The Calgary Herald editorial that suggests – with a straight face – calls to repeal a Canadian Blood Services ban on gay men donating is about “the hurt feelings” of homosexuals,” and not about a policy created in hysteria that is discriminatory and phobic by definition.
Republican state Senator Roy Ashburn, outed in March after an arrest for drunk driving, in an interview with the Bakersfield California conducted Wednesday, ahead of his surprising pro-gay stance on the floor of the Senate Thursday, during which he was the only Republican who voted in favour of motion allowing gay men and women to serve openly in the military, talks about having built a closeted life predicated on a lie, and how that one lie led to many others. He also talks about having historically voted against gay rights legislation, the Senator saying “I’m sorry for that.” Ashburn says that on some level he wanted to come out, and that his behaviour forced him to confront his sexual orientation. “I outed myself, I really did,” said Ashburn, “I was drinking and doing riskier and riskier things.”
Thursday, the American House voted 234-194 in favour of amended proposal to repeal the military ban on openly gay men and women serving. Among those Republicans voting against the measure, Representative Mary Bono Mack, of Palm Springs, California, the widow of Sonny Bono defending her position, saying “this vote represents exactly why people are frustrated with Washington – why request a review on how to make significant changes to military policy if politicians are not going to wait for the results? I can deeply about our men and women in uniform and believe it is essential that a thorough review be completed by our military commanders prior to Congress enacting such a sweeping change.” According to the language of the measure passed Thursday, any repeal of the policy informally known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” may only be implemented 60 days after the Pentagon commissioned review on how best to implement such a change has been completed. The deadline for completion is December 1st.
Representative Ron Paul, of Texas, was one of only five Republicans who voted for the repeal, Paul explaining that he voted in favour because he had “received several calls and visits from constituents who, in spite of the heavy investment in their training, have been forced out of the military simply because they were discovered to be homosexual. To me, this seems like an awful waste. Personal behaviour that is disruptive should be subject to military discipline regardless of whether the individual is heterosexual or homosexual. But to discharge an otherwise well-trained, professional, and highly skilled member of the military for these reasons is unfortunate and makes no financial sense.”
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