PUT NATION FIRST, PREJUDICES LAST

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 22, 1992                   TAG: 9202240198
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
PUT NATION FIRST, PREJUDICES LAST
THIS IS in response to Jack Burke Jr.'s two recent letters regarding homosexuals in the military. I felt the first one did not deserve a response due to its open admission of ignorance and bigotry. But the second made it obvious that Mr. Burke considers himself judge and jury regarding not only the military, but also life in general.
The homosexual community must lie to their own government during enlistment because of archaic laws made by people who think and feel as does Mr. Burke. Thank God that such laws were changed with time, or blacks and women wouldn't be able to vote or serve their country either.
We Americans should feel honored that any citizen, no matter what color, religion, sexual preference or gender, would be willing to serve in the military and lay down their lives for the United States.
To further set the record straight regarding the character of homosexuals that Mr. Burke so loosely referred to as "misguided criminals, sexual deviates and society's failures": Gen. Colin Powell acknowledged them as "proud, brave, loyal, good Americans."
We, the people of the United States, need to put country first and other prejudices last. BARBARA MABERRY ROANOKE

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB