think it's that practical that this is going to happen the way this
soldier is
is suggesting I now I mean I don't expect anything
like that happen at least not quickly but just keep your eyes on
on what's happening as long as its a group real hate groups then
there won't be any problems of course conservative disagree that the FAA's a
hate group and also that opens up a whole other can of worms but we will
explore that in the future