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From: jrc@ritcv.UUCP (James R Carbin)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re:  Security Clearances....
Message-ID: <768@ritcv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Nov-83 18:17:36 EST
Article-I.D.: ritcv.768
Posted: Fri Nov  4 18:17:36 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Nov-83 07:01:58 EST
Lines: 20

When someone is being investigated for a security clearance, a real irony
may exist.  It is not uncommon procedure to interview college professors and
classmates when the individual being considered is a recent college graduate. 

They never ask the professors or the classmates if they are homosexual.
I suppose that the investigative process could be recursive: i.e. interview
people who know the professors and classmates, but I doubt this would be
legal as neither the professors nor the classmates have given their authori-
zation for such interviews.

So *IF* being homosexual is sufficient grounds to deny a security clearance,
then our government agencies had better reevaluate the soundness of their 
present procedures.  Optimistically, I can imply from this scenario that
one's sexual preference is no longer an issue.  I certainly hope so.  There
are so many other criteria that are more important in determining who will have
access to restricted information.

as ever,

j.r.             {allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jrc