The West Wing - Let Bartlett be Bartlett
THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - NIGHT
MAJOR THOMPSON - Hang on!
SAM - I'm saying -
MAJOR THOMPSON - Hang on. A lot of those cases -
SAM - This report, by the way -
MAJOR TATE - We know the report.
SAM - I'm saying -
MAJOR TATE - We can read. We know the report.
MAJOR THOMPSON - We know the report. A lot of the cases you're talking about is the gays being discharged, came from voluntary statements-
SAM - And a lot of these are not voluntary statements, not by any definition given by any civilian court in this country. It is not a voluntary statement when it's given to a psychotherapist, as in the case of former Marine corporal David Blessing. It is not a voluntary statement when it's made into a personal diary, as in the case of former West Point cadet Nicole Garrison. It is not when it's made after being asked, as in the case of master chief officer Diane Kelli. And it is not when it is coerced out of a service member through fear...through intimidation, through death threats, in terms of criminal prosecution, as in the case of former Air Force Major Bob Kiddis, former Marine gunnery sergeant Kevin Keys, and four sailors aboard the U.S.S. Essex.
MAJOR - Sam, you take care of your guys; we'll take care of ours.
SAM - You're not taking care of your guys. Your guys are out looking for jobs.
MAJOR THOMPSON - Those weren't our guys.
Admiral Fitzwallace enters [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]
MAJOR TATE - Oh my God.
MAJOR THOMPSON - Attention!
The officers in the room swiftly stand straight.
FITZWALLACE - Good afternoon, Sam.
SAM - Mr. Chairman.
FITZWALLACE - Congressman.
KEN - How do you do admiral?
FITZWALLACE - Good to meet you again, Ken. [to Mike] We haven't met.
MIKE - Mike Satchel.
FITZWALLACE - From Oregon?
MIKE - Yes, sir.
FITZWALLACE - Percy Fitzwallace.
MIKE - It's an honor to meet you, admiral.
FITZWALLACE - I imagine it would be. Yes.
SAM - Uh, Major Tate, Major Thompson, this is Chairman Fitzwallace.
FITZWALLACE - They're not gonna speak to me until I speak to them, Sam. They're pretty well-trained. [to Tate and Thompson] Stand easy, fellas. [sees the snack on the table] Is this Danish for everybody?
SAM - Oh. Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - [to Tate and Thompson] We're discussing gays in the military, huh?
MAJOR THOMPSON - Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - What do you think?
No response.
FITZWALLACE - I said what do you think?
MAJOR THOMPSON - Sir, we're here to help the White House form a possible-
FITZWALLACE - I know. I'm asking you what you think.
MAJOR TATE - Sir, we're not prejudiced toward homosexuals.
FITZWALLACE - You just don't want to see them serving in the Armed Forces?
MAJOR TATE - No sir, I don't.
FITZWALLACE - 'Cause they oppose a threat to unit discipline and cohesion.
MAJOR TATE - Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - That's what I think too. I also think the military wasn't designed to be an instrument of social change.
MAJOR TATE - Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - The problem with that is that what they were saying to me 50 years ago. Blacks shouldn't serve with Whites. It would disrupt the unit. You know what? It did disrupt the unit. The unit got over it. The unit changed. I'm an admiral in the U.S. Navy and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...Beat that with a stick. [to Ken] We'll see you, Ken. [leaves]
MAJOR THOMPSON - Hang on!
SAM - I'm saying -
MAJOR THOMPSON - Hang on. A lot of those cases -
SAM - This report, by the way -
MAJOR TATE - We know the report.
SAM - I'm saying -
MAJOR TATE - We can read. We know the report.
MAJOR THOMPSON - We know the report. A lot of the cases you're talking about is the gays being discharged, came from voluntary statements-
SAM - And a lot of these are not voluntary statements, not by any definition given by any civilian court in this country. It is not a voluntary statement when it's given to a psychotherapist, as in the case of former Marine corporal David Blessing. It is not a voluntary statement when it's made into a personal diary, as in the case of former West Point cadet Nicole Garrison. It is not when it's made after being asked, as in the case of master chief officer Diane Kelli. And it is not when it is coerced out of a service member through fear...through intimidation, through death threats, in terms of criminal prosecution, as in the case of former Air Force Major Bob Kiddis, former Marine gunnery sergeant Kevin Keys, and four sailors aboard the U.S.S. Essex.
MAJOR - Sam, you take care of your guys; we'll take care of ours.
SAM - You're not taking care of your guys. Your guys are out looking for jobs.
MAJOR THOMPSON - Those weren't our guys.
Admiral Fitzwallace enters [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]
MAJOR TATE - Oh my God.
MAJOR THOMPSON - Attention!
The officers in the room swiftly stand straight.
FITZWALLACE - Good afternoon, Sam.
SAM - Mr. Chairman.
FITZWALLACE - Congressman.
KEN - How do you do admiral?
FITZWALLACE - Good to meet you again, Ken. [to Mike] We haven't met.
MIKE - Mike Satchel.
FITZWALLACE - From Oregon?
MIKE - Yes, sir.
FITZWALLACE - Percy Fitzwallace.
MIKE - It's an honor to meet you, admiral.
FITZWALLACE - I imagine it would be. Yes.
SAM - Uh, Major Tate, Major Thompson, this is Chairman Fitzwallace.
FITZWALLACE - They're not gonna speak to me until I speak to them, Sam. They're pretty well-trained. [to Tate and Thompson] Stand easy, fellas. [sees the snack on the table] Is this Danish for everybody?
SAM - Oh. Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - [to Tate and Thompson] We're discussing gays in the military, huh?
MAJOR THOMPSON - Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - What do you think?
No response.
FITZWALLACE - I said what do you think?
MAJOR THOMPSON - Sir, we're here to help the White House form a possible-
FITZWALLACE - I know. I'm asking you what you think.
MAJOR TATE - Sir, we're not prejudiced toward homosexuals.
FITZWALLACE - You just don't want to see them serving in the Armed Forces?
MAJOR TATE - No sir, I don't.
FITZWALLACE - 'Cause they oppose a threat to unit discipline and cohesion.
MAJOR TATE - Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - That's what I think too. I also think the military wasn't designed to be an instrument of social change.
MAJOR TATE - Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE - The problem with that is that what they were saying to me 50 years ago. Blacks shouldn't serve with Whites. It would disrupt the unit. You know what? It did disrupt the unit. The unit got over it. The unit changed. I'm an admiral in the U.S. Navy and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...Beat that with a stick. [to Ken] We'll see you, Ken. [leaves]
2 comments:
Beat that with a stick. Good one!
I had no clue you had a blog and now I'm excited! I'm still new to this dealy but I think I figured out how to "follow" you. I actually didn't read this post because I literally just started watching The West Wing and I can't run the risk of spoilers. I'm almost done with season 1 though.
Anyway, I needed a way to let you know I will now begin reading YOUR every blog entry from halfway around the world :) Keep up the good work!
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