Campus relationship with ROTC should end

Published: Thursday, February 1, 1996

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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