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Sex with animals still not OK in U.S. military (impact of pending removal of Art. 125 UCMJ)
Stars & Stripes ^ | 12/8/2011 | LEO SHANE III

Posted on 12/10/2011 6:48:49 AM PST by markomalley

Just in case you weren’t sure, bestiality is still illegal in the U.S. military.

And, yes, that issue was actually in question this week. For the past few days, White House and Pentagon officials have fielded uncomfortable queries on whether they are working to decriminalize sex with animals as part of efforts to update the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

In fact, Congress is poised to remove from the books the only specific reference to bestiality contained in the UCMJ. The obscure deletion, contained in the massive Defense Appropriations bill now being finalized, raised the ire of some conservative groups still outraged over the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law that allowed homosexuals to serve openly in the military.

For their part, Pentagon officials say the deletion of bestiality is a legal technicality and does not represent any fundamental change in the military’s moral code for servicemembers (and service animals).

“The department’s position on this issue remains unchanged and that act remains illegal,” said defense spokesman Lt. Col Todd Breasseale.

The issue traces back to the 2004 Supreme Court case knocking down state anti-sodomy laws, a ruling which riled conservative groups. Despite that, anti-sodomy regulations remained in the UCMJ as officials worked to update sex crimes statutes.

Military officials have now asked Congress to drop the anti-sodomy language from the UCMJ. But that article of the military code doesn’t just include humans, and that’s where the confusion begins.

Article 125 actually states that any servicemember who “engages in unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same sex or opposite sex or with an animal is guilty of sodomy.” Offenders face court-martial for any violations.

Cue various conservative groups and bloggers, who promptly attempted to link the recent “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal with this apparent evidence that the military now accepts bestiality — a comparison that military officials this week blasted as false and offensive.

In a recent online post titled “Bestiality Should Give Leaders Paws,” the Family Research Council called the sex with animals confusion proof that the “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal was done too hastily.

Then, at a White House press briefing this week, Les Kinsolving, a correspondent for the conservative WorldNetDaily, asked White House spokesman Jay Carney: “Does the commander in chief approve or disapprove of bestiality in our armed forces?”

Carney laughed off the question and refused to answer, which in turn prompted a stinging rebuke from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

“With respect, this is no laughing matter,” wrote PETA spokesman Colleen O’Brien. “Animal abuse does not affect animals only — it is also a matter of public safety, as people who abuse animals very often go on to abuse human beings. I hope that in the future, you will address important issues with sensitivity and not dismiss them with a joke.”

Lobbyists from the far left and far right don’t often agree on much, but apparently sex with animals can bring them together.

But Breasseale said the whole controversy is off-base.

Even if Article 125 is removed, the UCMJ contains provisions under which troops can be punished. Article 134, for example, forbids “all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces” and “all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.” Breasseale said that would cover any and all animal abuse.

In fact, past instances of bestiality in the military have been prosecuted under that statute, instead of Article 125. The legal record dates back to 1957, when Pvt. Ricardo Sanchez was convicted of “an indecent act with an animal” under Article 134, even without specific wording prohibiting sex with animals.

In addition, before the potential language changes reached Congress, the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice drafted a list of punitive offenses under the UCMJ which specifically includes animal abuse. That is set to be included in the Manual for Courts-Martial, and will give clear guidance on what to do in such cases.

Breasseale said the change pending before Congress is truly just a legal clean-up effort, and will in no way endanger animals.

“It is difficult to envision a situation where a servicemember engages in sexual conduct with an animal that would not be conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline or service-discrediting,” he said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: bestiality; bestialityagenda; homosexualagenda; moralabsolutes; zoophilia; zoophiliaagenda
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Don't ask, don't bark, don't pursue...or something like that.
1 posted on 12/10/2011 6:48:54 AM PST by markomalley
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To: markomalley
For their part, Pentagon officials say the deletion of bestiality is a legal technicality and does not represent any fundamental change in the military’s moral code for servicemembers (and service animals).

LOL!!

2 posted on 12/10/2011 6:53:03 AM PST by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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To: markomalley

Yet, an earlier congress thought it wise to include that language specifically.


