The College Fix

At the University of Alabama, the ROTC isn’t the political football it has become at elite colleges around the country. It was a part of campus before Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed; it will be a part of campus going forward.

There are many members of the mostly conservative student body, and undoubtedly some students in the ROTC, who objected to the repeal of DADT.  However, no one is advocating that the ROTC should be booted off campus now that gay soldiers will soon be allowed to serve openly.

This is not because the student body has suddenly become enlightened to the fact that DADT was an unjust policy. This is because Alabama, like other conservative campuses around the country, is not willing to hold the military hostage if its policies do not conform to the prevailing political views of students and alumni.

Now, students at Stanford are resisting efforts to bring the ROTC on campus because transgendered students are still not allowed to enlist. Whether or not those students should or should not be allowed to serve in the military is not the point. The point is that any student at any college eligible to participate in the ROTC should be allowed to do so.

For some students, especially first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds, the ROTC is a financial lifeline enabling them to earn a degree. This is a quintessentially progressive program: in exchange for agreeing to serve their country, students are able to receive a college education.

The military needs these highly-educated students, and many of them need the military. This instance does not warrant heroic examples of civil disobedience. Military policy is never going to satisfy everyone’s personal beliefs. Yet, we support the military regardless, because it defends our freedoms and secures our homeland.

A few months ago, liberals fought to prevent the military from discriminating based on sexual orientation. Now, they are clinging to new excuses to discriminate against both gay and straight college students who want to use their education and experiences to serve our country. They should listen to President Obama. The ROTC should be welcome on every campus.

Tray Smith is a sophomore studying political science and journalism at The University of Alabama and the opinions editor of The Crimson White.

Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter