The Foreign Service Journal, October 2009

8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 0 9 of Consular Affairs is currently pursuing creative efforts for a workaround on the domestic assignment visa issue. The key issues of health insurance and pen- sion benefits remain unresolved, as well. But the Secretary has done all she can short of additional legislative action, and I commend her for those efforts. I was also quite surprised to see the Journal publish a letter from retired FSORichard Hoover (July-August) op- posing my call for economic, career and quality-of-life improvements for gay and lesbian Foreign Service employees. His argument apparently is that since our “habits are unacceptable” to most Americans and foreigners alike, it is ac- tually in the department’s interest to provide an unwelcoming work environ- ment for us. According to this view- point, our very presence is under- mining the values that our Foreign Service attempts to project overseas. I don’t know what American values Mr. Hoover attempted to project dur- ing his career, but I have been proudly representing my country for the past 18 years because I believe it represents such cherished values as freedom of op- portunity, tolerance, and respect for di- versity and equality under the law. Gay and lesbian employees in the Foreign Service help reflect these values rather than diminish them. Did the Foreign Service Journal se- riously find it beneficial to publish a let- ter questioning the appropriateness of our very presence within the ranks of the Foreign Service? I’m all for jour- nalistic balance and the expression of al- ternative views, but opinions such as this are demeaning and no longer have a place in polite society. ■ Steven Giegerich Consul Consulate General Hong Kong L E T T E R S