Britain's Spy Service Seeks to Hire Gays

[unhappycamper]

Britain's Spy Service Seeks to Hire Gays
Associated Press | August 18, 2008

LONDON - Britain's domestic spy agency wants gay recruits to know: It's time to come out of the closet.

After shunning them for decades over worries of blackmail, MI5 is now asking gay and lesbian people to consider a career as a spy, promising the chance to fight terrorists, protect their country - and earn a decent salary, plus benefits.

As part of an ongoing recruitment drive, MI5 is already wooing women, minorities and people with language skills. The fact that they're now reaching out to Britain's gay community is long overdue, said Peter Tatchell, a London-based gay rights activist.

"Until a decade ago, gay people were seen as a security threat, and as recently as two decades ago, they were being witch hunted and sacked from the security services," he said Monday.

"It was part of the Cold War mentality that saw security threats, traitors, and spies everywhere," he said. "Gay people were regarded as vulnerable to blackmail, even if they were open and out about their sexuality."


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/forums/0,15240,173968,00.html?wh=wh

[cboy4]

1. That's awesome! Why can't the United States get its

fricken act together?