Marine Gen. Peter
Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, isn't the
only member of the military to make antigay remarks
recently: In an e-mail exchange obtained exclusively
by The Advocate, a U.S. Army recruiter in
Brooklyn, New York, repeatedly lobbed verbal attacks against
a gay man she first contacted via CareerBuilder.com about
employment opportunities in the military.
Corey Andrew Powell, a New York copywriter, was
contacted by Sergeant Marcia Ramode on Tuesday,
February 27, after she saw his resume on
CareerBuilder. After telling him the Army had "lots of
vacant positions" in various
departments--logistics, administration, culinary
arts--Ramode invited Powell to call her to further
discuss the jobs, which required him to enlist.
Powell replied later that day that he might
be interested, but then asked her: "One thing, I'm not
up [on] current politics but since it's 2007, I would
imagine also that I am now able to serve in the U.S.
military as an openly gay man, right?"
Ramode's response, according to the e-mail
exchange (the full transcript of which follows below)?
"WELL IF YOU ARE GAY WE DON'T TAKE YOU YOU ARE
CONSIDERED UNQUALIFIED," she wrote in all caps.
At that point, Powell decided to challenge her,
writing in return:
"QUOTE TK" says Powell, whose full account of
the incident and his intentions can be read here [link
to separate exclusive]. QUOTE TK
The full e-mail exchange follows below. (The
Advocate)
-------- Original
Message --------
Subject:
EMPLOYMENT
From: "Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC"
Date: Tue,
February 27, 2007 9:49 am
To:
My name is Marcia
Ramode, and I am United States Army Recruiter. I saw
your resume on career builder and we have lots of vacant
positions in Logistics, Administration, Culinary Arts,
Engineering, Telecommunications, Customer Services,
and Clerical, Finance, Computers, Medical, Dental,
Translators, Military Intelligence, Legal, Aviation,
Mechanics, Drivers and many more jobs available. However
these jobs require you enlisting in the United States
Army. We have both full time and part time positions
available. If interested please give me a call at my
toll free number REDACTED or call at the local number
REDACTED, and ask for Marcia Ramode, so that I can set
up an interview for you.
Thanking you in
advance.
Marcia Ramode
Sergeant
US Army
-----Original
Message-----
From: REDACTED
[mailto:REDACTED]
Sent: February
27, 2007 1:48 PM
To: Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC
Subject: RE:
EMPLOYMENT
Awesome! Sounds
great! The US Military has so many vacan't positions and
opportunities. I had no idea. I'm seriously considering
contacting you. One thing, I'm not up current politics
but since it's 2007, I would imagine also that I am
now able to serve in the US military as an openly gay
man, right?
Corey
-------- Original
Message --------
Subject: RE:
EMPLOYMENT
From: "Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC"
Date: Tue,
February 27, 2007 11:50 am
To:
WELL I FYOU ARE
GAY WE DON'T TAKE YOU YOU ARE CONSIDERED UNQUALIFIED.
-----Original
Message-----
From: REDACTED
[mailto:REDACTED]
Sent: Tuesday,
February 27, 2007 2:50 PM
To: Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC
Subject: RE:
EMPLOYMENT
Wow! Unqualified
to serve my country just because I'm gay? It's because
they think I might all of a sudden desire one last kiss from
my fellow male solider if ever facing death at the
hands of the enemy in a fox hole, isn't? Yup, that's
it.
Funny, the US
Government doesn't mind taking my "gay" dollars every
tax season or out of my paycheck every two weeks. I'm
stunned that the US ARMY could afford to be so choosey
when I see sergeants on my school campus and in the
local shopping Mall like pedofilic predators,
everyday, begging teenagers to enlist. Then if I factor in
the 10 solicitations I've gotten just in one day
through CareerBuilder.com, in which even YOU clearly
stated the ABUNDANCE of vacancies and positions
waiting to be filled in the Army, I would say the US
military's recruitment tactics are self defeating
wouldn't you? By the looks of it, especially with
Iraq, looks like you kids could use all the help you can
get. By the way, you might want to avoid emailing in all
caps, because it represents shouting and hostility,
unless of course, in this case, as I suspect, you are
homophobic. Then it's all relative.
Best of luck,
C.
-------- Original
Message --------
Subject: RE:
EMPLOYMENT
From: "Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC"
Date: Tue,
February 27, 2007 1:17 pm
To:
YOU ARE
DEFINITELY UNQUALIFIED, NOW TAKE YOU GAY SELF SOMEPLACE ELSE
WE DO NOT TOLERATE GAY PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN ANY PART OF
THE MILITARY. AND IF IT BOTHERS YOU PAYING TAXES THEN
MIGRATE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY.
