The Army recruiter vs. the gay man

[wordsmythe]

Chicago Tribune news | Registration

Here is the e-mail exchange between Feb. 27 and March 1 between Corey Andrew Powell, a freelance copy writer who is gay, and Sgt. Marcia Ramode, an Army recruiter who has since been reassigned. The text of the e-mails was provided by Powell but has not been disputed by the Army.



Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:49 AM
Sergeant Ramode writes:
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 number1-877-247-9048 or call at the local number 1-347-733-3420, and ask for Marcia Ramode, so that I can set up an interview for you.

Thanking you in advance.

Marcia Ramode Sergeant US Army




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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:48 AM
Corey Powell Responds:

Awesome! Sounds great! The US Military has so many vacant positions and opportunities. I had no idea. I'm seriously considering contacting you. One thing, I'm not up on current politics but since its 2007, I would imagine also that I am now able to serve in the US military as an openly gay man, right?

-Corey


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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:50 AM
Sergeant Ramode/Response:

WELL I FYOU ARE GAY WE DON'T TAKE YOU YOU ARE CONSIDERED UNQUALIFIED


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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 12:50 PM
Corey Powell/Response:

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 pedophilic 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.


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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 1:17 PM
Sergeant Ramode/Response:

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 EVERY DAY.



YOU SHOULD SAY THANK YOU MILITARY PEOPLE FOR WHAT YOU DO SO THAT YOU CAN 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 EMAILS LIKE 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.




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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 2:04 AM
Corey Powell/Response:

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 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 discriminate 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.


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[wordsmythe]

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 1:21 PM
Sergeant Ramode/Response

OH I FORGOT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YES YOU MIGHT TO TRY TO KISS A SOLDIER IN THE FOXHOLE SO THAT IS A NO NO. WE ONLY TAKE STRAIGHT UP MALE AND FEMALES WHO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE WHEN TI COMES TO GENDER.WE TAKE PEOPLE WITH HIGH MORALES IN THE MILITARY NOT GAY PEOPLE. BYE HAVE A NICE DAY


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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 2:20 PM
Corey Powell/Response:

You are living proof that "Don't Ask Don't tell" is a fallacy. You initially rejected me without any consideration whatsoever of my integrity, or abilities. This behavior is at the very core of the discrimination that has plagued the USA for decades. You should know that I never had any intention of joining the military; I simply wanted to have this discussion to prove a point. With over 2,500 cases of anti-gay harassment acts against gay soldiers, including bashings and murders, for you to say the US Military only takes "straights" is delusional. And you're even more stupid to think that a human, no matter what their sexuality may be, would be more concerned with grabbing someone's ass than surviving an ambush. Here's a better idea to counter your idea about rounding up all the gays and sending them to Iraq. Instead, I propose we round up all the idiots and send them to the front line, in which case your family and friends better kiss your ass goodbye.


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Thursday, March 1, 2007 -1:21 PM
Sergeant Ramode/Response

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 BADMOUTH 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.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday, March 1, 2:20 PM
Corey Powell/Response:

Clearly with your limited vocabulary and poor spelling, the Army may have been the only option YOU had in life. Granted, there are highly intellectual 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 mouths 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 its nature. They are less tolerant of fools than they are of homosexuals. So take that to your next rain dance and STFU!


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Thursday, March 1, 2007 -8:25 PM
Sergeant Ramode/Response

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!

[K C Muffin]

Oh, good Lord! Unimaginable. Why do people still not understand Email is more public than any other form of communication? How funny.

[TigerEyes]

Hell... they should hire Powell as a recruiter. He'd do a better job.

[TexKan]

I heard on the news that some recruiter got 47 recruits AND a 94,000 bonus. Nice work. I'm not exactly sure of the money - was 90 something.... 94 93 97....... was a hell of alot of money. Must be recruiter of the year. Can't remember where he was at.

[Army_of_One]

This was a set up. People (anti military and most likely liberal) are going around setting up recruiters. They are baiting them...Granted that recruiter was an idiot on how he handled that situation. People are going into recruiting stations telling recruiters they are unqualified to see if they will get them to lie...they are baiting them to do something wrong to make news and destroy support for the war and the military. Unfortunately there are many recruiters that are less than honest and take the bait for these traps....shame on them.

[TexKan]

It wasn't reported like that - they were praisin the recruiter... I think it was Paul Harvey........ not sure but I think it was. I'll have to go do some research I guess now that I went and repeated what I heard........... damn!

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

This was a set up. People (anti military and most likely liberal) are going around setting up recruiters. They are baiting them...Granted that recruiter was an idiot on how he handled that situation. People are going into recruiting stations telling recruiters they are unqualified to see if they will get them to lie...they are baiting them to do something wrong to make news and destroy support for the war and the military. Unfortunately there are many recruiters that are less than honest and take the bait for these traps....shame on them.

Well if they fall for it then they deserve what they get.

[lurker]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

This was a set up. People (anti military and most likely liberal) are going around setting up recruiters. They are baiting them...Granted that recruiter was an idiot on how he handled that situation. People are going into recruiting stations telling recruiters they are unqualified to see if they will get them to lie...they are baiting them to do something wrong to make news and destroy support for the war and the military. Unfortunately there are many recruiters that are less than honest and take the bait for these traps....shame on them.

Originally Posted by wordsmythe

Well if they fall for it then they deserve what they get.

My Dear weird-le,

As usual, you fail to comprehend the Human Condition.

Your Pal,

lurker

P.S. Sorry about your tires.

[hoarsewhisperer]

Originally Posted by lurker

My Dear weird-le,

As usual, you fail to comprehend the Human Condition.

Your Pal,

lurker

P.S. Sorry about your tires.

Most people hold "these people" to a Higher Standard....

just a thought fro your Aunt Hoarsie