Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, has a curious take in a CNN column on why Congress should retain the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy: allowing openly gay personnel in the military violates his religious rights.
Perkins insists that this is not about the rights of gay personnel but the anti-gay personnel in the military:
Some people think allowing open homosexuality in the military means nothing more than opening a door that was previously closed. It means much more than that. It would mean simultaneously ushering out the back door anyone who disapproves of homosexual conduct, whether because of legitimate privacy and health concerns or because of moral or religious convictions.
This outcome is almost inevitable, because pro-homosexual activists have made it clear that merely lifting the “ban” on openly homosexual military personnel will not satisfy them.
Of course, a similar argument could have been used to bar women and blacks for those personnel with deep-seated racists and sexist views, including religious based views. Under this logic, any such groups could be barred to prevent conflicts with religious values. Perkins does not seem to care if his group is a small minority — they appear to have the dominant claim.
Perkins also neglects to acknowledge that you can still be anti-homosexual in your private life — you simply cannot engage in discriminatory conduct at work. As for his “health concerns,” Perkins may wish to elaborate how gays in the military (who are already present in the ranks) pose such a health risk.
For the column, click here.
The best thing about the religious right is that the jokes just write themselves.
In re the Gores.
Seriously, bdaman, who cares?
Lame distraction technique.
BTW, how you doin? did you hear?
The Gores are no more. Fin’e, no mas
Makes me want to party like it’s 1999 and hope I don’t wake up with a sore ass and the look of a deer in headlights. 😉
Bdaman,
So what do you think about the president’s words that you posted?
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2010 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month by fighting prejudice and discrimination in their own lives and everywhere it exists.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-pride-month
Across my Administration, openly LGBT employees are serving at every level. . . .
My Administration has advanced our journey by signing into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which strengthens Federal protections against crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation. We renewed the Ryan White CARE Act, which provides life saving medical services and support to Americans living with HIV/AIDS, and finally eliminated the HIV entry ban. I also signed a Presidential Memorandum directing hospitals receiving Medicare and Medicaid funds to give LGBT patients the compassion and security they deserve in their time of need, including the ability to choose someone other than an immediate family member to visit them and make medical decisions.
In other areas, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a series of proposals to ensure core housing programs are open to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. HUD also announced the first ever national study of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the rental and sale of housing. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services has created a National Resource Center for LGBT Elders.
And he talks about all the things he’d like to do in the future:
Much work remains to fulfill our Nation’s promise of equal justice under law for LGBT Americans. That is why we must give committed gay couples the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple, and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. We must protect the rights of LGBT families by securing their adoption rights, ending employment discrimination against LGBT Americans, and ensuring Federal employees receive equal benefits. We must create safer schools so all our children may learn in a supportive environment. I am also committed to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” so patriotic LGBT Americans can serve openly in our military, and I am working with the Congress and our military leadership to accomplish that goal.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3-GlvKPcg&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
What Mike A and mespo said.
Nice jab there too, mespo.
Mike A,
If Mr. Perkins’ ‘health concerns’ are referring to sexually transmitted diseases (and I suspect that they are code words for AIDS hysteria), then he should welcome lesbians into the military – the group LEAST at risk of contracting STDs…
bdaman,
The bill that was passed by the house repeals DADT AFTER the DoD review on how best to get rid of it is completed and contingent on the okay of the President, the Secretary of Defense, and (I believe) the joint chiefs. So your comment is incorrect and irrelevant.
Oh no he di’nt… Mespo with an elbow off the top rope! Love it!
Ah the sour stench of religion in the hot sun… summer is landing.
If there’s ONE thing we should have a DADT-policy on, it is, without any doubt, religion. And not just in the military…
Were I to observe that Mr. Perkins’ religious views are deeply offensive to me (which they are), a perfectly appropriate response would be, “So what?” Living in a pluralistic society means routinely confronting opinions, religious or otherwise, with which I disagree and which I may even find to be morally repugnant. He needs to get over it. More importantly, he needs to get over himself.
With respect to the substance of his arguments, they are absurd. First, there are no “legitimate privacy or health concerns” precluding military service by gays. As a former Marine, Mr. Perkins knows quite well that the first thing one loses in the military is privacy. And neither reason nor evidence supports his assertion that gays in the military create health issues.
