JayB, please show where I have made any suggestion that I speak for any other person other than myself. I did not do so, and will not do so, as that would be unfair to other members. I simply ask the same respect from yourself and Mr Gaynor to not speak on my behalf.

Jodelie, please show where I have called anyone a name (whether that be extremest, bigot etc).
You have stated that it doesn't matter what gender, religion or sexuality someone is they should just do their job. Excellent ideal, and I sincerely hope we get to a point where that is the case. However it is quite obvious from the comments from individuals like Mr Gaynor, JayB, Individual, cohenite, and others commenting on Mr Gaynor's website that they have no tolerance to other religions, sexualities, or for that matter women, being members of the ADF.
I commend your father's service, however that does not give you an insight into how hard it is for others to 'just do their job' against the prejudices that do unfortunately still exist.

jodelle: And no doubt he served alongside 'gay people and didn't even know.

I suppose he & I both did. But they were MEN, they did, & could do their job as MEN. Not F's, P's or the Giggle Girly ones that want to join nowadays & go CAMPING. There is a BIG difference. This latest lot of limp wrists could not even do what the female soldiers do. They do nothing but complain about how had done by they are if they get a knock back.

Do I hate Officers. Well no, I actually don't hate anybody. I have preferred people I'd invite home & others I wouldn't have walk down my street, as do you. Or maybe you would.

I have know some brilliant Officers. My Platoon Commander in Vietnam for one & My Company Commander. I'd eat sh!t if he said I should. Others Like a former CO. He was only interested in entertaining any Big Wig he could get in the Mess & wanted nothing to do with the men in his Battalion. They were beneath his Social Class. Another who was responsible for the Minefield fiasco. Another was the son of a Major General, every time his Platoon went outside the wire they took his Weapon, Map & Compass off him. Another, the 2 I/C was stood up in front of the Company, in the field, by my OC & dressed down on Operations. At least, he, revised his ways & became the Top Bloke (in QLD) I am very proud to know & we still call him Bucket ar$e.

What is it that makes people think just because someone attained some rank it makes that someone somehow a more competent, repectable, sensible, better person ? I know people with very high degrees & rank who I would not let make a dcision as to what they'd like in their sandwich let alone lead others. It is no secret how many hingh ranking get to where they are. Not much of it involved competence or integrity or even wisdom. No siree, rank in that case is merely something one can smell.

Jayb. Like your words and knowledge :)

Religion is a personal thing inherited or chosen by an individual.Now people are defining themselves by their faith. Resulting in fights in communities, within countries and between countries.
If 'the others' as someone referred to decide to define themselves by their sexual orientation and not by the person they are, there will be conflict.
Human rights for a start.
The program to 'make the workplace more responsive to the needs of lesbian, gay. bi and transgender'. Unless we are all going to start bonking in the work place, its looking pretty biased and sexist to me.

Being in the Armed Forces isn't like your average day job & the local 7/11 or Office. I think this is where a lot of people get a bit mixed up. If you work in a little store or office it is reasonable that you will get treated & spoken to in a, now Politically Correct, fashion. I suppose if you are in the Military && have a Desk job in Canberra the same scenario applies. But what of the worker, The Soldier, Sailor & Airman at the front line.

There is no time for Political Correctness when Their life is on the line. You can't stop & ask the person shooting at you to, "Please don't do that it's not acceptable behaviour." This is what some people think should happen, apparently.

Scenario: A Platoon of soldiers walk into a village & get ambushed. They are surrounded on all side & are taking heavy fire. A Scouts send back that there is a machine gun pinning the lead section & is firing from a window 25 meters in front of them. There are at least 3 baddies in the room & from local knowledge they usually have some family with them.

The Section can't move anywhere or they will get killed. The Platoon has 2 badly wounded men. Another Sections can get to the house where the fire is coming from but they realize that there may be a woman & child in the room. If they don't attack the room then the pinned Section will all be killed, 9 men. If they do attack the woman & child may get hurt.

The remaining section with the Pl Commander, Platoon Sergeant, Sig, 2 Wounded & a Section for protection. They too are taking fire from all directions. If they can clear the Machine Gun Pinning them down they will be able to get some protection.

You have only minutes to act. The 2 wounded men will die if you don't get to cover or you are all going to be killed.

Now, What do you do.

Get the Sig to radio Base & ask to speak to a Lawyer & ask permission to attack?
They resign them selves to all being killed because it would be unacceptable to hurt a woman & child?
Or, Take out the Machine Gun, trying not to hurt the woman & child that may or may not be in the room.

Quick, Quick, make a decision, Quick.