Americans are you slightly embarrassed about your country due to don't ask don't tell?

It is pretty low on the list of things that embarrass me. But that list is long.

Are you embarrassed by every policy and action that your government has ever taken, or you see a difference between your own personal identity and that of your governments’?

Not embarrassed, exactly. Kind of disgusted at this point, though.

@papayalily
If the UK had this policy yes I would be deeply ashamed, the same thing if we had the death penalty, no universal health care, etc.

I am saddened, and that is why I vote the way I do and communicate regularly with my members of Congress.

@dotlin So then are you embarrassed by the expenses scandal? The fact that same-sex marriage isn’t allowed? The centuries-long imperialism that was only stopped by WWII and Britain running out of resources? Perhaps every local ordinance anyone has ever disagreed with?

@dotlin

The reason why there’s blowback here is because it’s not helpful to ask whether or not a citizen should be embarrassed by the actions taken by his or her government. You’ve phrased your question in a manner that sounds like you’re chiding. Each and every government, western or eastern, developed or no, has policies that a great many of its citizens will find outrageous or discriminatory. So to ask if “Americans” are embarrassed about this is to (1) imply a moral judgment in the question (2) assume a lack of diversity in the opinion of the country’s citizens, while simultaneously (3) imply an inclusiveness in your terminology that is inaccurate (sorry, couldn’t resist this last one – America is a general term that can refer technically to either of the continents. If you’re talking about the United States, we are U.S. citizens).

Personally, I am upset with the individuals responsible for the delay, but more amused that they are fighting the inevitable.

@dotlin By being embarrassed by something, you are claiming personal ownership of it. I didn’t create DADT. It was created before I even knew what gay was, much less knew I was gay. And as much as I hate it, I do think it’s better than a policy that prohibits homosexuals from serving in any manner. Of all the legislation I have a beef with, this one is actually pretty low down on the list for me. But more to the point: I vote every time. I write letters to my congresspeople. I sign petitions and get active. But I cannot singlehandedly change all our legislation, due to the part where I am not Queen of the Entire Earth. I am not embarrassed by a legislation I did not create, and have done my part to defeat, simply because it exists in the land where I reside. Likewise, I am not embarrassed when my mother wears sweats to dinner, or an evening gown to WalMart, or throws a hissy fit in a restaurant. It is not mine to own.

No. This is completely meaningless when compared with how our government murders people and foments revolution worldwide. America lately seems quite the nazi force on earth. Ever since GW Bush was illegally appointed to the office of President.

Now that was embarrassing.

I don’t mind it because I don’t care whether someone is gay, straight or loves to fuck fish. I believe in peoples rights. As long as it’s consensual and it makes you happy, I say go for it. I don’t need to know about it, though. I don’t care to know about it. Being gay doesn’t make someone special in my book. I don’t wanna hear about my neighbor’s straight sex life and I don’t want to hear about anyone else’s gay sex life. I see the don’t ask, don’t tell policy as carrying over to whatever your sexual preference maybe. It doesn’t matter what your preference is and I don’t want to hear it anyway so… don’t ask, don’t tell.

@Randy It’s one thing to not want to hear about someone’s sex life. But are you open to perhaps meeting a sibling’s significant other? Do you find it oversharing when your boss says “and now I’d like you to meet my wife, Lucy”? Because under DADT doesn’t say that you can’t tell the intimate details of your pirate/wench roleplaying sex romp last night, it says you can’t tell about the existence of the relationship in any form.

Somewhat…but, hopefully one day, our country will grow up. All human beings should be respected.

I’m more embarrased by the fact that the military, which is supposed to “protect freedom,” does not allow its members to be free. That alone would make me question who and what am I fighting for.

Somewhat, but only because I believe that everyone everywhere, should have the same rights. As long as they’re not hurting anyone, why do people care so much?!

There are many things that I’m proud of my country for—but Don’t Ask/Don’t tell—in fact, the entire anti-gay issue—is definitely not one of them.

I’m with @johnpowell

No, not embarrassed, just disgusted.

@Ben_Dover I was going to write something similar, but our government’s murderous ways didn’t start with Bush. Go back a few hundred years, to the American Indians.