AND IF IT BOTHERS
YOU ABOUT THE US MILITARY RECRUITING THEN YOU GO TELL
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT THEY NEED TO STOP THE FUNDS THE
GOVERNMENT GIVES THEM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL EVERY YEAR.
TAKE ALL OF THESE INTO CONSIDERATION AND MOVE ON OR
MOVE OUT OF THE UNITED STATES.
YOU ARE NOT
QUALIFIED TO SERVE IN THIS COUNTRY ALL BECAUSE YOU ARE GAY
AND IF YOU DO NOT
LIKE ME WRITING IN CAPS THEN DELETE MY EMAILS AND DO
NOT RESPOND I THINK IT SCARED YOU TO DEATH. YOU SHOULD
DEFINITELY SAY THANK YOU TO THE US ARMY FOR PAYING
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EVERY MONTH SO THAT YOU CAN POST
YOUR RESUME FOR FREE ON CAREER BUILDER AND FUTHERMORE
IF YOU DON'T LIKE GETTING ANY EMAILS FOR THE US ARMY
RECRUITING THEN TAKE YOUR RESUME OFF CAREER BUILDER
BECAUSE WE PAY FOR YOUR FREE SPACE THERE. AND IF YOU
DON'T LIKE THE RECRUITERS RECRUITING IN FRONT YOU HIGH
SCHOOL THEN COMPLAIN TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES OR BETTER YET TRY COMPLAINING TO MAYOR
BLOOMBERG AND SEE WHAT HE HAS TO SAY FIRST THEN MOVE
ON UP TO THE PRESIDENT.
FUTHERMORE WE ARE
NOT DESPERATE AS YOU MAY THINK SINCE IF WE WERE
DESPERATE WE COULD GET PEOPLE LIKE YOU OFF THE STREET AND
SEND THEN STRAIGHT TO IRAQ OR BRING BACK THE DRAFT
LIKE IN THE DAYS OF THE WW11 AND VIETNAM. THOUSANDS OF
QUALIFIED PEOPLE JOIN THE ARMY EVERYDAY.
YOU SHOULD SAY
THANK YOU MILITARY PEOPLE FOR WHAT YOU DO SO THAT YOUCAN
LIVE A FREE LIFE IN THIS COUNTRY. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. THE
US MILITARY GIVE YOU THAT FREEDOM OF SPEECH SO THAT
YOU CAN SEND EMAILSLIKE THIS ONE TO US. SO ENJOY YOUR
FREEDOM WHILE YOU CAN BECAUSE WHEN YOU MOVE ON TO
ANOTHER COUNTRY YOU WOULD NOT BE BALE TO SEND EMAIL LIKE
THAT THEY WOULD PUT YOU IN JAIL.
ENJOY THAT
FREEDON SINCE WE FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM EVERY DAY. ENJOY IT
WHILE IT LASTS.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU
MY GAY FRIEND AND BEST WISHES AND HAVE A NICE DAY
DON'T FORGET WHEN
YOU SEE THE NEXT SOLDIER BE KIND SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT
FREEDOM YOU SO ENJOY EVERY DAY AND ALSO SAY THANK YOU SO
THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO POST YOUR RESUME FOR FREE ON
CAREER BUILDER.
-----Original
Message-----
From: REDACTED
[mailto:REDACTED]
Sent: Tuesday,
February 27, 2007 4:05 PM
To: Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC
Subject: Uh, yeah
right.
Before you go on
waving your flag all over the place let me first inform
you, that as an African American who's ancestry is most
likely MORE deeply rooted in American history than
yours ever will be, I don't need to run around in a
green ensemble (yes, catch the my "gay" description of
your military attire) with boots and dog tags to profess
my patriotism to America, so sorry that you do. Further
more, I respect the millions of soldiers fighting to
protect my rights every day but just so you know,
those rights include me being gay, so you think about THAT
the next time you see two boys smooch on the sidewalk
sweetie, and you feel queasy.
How sad is it
that you have the audacity to belong to an organization
that is as discriminant as any racist organization ever was
during segregation while insinuating that I should be
fine with it, because I've been allowed to post a
resume on-line in a government funded space. You're
clearly not stable in your thinking. I applaud servicemen
and women everyday for their role in our country's
protection. However, for you and the government to
deem homosexuals "unqualified" to risk their own lives
and defend their own freedom as well as their country's
freedom, is moronic. Most disturbingly, you have the nerve
to suggest that you'd send all the gays off to Iraq to
be killed first if you could? Well let me round up
some of my gay boys and give it a shot.
