1115.org

On Monday, I wrote about the latest in a long line of straight-up bigots who have made themselves very comfortable in the halls of power since George W. Bush was selected President. The sad case of Peter Pace (I’ve removed his title for the sake of rhyme and because I simply don’t recognize his rank anymore) is particularly disgusting due to the fact that he went way out of his way to interject his personal opinion into an interview about the future of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” His comparison of homosexuality to adultery is disgusting, and he has proven himself unfit to serve. I’m not sure what made him think that his “upbringing” had any relevance to military policy, but it’s telling that he felt comfortable openly judging gays and lesbians in general, and those that serve specifically. There simply shouldn’t be any place for this kind of bigotry in 2007. In a better version of this country, he’d be turning in his stars today.

But this isn’t a better version, and despite progress on a number of fronts, we still live in a place and time where a man who wishes to be President has calculated that proudly supporting the bigot Pace will benefit him politically:

We write in support of General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who has recently received criticism for expressing his personal moral views.
[…]
The question is whether personal moral beliefs should disqualify an individual from positions of leadership in the U.S. military? We think not. General Pace’s recent remarks do not deserve the criticism they have received. In fact, we applaud General Pace for maintaining a personal commitment to moral principles.

Pace is free to hold prejudicial views on any subject he wants. He’s legally bound to enforce the absurd “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” But when he puts on his uniform - one that features a flag that gays and lesbians have died to protect - common decency and respect demand that he not slander his fellow service-members. Brownback’s unsolicited support is no less reprehensible, and certainly not befitting a U.S. Senator.

In 2004, when John Kerry, in the context of refuting the contention that homosexuality is a choice, simply mentioned that Mary Cheney is a lesbian, Dick and Lynne went apeshit:

Big Time: “You saw a man who will do and say anything to get elected, and I am not just speaking as a father here, although I am a pretty angry father.”

Mrs. Big Time: “This is not a good man,” she said. “Of course, I am speaking as a mom, and a pretty indignant mom. … What a cheap and tawdry political trick.”

I wonder how they feel today, after hearing Pace call their daughter immoral, and watching Brownback rush to his defense.

And for the record, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are virtually MIA on this. Looks like they’d rather talk about religion and faith than defend homosexuals:

If gays and lesbians were looking for a champion to dispute Gen. Peter Pace’s claim that homosexuality is immoral, they might have expected Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama to leap forward.

Not quite. While both Clinton and Obama are courting gays and lesbians, and would allow them to serve openly in the military, the Democratic front-runners have been curiously reticent about challenging the statements of the chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff.
[…]
On Wednesday, Newsday repeatedly asked Obama if same-sex relationships were immoral.

“I think traditionally the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman has restricted his public comments to military matters,” said Obama, leaving Capitol Hill. “That’s probably a good tradition to follow.”

He turned the conversation to opposition to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy: “I think the question here is whether somebody is willing to sacrifice for their country.”
[…]
That sequence was remarkably similar to Clinton’s responses Tuesday. When an ABC reporter asked her about the issue, she replied, “Well, I am going to leave that to others to conclude.”

That’s leadership. Ummmm:

Later, an Obama spokesman said the senator, in fact, disagrees with Pace.
Later, a Clinton spokesman said the senator, in fact, also disagrees with Pace.

Republican John Warner, who like Clinton has oversight of Pace on the Armed Services Committee, did better, and said this himself:

I respectfully but strongly disagree with the chairman’s view that homosexuality is immoral.”

Clinton and Obama must be so proud that they’re camping out to the right of Warner on gay rights. Bitches.