Posted on 07/24/2012 4:01:49 PM PDT by jazusamo
Republican lawmakers are blasting the Pentagon's decision to allow troops to march in uniform at a San Diego gay pride parade last week.
Two senior Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services committees said Tuesday that the Pentagon was out of line to grant the one-time exemption that allowed military uniforms in the parade.
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) said the Pentagon made a “dangerous exception” to its policy of not allowing military uniforms in parades. In a statement, the Armed Forces Readiness subcommittee chairman said that the decision was a made to advance the Obama administration’s social agenda.
“I am calling on the DOD to halt these dangerous exceptions to policy for political purposes. This decision was an outrageous and blatantly political determination issued solely to advance this Administration’s social agenda,” Forbes said in a statement Tuesday.
“Sadly, this is yet another violation in what has become a pattern of this Administration’s assault on the longstanding history of the Department of Defense as a nonpolitical organization,” he said.
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta asking for an explanation behind making the exemption in light of the military's "unambiguous regulations" to preserve its apolitical stance.
"If the Navy can punish a Chaplain for participating in a pro-life event or a Marine participating in a political rally, it stands to reason that DOD should maintain the same standard and preclude service members in uniform from marching in a gay pride parade," Inhofe said. "I respectfully request a detailed explanation of the rational you used to grant this ‘one time waiver’ of DOD policy, who requested the waiver, why this waiver was considered justified over other requests, and whether you are considering other exceptions to current policy.”
Both Inhofe and Forbes said that the Pentagon’s decision to allow the service members to participate in the parade in uniform was in clear violation of Defense Department rules on participating in political activities while in uniform.
Forbes pointed to a press release from San Diego LGBT Pride that said the inclusion of military uniforms was helping celebrate the “growing list of states with marriage equality.”
The Pentagon said last week that it was allowing an exemption for military personnel to wear their uniforms at the San Diego gay pride parade but that the exemption only covered that parade and not future ones.
Who would have ever thought that our soldiers would be allowed to march in uniform in a “We Love Anal Sex” parade?
who gets to be ‘rear admiral’ on their pride float?
I thought there would be a lot more outcry about it. Apparently there were the usual disgusting displays of gay sex in the parade.
Why the Navy had to dishonor itself by participating in this is beyond me.
I think the public-relations departments in the Armed forces are like PR departments everywhere, mainly staffed by gays and lesbians.
also I never understood why there wasn’t more trouble about the ‘First Kiss’ crap — a Navy female lesbian officer kissing her girlfriend -— that came out as soon as the policy was announced. They had to have had it ready.
The American military now being used like a prop in a Village People video. Sick.
If DOD allows in-uniform parading FOR gay rights, how can DOD (constitutionally) bar in-uniform parading AGAINST gay rights, e.g., a parade by service members who oppose the repeal of DODT?
No matter your stance on the underlying policy, I fail to see how any court would not agree that Equal Protection requires permitting someone in uniform to parade against X if parading FOR x is allowed.
It’s really only a matter of time before the Gay Mafia remakes the Military in its image. Anyone from the old Guard who doesn’t embrace (not tolerate: EMBRACE) the LBGT cause will be destroyed career-wise (at a minimum).
Bascially anyone in the Military who is a person of faith better watch their six. Not long ago, these people made up the backbone of the military—especially the Officer corps. Soon, they will be targets of Big Gay.
What is disgusting are the flag officers who just rolled over and allowed this.
Must be too close to retirement time.
They have played the PC angle to the hilt and made their depravity acceptable to many because of their claim of entitlement to live that lifestyle.
This is a precedent they are going to regret setting.
“In the rear with the gear” has a way different meaning than when I was in the Army.
You're absolutely right!
Betcha there would be a courts martial by the end of the week if a uniformed military man or woman was in a Tea Party parade or Glenn Beck ralley.
Say goodbye to the words “conduct unbecoming.”
Anything goes now in Obama’s corrupted military.
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