We could do no
worse than President Bush's whole administration of liars
that put us there in the first place. In fact the gays would
have had Osama by now; with his shirt off, nipples
pierced, peace driven and dancing to Abba's Greatest
Hits! Whereas you dudes can't even find him!
And for your
other country references, I LOVE THIS COUNTRY but I am quite
well traveled and can tell you that there are plenty of
other democratic countries that exist where sexuality
is not an issue, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, are
just a few that come to mind and in some other
countries the government even sanctions gay marriages. So
get off the soap box. It's almost 4pm, YOU BETTER HEAD
OFF TO THE PLAYGROUND and find some new recruits.
Cheers,
Queers.
-------- Original
Message --------
Subject: RE: Uh,
yeah right.
From: "Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC"
Date: Thu, March
01, 2007 6:57 am
To:
YOU HEAD OF FTO
THE GAY LAND OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO MORALS AND GET RID OF
YOURSELF. PERSONALLY I THINK BEING GAY IS DISGUSTING AND
IMMORAL. AND ANOTHET THING THINK AGAIN YOU AS AN
AFRICAN HAVE NO PLACE TO SAY YOUR ROOTS ARE DEEPLY
ROOTED HERE. MY ROOTS ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN YOURS YOU
WERE BROUGHT HERE BEING YOUR WILLPOWER WHEREAS MY ROOTS RUN
FROM THE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN. I HAVE MORE RIGHTS
HERE THAN YOU AND MY ROOTS HAVE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE
BEFORE THE AMERICAS WERE DISCOVERED.
YOU TAKE YOUR GAY
ASS OFF SOMEPLACE AND GO TO SOME OTHER COUNTRY AND BAD
MOUTH THE MILITARY.
FREEDOM ISN'T
FREE YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH WAS GIVENM TO YOU BY THE US
MILITARY.
AND ANOTHER THINK
YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF DON'T ASK DON'T
TELL. IF YOU ARE GAY YOUR ASS IS OUT THE MILITARY. GET
FUTHER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT IT AND THEN TRY TO ARGUE YOUR
CASE.
BYE
TAKE YOUR ASS
BACK WHERE YOU BELONG NOT HERE.
-----Original
Message-----
From: REDACTED
[mailto:REDACTED]
Sent: Thursday,
March 01, 2007 3:50 PM
To: Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC
Subject: RE: Uh,
yeah right.
Clearly with your
limited vocabulary and poor spelling, the Army may have
been the only option YOU had in life. Granted, there are
highly intelectual people in the military. You're just
not one of them. You've proven that in your poorly
executed efforts to state your case against
homosexuals in the military and in your naive stupidity in
believing that gays are not already there to begin
with. I'll tell you what's "disgusting" - Idiots with
big mouhts and little brains, spewing hatred under the
guise of being "American." I would advise you to look
up your Native American history you are so proud of and
research their position on homosexuality. They are
very tolerant and accepting of homosexuals believing
that the inner spirit is true to itself in it's
nature. They are less tolerant of fools than they are of
homosexuals. So take that to your next rain dance and
STFU!
-------- Original
Message --------
Subject: RE: Uh,
yeah right.
From: "Ramode,
Marcia SGT USAREC"
Date: Thu, March
01, 2007 8:25 pm
To: REDACTED
YOU GO BACK TO
AFRICA AND DO YOUR GAY VOODOO LIMBO TANGO AND WANGO DANCE
AND JUMP AROUND AND PRANCE AND RUN ALL OVER THE PLACE HALF
NAKED THERE AND PRACTICE YOUR GAY MORALS OVER THERE
THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG. I AM REPORTING YOU AS SPAM
AND ADDING YOU TO MY BLOCK SENDER LIST SO I DO NOT
HAVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN. YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR SPELLING
SO ARE THE ONE WHO SO ILLITERATE. OBVIOUSLY YOU DO NOT
UNDERSTAND IF YOU ARE GAY YOU ARE OUT OF THE MILITARY
YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED. SO WHATS THE BIG ISSUE HERE. YOU
ARE UPSET YOU DO NOT QUALIFY. I BET THAT'S TRUE. YOUR INNER
SPIRITS ARE NOT TRUE TO YOU SINCE YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOU ARE
MALE OR FEMALE. YOU MUST BE A TOTAL IDIOT AND SO
STUPID TO PRESUME THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT GENDER YOU
ARE. ANYWAYS I WONT HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN SINCE YOU ARE
BLOCKED. SO BYE
ADOIS
GOODBYE