Posted on 09/06/2006 9:34:01 AM PDT by FreeManDC
Last year Naval Academy instructor Lt. Bryan Black made a sexually-tinged remark to a female midshipman. It was not a case of rape or sexual assault. It was not even "I'll trade you a better grade for certain sexual favors." Rather, the comment was a vulgar remark - much like something you might hear during a Sex in the City re-run.
But Cupcake got offended and filed a complaint. The complaint eventually made its way to the Naval Academy's superintendent, Vice Adm. Rodney Rempt. All of sudden, Black found himself the target of a criminal investigation.
A criminal charge for salty language? What's going on here?
Tailhook, that's what.
In 1991 a group of Navy aviators touched down in Las Vegas for their Tailhook Convention, an annual round of carousing, imbibing, and other bacchanalian indulgences.
Gloss over the fact that most female personnel in attendance were repeat attendees who knew exactly what was coming. Ignore the libidinous ladies who lined up to engage in activities like "pleasuring the rhino." Pretend that the gals didn't engage in their own high-flying debauchery, including "package checks" of male genitalia and topless bartending.
And forget that Ensign Beth Warnick accused three male aviators of gang-raping her, only to later admit that she had lied so her boyfriend wouldn't learn the truth of her extra-curricular activities.
The fact was, after they sorted through all the tawdry tales, only three of the reported incidents of "sexual assault" could be considered criminal in nature.
No matter, the media began to compare Tailhook to the rape of Nanking. And feminists seized on the episode as proof of a warrior culture that needed to be brought to heel.
A full-throated -- and well-orchestrated -- hysteria over sexual harassment in the Armed Forces was about to begin. And elected officials who desired to curry favor with the feminist lobby began to call for a non-stop series of hearings, investigations, and task forces.
In 1994 the General Accounting Office did a survey on sexual harassment in the military. The GAO found that "unwanted sexual advances" ranked dead last on the list. One of the most common types of harassment, though, consisted of comments that the presence of women had lowered military standards.
That's right, men, stop griping because women can't drag a firehose across the flight deck or give the heave-ho to a 100-pound anchor. Don't you realize that such remarks are creating a hostile environment?
What has become clear from all the surveys, though, is that a crisis of false allegations now overshadows the problem of actual physical abuse.
Earlier this year the Sexual Assault and Prevention Response Office (SAPRO) reported on an analysis of 848 investigations. Among those alleged sexual offenses, 641 were found to be unsubstantiated, unfounded, or involved insufficient evidence. So three-quarters of the complaints were deemed unworthy of disciplinary action.
In May the Naval Academy Board of Trustees was informed that among 40 cases of alleged sexual harassment, 72% were found to be unsubstantiated or invalid.
Last year Joseph Schmitz, Inspector General of the Department of Defense, released a report on sexual harassment at the service academies. This survey featured a new twist -- it also asked about false allegations.
Among men, 72% reported that fraudulent allegations are a problem. Likewise 73% of women said false claims were cause for concern. The gals realized that frivolous allegations do nothing to enhance their standing and respect among their male peers.
So why did it take over a decade of taxpayer-funded investigations to come to that common-sense conclusion?
Recently Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness concluded, "these polls embarrass the academies, demoralize the cadets, and make the case for more lucrative contracts for 'victim advocates' . . . Feminist pork needs to be trimmed from the DoD budget, not expanded even more."
Meanwhile back in Annapolis, last January superintendent Rempt invited the Navy cadets to attend a performance of Sex Signals. Given that the play contained far more sexual innuendo and X-rated language than Lt. Black could have indulged in with Cupcake a few months before, maybe the play should have been called "Mixed Signals."
And exactly why did Vice Adm. Rempt decide to lower the boom on Bryan Black? Because Rempt had just launched a "zero-tolerance" policy on sexual harassment.
Of course, we live in a flawed world with imperfect people. So in practice, "zero-tolerance" becomes the basis for ramping up the penalties for an offense that no one can define, and abolishing due process protections for an allegation that no person can ever hope to refute.
Salty language in the Navy?? My God!!!
Young men should stay clear of our new PC Military
Hehehe, somehow I doubt her name is "Cupcake" now...
One day they will figure out that women dont belong with men in the miliytary.
It's not just the military, it's everywhere. Just a sampling of nonsense going on at schools in this area; you have everything from sex-segregated lunchrooms to boys being told that "staring" and other ill-defined behavior is harassment.
From race to sex, welcome to the world where victim is king.
And to add insult to injury, women's and girls' clothing today is probably more provacative and slutty than ever.
This has done major damage in the Services. Remember Gen. Claudia Kennedy?
On the other hand, they collapse into tears and hysterics upon hearing the salty strains of The North Atlantic Squadron.
Can anyone figure the logic behind that?
Agreed; why don't the kids realize that being 15 and having more than your ears pierced really isn't sexy? It's far too inviting for 18 year olds.
Right on. The military is just a reflection of society; the better part I might add.
While I was on active duty, being saddled with a female meant having to do double duty. If I had six enlisted, two female, I could guarantee that 25% of the time I would have only four show up to duty, two to sick call for female problems. The women in our AFSC had easy jobs but they learned quickly that if they were assigned to an undesirable duty, they could lean upon their femaleness and go to sick call. I shudder to think of the women working in a critical MOS or AFSC that were depended upon to show up to duty daily. There are sure exceptions but in ten years of service I didn't see one.
"Rather, the comment was a vulgar remark - much like something you might hear during a Sex in the City re-run."
Are military men ever going to figure out that making vulgar remarks to female colleagues or subordinates might possibly get them into trouble? If you don't say it, you can't be reprimanded (or worse) for it. Civilian men seem to have grasped this concept.
"Are military men ever going to figure out that making vulgar remarks to female colleagues or subordinates might possibly get them into trouble?"
So, the twits pounded on the door, "let me in, let me in, let me in, I can too be one of you....."
So we let them in, the first thing they do? Tell us how we have to change to accomodate THEM and their silly little sensativities. Kinda like an illegal demanding we serve him in spanish.
I thought they had to wear uniforms, just as the men do.
...."you stupid turd, Do you know who your daddy is?.... Cause it ain't a human ...did you have a lot of farm animals in your yard?.".....well say something and it better start with "sir" and end with "sir" you miserable little maggot..."
"do you want us to have a little pity party here and wipe away those tears, maybe even show you how to take a f@cking leak while standing up..... or are you gonna get up and kick somebody's a##?"
That was the kind and understanding method that a bunch of us learned about during pugil sticks and hand to hand combat.
my sexuality, my mere presence on earth as a human and the fact that my mom wasn't a female dog nor my father a monkey could prevent this type of verbal abuse....
boo-frickin-hoo..... man up and be a soldier.... if you cry it better be cause a bone is sticking out or your best friend was blown to bits.... otherwise save it for the women back home....oooopss I guess they're now the whiney b#tches that want to see what combat is like.
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