You read every word I posted and I never said Goldwater advocated "special" rights for gays.
But he advocated gays in the military, something that most knowledgable people agree is detrimental to discipline and good order.
That alone militates against Goldwater being a conservative during his later life.
Goldwater morphed into a liberal libertarian, why don't you just admit it and move on?
Right. That's why the military is doing so poorly in Afghanistan then eh? So many gays? Do you ever even think about your absurd propositions? If "most knowledgable" people agreed, then there would be no controversy at all.
There is, and that is because "most knowledgable people" in fact DO NOT agree.
Goldwater rightly stated that one's sexuality was not a relevant test of one's ability to do well in battle: "You don't have to be straight to be good in battle, you have to SHOOT straight."
He was correct.