Furthermore, Mr. Perkins’ personal “moral or religious convictions” do not trump the civil rights of others. I might just as well argue that I do not wish to serve in a unit with Southern Baptists or Premillenial Dispensationalists. Too bad for me.
It is past time that thoughtful people remind conservative Christians of all stripes that intolerance is not rendered acceptable by wrapping it in religious doctrine.
Mike,
There is no provision for the Air Force in the Constitution. There are no Statutory provisions either in the Code of Federal Regulations. They are covered under Title XI, As stated the Coast Guard is the only Statutory “Armed” Force and is regulated under the Department of Treasury, unless and until times of war, then they fall under the control of DoD.
While I agree with you that they are treated separately. The President could merge the Air Force back into the Army and there is nothing that could be done. During WWII there was only the Army Air Corp a branch of the Army.
In Theory, the DOD budget includes provisions for all The Army, Navy and Airforce with the Marine’s being treated as a division of the Navy.
I believe that in 47′ this was when they also changed it to the Department of Defense from the Department of War.
The DoD was created in 1947 as a national military establishment with a single secretary as its head to preside over the former Department of War (founded in 1789) and Department of the Navy (founded in 1798; formerly the Board of Admiralty, founded in 1780). The Department of the Air Force was also created as a new service at the same time (it had been part of the War Department as the United States Army Air Force), and made part of DoD. DoD was created in order to reduce interservice rivalry which was believed to have reduced military effectiveness during World War II.
On July 26, 1947, Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which set up the “National Military Establishment” to begin operations on September 18, 1947, the day after the Senate confirmed James V. Forrestal as the first Secretary of Defense.
The Establishment had the unfortunate abbreviation “NME” (with a pronunciation virtually identical to “enemy”), and was renamed the “Department of Defense” (also described in the Act under “Title II – The Department of Defense”, and later abbreviated as “DOD” or “DoD”) on August 10, 1949.
AY,
The Air Force has not been a part of the Army since 1947. The National Security Act of 1947 reorganized the military, creating the modern day Department of Defense with separate departments (and secretaries) for the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Marine Corps is indeed part of the Department of the Navy, but the Air Force is not a part of the Department of the Army. There is an independent Department of the Air Force.
This is the problem with failing to address this issue of gays in the military for what it is, Discrimination!
As Commander in Chief everyday Barack Obama is guilty of Discriminating!
I don’t care if Congress passed this DADT, as Commander in Chief President Goldman Sachs, I mean Obama could end this tomorrow!
Justice Douglas gave us the clearest most unequivocal definition of Discrimination, “Favoring one Group over another!”
How is this not favoring one group over another?
Remember despite our idiot failure General class, in the Military, Gays have fought in every war America has ever fought including The American Revolution!
Time to get over it, grow up and act as men!
This lower-than-pond-scum “human” is offensive to every fiber of my being.
Commandment XI
Thou Shalt Be Intolerant
FYI, Bdaman, The Marines are a division of the Navy, just as the Air Force is a Division of the Army. The Army and Navy are Constitutional. The Coast Guard is the only Force that is Statutory.
I was rethinking this. Mr. Perkins is violating my rights by stating this stuff. We all know to well the GOP stance and actual practice of Family Values.
The debate over gays in the military has driven an extraordinary public wedge between the nation’s highest-ranking military officer and the four service chiefs who collectively make up the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Adm. Mike Mullen, Joint Chiefs chairman, in February first broke with the chiefs of the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marine Corps by endorsing President Obama’s campaign pledge to end the military’s ban on open homosexuals.
The gap widened last week. Adm. Mullen approved a White House deal for Congress to go ahead with a vote on repeal of the law barring openly gay members from the military, rather than waiting for completion in December of a Pentagon study that is seeking the views of troops. Adm. Mullen’s move brought an instant rebuttal from the four chiefs in the form of letters to Congress urging lawmakers not to hold the vote.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/1/military-chiefs-split-with-mullen-on-gays/
And he looks like a closeted Fag himself. Such a pretty boy.