The MSU-Detroit College of Law has a dilemma.
It’s involved in a situation the assistant dean for student affairs calls a catch-22. The law college is required by national law to allow military recruiters to hold on-campus interviews. And if it doesn’t, federal funding the school receives could be suspended.
But meanwhile, the discriminatory practices of the military to ban gays and lesbians from serving are in violation of policies at the university and MSU-DCL. College Dean Terence Blackburn said the law school values the recruiters because of opportunities they provide. In turn, he admits their practices are in violation of high diversity standards MSU-DCL holds.
“Unfortunately when we allow the military to recruit on campus it makes it appear we are not fully committed and open to a diverse society,” he said.
“However that is just not the case.”
In an attempt to allow members of the MSU and law school community a chance to express their opinions on the issue, an open forum was held Tuesday night discussing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Since 1993, the U.S. military has not been allowed to ask the sexual orientation of its applicants. Still, gays and lesbians - if their sexual orientation is uncovered - could be discharged.
The forum was attended by Jeffrey Montgomery, the executive director of the Triangle Foundation - a Detroit-based organization seeking to protect rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.
Montgomery said he was impressed by the college’s and MSU’s willingness to address the issue.
Montgomery stressed the forum would not be about the value or the lack of value of the military.
Instead, it was about the military’s failure to allow diversity when it comes to gays and lesbians.
“Schools should not welcome the military to their community if they have any interest in holding a policy of nondiscrimination,” Montgomery said.
He also said he thinks the military’s policy is the worst it’s ever been. Unfortunately, he says the opinion of the public says the situation is improving.
“Bill Clinton promised changes for the gays and lesbians in the military which attracted huge support from the gay community when he was elected,” he said of Clinton’s pre-election days when he promised to lift the ban on gays in the military. “But the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy was a crushing disappointment.”
Montgomery doesn’t feel the policy is any more effective than in the past, when the military was allowed to directly ask about sexuality.
Paul Lochner attended the forum after he spent the day recruiting at MSU-DCL.
As a person who conducts on-campus interviews for the county prosecuting attorney’s office, Lochner said he realizes the importance of being able to recruit college students.
“This is one of the best ways we are able to find the best minds that are perfect for what we want,” he said.
Lochner is also a reserve officer for the Navy and understands the position gays and lesbians share.
“Unfortunately the military is being punished for something they didn’t really do,” he said. “It was Congress and the president who made the decision.”
