Mother Of Openly Gay 9/11 Hero Mark Bingham Implores Senator McCain To Change “Very Regrettable” Position Opposing Repeal Of Military Ban On Gay Service Members

Alice Hoagland, the mother of 31 year old Mark Bingham, one of the passengers aboard United Airlines flight 93 who is believed to have led an attack on hijackers who commandeered the plane September 11, 2001, and who were apparently hoping to fly into the United States Capital building, is imploring Senator John McCain – who famously eulogised her son – to change what she calls his “very regrettable” opposition to the repeal of the military policy prohibiting openly gay service members, telling Salon.com “I’d hope that he’d take counsel with his wide and reconsider and realise that it is a new day.” Bingham, along will all aboard flight 93 were killed that day, the plane crashing into a farm field in Southwest Pennsylvania, diverting it from the Capital destination. Bingham, who was openly gay, was a public relations executive and a ruby enthusiast, and had supported McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign. McCain flew to Berkley, California to deliver the eulogy, at one point saying “I may very well own my life to Mark and the others who summoned the enormous courage and love necessary to deny those deprave, hateful men their terrible triumph.” Later, during McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, he referenced Mark when asked if had any role models who were openly gay, the senator answering “I had the humbling experience of speaking at Mark Bingham’s funeral after the attacks on Sept. 11. Mark had supported me during the 2000 campaign ... I honour and respect Mark.” Mark’s mother, Alice, who, since his death, has become a gay rights advocate, says that while she respects the senator, she cannot abide his position on lifting “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and intends to write him a letter arguing that “gay men and women who are in the military deserve better than they have been given to date. Repeal is an idea whose time has come ... quite a while back.” She adds that “Senator McCain's influence and validation would be wonderful. I just wish he weren't quite so strident on this. "There is lots of evidence -- including that survey that he now faults -- that America is changing its mind."