Posted on 06/13/2007 2:03:55 PM PDT by pabianice
Washington June 8, 2007 - CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reported this evening that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Peter Pace's departure from that post may be linked to his recent comments regarding lesbian and gay military personnel. According to Starr's report, Pace's comments, along with his role in planning the war in Iraq and his support for convicted Vice Presidential advisor I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, played key roles in Congressional opposition to Pace's re-nomination. "His recent statements that he believed homosexual statements are immoral" presented a "significant problem" for Pace according to Starr.
"Congressional leaders, in warning Secretary of Defense Gates that Pace's remarks would be an obstacle to his confirmation, have sent a clear message that anti-gay prejudice has no place in public policy debates," said Sharra E. Greer, director of law and policy for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). "General Pace's remarks are still fresh in the minds of lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel and were disrespectful to their commitment and service to our country. Those who held General Pace responsible for his irresponsible remarks should be commended for taking a courageous stand in favor of our military personnel."
In a March interview with The Chicago Tribune, Pace said, "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts." He went on to reiterate his support for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by saying that "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way." SLDN demanded that General Pace apologize for his remarks, igniting a firestorm of controversy in the media. Pace later acknowledged that he should not have given his personal opinion in the interview, but stopped short of issuing any apology.
Virginia Senators John Warner and James Webb, both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized Pace's remarks. On June 3, Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) called Pace "flat wrong." Former Republican Wyoming Senator Alan K. Simpson also decried Pace's remarks, noting that Allan Turing, a World War II mathematician who cracked the Nazi code, was gay. "Would Pace call Turing immoral?" Simpson asked.
A group of seven high-ranking retired military officers also called on Pace to apologize, writing in a statement that, "Our community has a long history of serving our country in the armed forces. Today, there are more than 65,000 lesbian and gay troops on duty. Another one million gay and lesbian veterans, including the seven of us, have served in our fighting forces. General Pace's remarks dishonor that service, as does the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law."
It’s nauseating. A Marine Hero is being let down, to placate a bunch of effete liberal sodomists.
So in other words he was one of the only moral, upstanding, Patriotic men left in Washington? No wonder he was given the boot.
So Simpson's argument is that a person's moral worth is based on their mathematical ability.
He is extremely fortunate that a person's moral worth is not determined by their facility with logic.
Don’t forget - they REJECTED a heterosexual Joint Chiefs of Staff nominee just s few years ago, because he had had an affair! Double standard?? I think so!
Who says there’s nothing sacred anymore? Homosexuality is now sacred and cannot by criticized on pain of excommunication.
BTW, there’s no connection between intelligence and morality. Turing was a mathematical genius who aided the war effort, and he engaged in private conduct that most people would consider immoral. From what I hear, the Mafia helped the Allies invade Italy too - did that make them moral? So what?
Joseph Stalin helped us defeat the Nazis too. Was Joseph Stalin immoral?
It's like how Benedict Arnold was both a hero and traitor. These are not mutually exclusive terms. They apply to individual actions.
Well, that and an Administration ready and willing to cave in an instant.
I listened to some of the Dem debate the other night. Every one of those sorry duckfaces were all for turning our military into one big homosexual gay bar.
One fact is certain,when a real man cant go to bed or for a shower in the barracks without some Peter-Puffer eyeing him up for sex the military is dead. What man wants to belong to a military outfit that caters to homosexuals.
The democrats will ruin this country if something isnt done. It looks like somewhere in this country there must be a Democrat that has enough common sense to see that and run for political office.
This batch we have running now arent worth the cost of a good manure spreader,although they spread enough of it.
Ahh yes, the Clinton social experiment which scr&w&d the military. And now Pace, who is a really great Marine—according to all the Marines who know him.
Exactly. And without those men, we won't have an army to speak of. Just what the libs want in the first place.
GOP now the party of abortionists and gays. Gotta replace those conservatives somehow.
Alan Simpson spent waaaay too much time in D.C. When is 'homosexual acts' the same as 'cracking the Nazi code'? Oh! I get it! It's all about the 'CRACK'! Duh me! Only homos know the code to get to the crack.
Please. Don't pass the code to me LOL
I’ve not been a Bush basher, but why didn’t he support Pace?
>>>>Sharra E. Greer, director of law and policy for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN).
http://www.sldn.org/templates/press/record.html?section=2&record=1508
>>>>project director of the Military Education Initiative; David Mixner<<<<
David Mixner.
Ex President Clinton’s former GAY advisor.
Ex Governor McGreevey’s GAY publicist.
An organizer of the antiwar movement during Vietnam Protests.
Cofounder of the Victory Fund Gay & Lesbian Fund to provide financial support for candidates and officials
tidbit
Pace is the NOT the first the one Bush threw under the bus for the sake of NOT confronting the Liberals.
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