Campus relationship with ROTC should end
By Daily Bruin Staff
Jan. 31, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Campus relationship with ROTC should end
Discrimination practices based on sexual orientation don’t
belong at UCLA
Today, the university is called to account for its failure to
stand by its nondiscrimination policy. The continuing presence of
the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) on this campus and the
probable discharge of Cadet Huong Nguyen illuminate the hollowness
behind the policy. Although the university has asserted its moral
authority in resolutions and letters, it has failed to end
discrimination based on sexual orientation on this campus.
This allowance for discrimination is no less egregious than
state-sanctioned segregation. Just as the Civil Rights Movement
showed us the error of discriminating on the basis of race, so too
must we learn the error of discrimination based on sexual
orientation.
Contentions of decreased morale with the admission of openly
homosexual and bisexual persons to the military are based only on
stereotypes. One must look no further than the Los Angeles Police
Department, whose similar policy has gone by the wayside with no
visible detriment to morale. In addition, no other country holds a
similar policy for their armed services.
For all these reasons, the Daily Bruin calls for the elimination
of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps beginning with the entering
class of 1997. This elimination would allow all ROTC students
enrolled before fall 1997 to finish the program. Thereafter, no
students would be admitted to ROTC on this campus unless the policy
of discrimination were changed. In effect, ROTC’s relationship with
UCLA would end.
Further, the Daily Bruin recommends the Board of Regents to
adopt this stance. Until then, we urge all UC campuses to implement
a similar strategy to phase out their Reserve Officer Training
Corps programs.
On Dec. 22, 1993, President Bill Clinton shocked his supporters
with the establishment of the Department of Defense’s "Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell" policy regarding homosexuals in the military. The gay,
lesbian and bisexual communities, among others, were outraged at
the compromise, which forces homosexuals and bisexuals to hide
their sexual orientation while in service.
Despite letters from Chancellor Charles Young to the Department
of Defense secretary calling for the end of discrimination based on
sexual orientation, ROTC still refuses students who are openly
homosexual or bisexual.
The Academic Senate took a stand against the "Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell" policy as well. It resolved to take action against ROTC’s
discrimination, even if it meant elimination of the program. Their
official resolution states: " … it is important and appropriate
that UCLA renegotiate its ROTC contracts with the Department of
Defense so as to make the ROTC program consonant with the
university’s non-discrimination policy. If these efforts prove
unsuccessful, UCLA should take appropriate measures to terminate
participation in the ROTC program."
Yet, after revealing she was gay in a letter dated May 8, 1995
to Lt. Col. Michael Graves, Cadet Nguyen was placed on leave and
suspended from ROTC activities. In addition, Nguyen’s scholarship
money, which totaled more than $5,000, has been withheld for the
past eight months while she awaits the secretary of the Army’s
decision on her status.
It is now three years since the Academic Senate resolved to take
"appropriate measures" if renegotiation efforts failed. Perhaps the
inherent discrimination in "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" would continue
to be ignored by the university if it weren’t for Nguyen’s
case.
The time has come to "terminate participation in the ROTC
program." In fact, the time is long overdue. We urge the Academic
Senate to hold to its resolution of nearly three years ago.
Until the Department of Defense acknowledges the discrimination
inherent in the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy and revokes it, UCLA
should phase out the ROTC program.
ROTC is not to blame for the discriminatory "Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell" policy; it is under Department of Defense jurisdiction. Like
Nguyen, we do not advocate punishing program participants for
something beyond their control. However, the Daily Bruin insists
that no form of discrimination belongs at UCLA. As long as ROTC
remains, the university is neglecting its nondiscrimination
policy.
Daily Bruin File Photo
Protesters demonstrate against UCLA’s ROTC program policies
toward homosexual and bisexual students during a rally in October,
1994.
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