Family Research Council’s Peter Sprigg does not appear quite ready to accept gays serving the country in the military. On Hardball, he not only opposed the elimination of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy but argued that all gays should be arrested as criminals.

Here is the exchange:

Matthews: Do you think we should outlaw gay behavior?

Sprigg: Well, I think certainly..

Matthews: I’m just asking, should we outlaw gay behavior?

Sprigg: I think the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas which overturned the sodomy laws in this country was wrongly decided. I think there would be a place in this country for criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior.

Matthews: So we should outlaw gay behavior?

Sprigg: YES!

It is astonishing that our religious right has so much difficulty with the leaders in Iran and other countries when they hold views that seem in line with those of people like Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, here. Not only would Sprigg bar gay Americans from fighting for their country, but would arrest them. This includes presumably arresting heroes who have been decorated for bravery in combat. He might want to visit the grave site of Technical Sergeant Leonard Matlovich (1943–1988).

Sprigg has a particular problem with Lawrence v. Texas where the Supreme Court struck down laws that criminalized homosexual relations between consenting adults. Of course, limitations on religion — including acts of entanglement of church and state — are horrific and unacceptable, but it is perfectly acceptable to declare millions of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals to be criminals because of their private consensual relations.

For the story and commentary, click here and here and here.