3 posted on 12/10/2011 6:55:29 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! True Supporters of our Troops PRAY for their VICTORY!)
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To: markomalley
bestiality is still illegal in the U.S. military

Well ... ahhhh ... that just shows that we ... uhhhh ... we live in a repressive police state and ... uhhhhh ... the rich people who run our patriarchal society are ... ahhhh ... a bunch of hypocrites who hate anyone who ... uhhhh isn't white.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

Seriously: there are people who will support anything that would damage the advances achieved by western civilization over the past few millenia. These people hate everything that has been achieved, and they want us to devolve into barbarism. Their success at this is astounding to me.

4 posted on 12/10/2011 6:59:29 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (Nothing will change until after the war. It's coming.)
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To: markomalley

Sex with trees is ok though. (For those who want to go well beyond tree hugging.)


5 posted on 12/10/2011 7:05:46 AM PST by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: markomalley

Our admirals and generals have been screwing the pooch for a long time.


6 posted on 12/10/2011 7:08:45 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: markomalley
Article 134, for example, forbids “all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces” and “all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.

seems that would cover faggotry tooo...

7 posted on 12/10/2011 7:11:54 AM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: markomalley
“The department’s position on this issue remains unchanged and that act remains illegal,” said defense spokesman spindoctor Lt. Col Todd Breasseale

Because sodomy/bestiality will be illegal until the pending legislation actually takes effect, Todd can tapdance this away.

After that one can describe the acts with the word, senatornicating.

8 posted on 12/10/2011 7:13:45 AM PST by Carl Vehse
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To: markomalley

The Nazi SA were faggots, too. It is how all that brutal Nazi crap started. It takes such perverted idiots to do what the Nazi did under Hitler.


9 posted on 12/10/2011 7:16:58 AM PST by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
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To: markomalley

Makes one wonder what the rational could be to outlaw sex with anything after codifying homo-sex. Seems once morality has no foundation then there can be no morality or is just expediency to allow homosexuals into the military and allow them to do what homos do?


10 posted on 12/10/2011 7:19:28 AM PST by DaveyB (Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. -John Adams)
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To: DaveyB
Makes one wonder what the rational could be to outlaw sex with anything after codifying homo-sex. Seems once morality has no foundation then there can be no morality or is just expediency to allow homosexuals into the military and allow them to do what homos do?

After all...it's just a sexual preference.

And how do you know the sheep didn't consent?

11 posted on 12/10/2011 7:22:08 AM PST by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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To: Chode

Using S&S logic, Article 134 could replace the entire UCMJ. Courts routinely toss out this language as being too vague. This is just a CYA article.


12 posted on 12/10/2011 7:31:34 AM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: markomalley

The UCMJ also bans oral copulation...


13 posted on 12/10/2011 7:33:07 AM PST by TSgt (Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.)
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To: markomalley

If you outlawed sex with vegetables, the jails in San Francisco would be full.


14 posted on 12/10/2011 7:34:58 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: markomalley

I’ve got one word for you......gerbils.


15 posted on 12/10/2011 7:36:19 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: markomalley
"And how do you know the sheep didn't consent?"

Did the "bleating" sound troubled or contented?

16 posted on 12/10/2011 7:38:39 AM PST by davisfh
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To: markomalley

Wow. I saw some ugly women in the Navy, but calling it bestiality is going a bit too far...


17 posted on 12/10/2011 8:02:57 AM PST by EricT. (Is a country that would re-elect Baroke Hussein Owebama really worth saving?)
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To: markomalley

There goes the muslim outreach program...


18 posted on 12/10/2011 8:16:13 AM PST by null and void (This is day 1054 of America's ObamaVacation from reality.)
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To: markomalley

“How was your date last night?”
“Not baaaaaaa-d.”


19 posted on 12/10/2011 8:29:23 AM PST by Cincinnatus
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To: coloradan
Sex with trees is ok though. (For those who want to go well beyond tree hugging.)

Knot funny...

20 posted on 12/10/2011 8:36:34 AM PST by null and void (This is day 1054 of America's ObamaVacation from reality.)
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