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Republican debate audience loudly boos gay soldier
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2011 at 09:50 AM
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Still, I was startled when the audience at a previous Republican presidential debate cheered Rick Perry's unbroken death penalty execution record.
Then later I was even more surprised when the crowd cheered the idea of allowing an uninsured young man to die. It gave me a real sense of what ancient Rome must have sounded like to anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves standing in the center of the Colosseum.
And deeply shocking as those two moments were, they each time went unchallenged by the assembled conservative candidates on the stage.
But when the crowd last night loudly booed a brave gay soldier who deployed to Iraq, where he put his life on the line every day for the future of this country, I was incensed.
It was, simply put, a disgusting spectacle.
'Do you plan to circumvent the progress that has been made for gay and lesbian soldiers in the military?' the soldier asked the candidates.
But before any candidate could answer the crowd erupted in loud boos and cat calls. Simply because he was gay this crowd made clear the soldier was unworthy of their respect, beneath their consideration. To the far right you can be gay or American, but you can't be both.
That's an extreme view and Fox News host Megyn Kelly chose an extremist candidate to answer it.
Rick Santorum, who can always be depended upon to offer a completely off-the-wall comment, disrespected the gay soldier further by saying that whilst he supports the war in Iraq he did not support the gay troops fighting that war.
Santorum could not even bring himself to thank the soldier for his service.
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If you're gay, last night made clear, many Republican voters will overlook your patriotism, overlook your service to the nation, and instead they will work to ensure that your second class status is enshrined in the constitution of the United States, where they will treat you with loud contempt, in private and in public, no matter who you are or what you ever do.
America deserves leaders who honor our shared commitment to this nation, rather than seek to create caste systems where some soldiers contributions are mocked and dismissed.
Not one of the candidates on the The Orange County Convention Center in Florida last night had enough patriotism in them to object to hearing a compatriot mocked.
See more: anti-gay, Gay Rights, conservative, irish politics, GOP
32 Comments
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hooligan6a | Nov 08, 2011, 10:02 AM EST
Why does he have to be a "Gay Soldier" why can't he just be, a soldier? I served
30 years in the US Marine Corps. I was not a straight Marine I was just a Marine.
Why should a man be defined by what he does in the bedroom? It is none of my
business. Why can't you keep it to yourself? I am sorry he was booed but he should just go back and do his job. As a soldier, not a "gay soldier"
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McNamara31 | Sep 28, 2011, 11:54 AM EDT
I heard the tea party now being called the “Ice” tea party.
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pilib04 | Sep 25, 2011, 09:34 AM EDT
An American active service soldier in a warzone is booed by Republicans because he is openly gay and asked a question about Don't Ask, Don't Tell? Tells you about republicans. They have never supported our troops. They are always trying to cut veterans benefits.
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eibhleann7 | Sep 24, 2011, 01:45 PM EDT
I hate to burst your ignorance bubble, but gays have always been part of your "great military machine". They, too, were feared by the Germans and Japanese. They are honored war heroes, decorated officers, and celebrated veterans. You, or someone you may know are here today because of the valor and courage of these servicemen, except you and are just too thick to know any better. And yes, the polls are an effective way to make change, that's why DADT was repealed....in 2011. Sorry, you're a year late and a dollar short.
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McNamara31 | Sep 24, 2011, 10:11 AM EDT
Some defend that there was only one person at the recent debate who boo'd a man serving his country...But all of GOP debates have displayed this mob mentality to applaud the death penalty in Texas (like some badge of honor) and to applaud the "let em die" statement that followed Ron Pauls's healthcare response. It's sad that this generation of the GOP feel they have to lower themselves to a mob mentality to pander for votes.
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Woodman | Sep 23, 2011, 11:22 PM EDT
Saddam is dead and was no threat to the United States. Osama Bin Laden is dead. So, how does keeping thousands of soldiers and continuing spending trillion(s) in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan defend American freedom?
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HorsesInMdstrm | Sep 23, 2011, 08:51 PM EDT
@freebie28 - kudos to you for your service. I didn't get any medals, and I came in last in the soldier of the month competition in my battalion. From the point of view of value to the nation, it was a waste of two years and $99/month. From the point of view of my education, it was wonderful. I met people of cultures and ethnicity I had rarely been exposed to in the past; and I learned the value of community in America - that we need to be responsible not just for ourselves but for all who need our help. That was my important lesson from military service, and the beginning of my liberalism. Oddly enough, I haven't been to any tea party events.
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freebie28 | Sep 23, 2011, 08:16 PM EDT
@HorseinMdstrm - Glad you asked 'about my service.' Unlike you, I did not wait to be drafted, but enlisted in the U-S Air Force and served in South Korea, supporting our troops at the front in Viet Nam. Received United States Air Force Commendation metal for meritorious service. Thanks for asking (and serving).
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beckydhall | Sep 23, 2011, 07:56 PM EDT
Well, as someone who was actually in Orlando at the Convention Center during the dedate.....it was only ONE backward, uneducated, pitiful person who shouted out and jeered after the question was asked. I can only assume that Cahir O'Doherty is equally ethically challenged since he chose to "report" such caustically untrue and misleading misinformation in an effort to push his own agenda (just as the bafoon at the debate last night tried to push his own agenda)! It is "reporters" such as he that have caused the majority of Americans to completely disregard the mainstream media.
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HorsesInMdstrm | Sep 23, 2011, 06:44 PM EDT
@freebie28 - I have no evidence for what I'm going to say - it's anecdotal. I'm liberal as are many of my friends. I think liberals were not anti-military - there are of course exceptions to this rules. What I think is that when the draft was in existence, liberals resented that we sent our (mostly) men to fight wars that were useless to our national security.
I was a draftee in the Army during the Vietnam war but was fortunate in not having to go to Vietnam.
I mildly resented having to uproot my life to serve, but I believe I would have enlisted if our country was in danger.
Today's military is all-volunteer as we all know, although some have probably joined due to economic necessity. This doesn't diminish in any way the respect I feel for them.
You are living in the past. Most liberals I have spoken with support the troops, if not the wars they fight in. But to acknowledge that would require you to change your mindset.
Tell us about your service.
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penn2000 | Sep 23, 2011, 06:20 PM EDT
I'm still waiting for the first meaningful, worthwhile article from you. I know you can do it. You need to realize that there are nuts and kooks in both parties and writing about them only draws more attention to them. Write about something relevant.
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EphraimKibbey | Sep 23, 2011, 06:02 PM EDT
@STEPcoach - as @seagreen points out, long before DADT, gays in the military conducted themselves honorably with regard to "keep it to yourself" as opposed to some stories of straight service members at Tailhook conventions. The 1993 DADT law meant that gay service men and women had to lie to remain in the service of their country which is antithetical to what that honorable conduct is all about. Under DADT, soldiers were often illegally prosecuted even when they themselves had not told anyone of their sexual orientation as the DA part of the law was ignored. The gay service members that have been lobbying for the repeal of DADT have been the ones expelled from their respective services to the detriment of our war efforts. Those still in uniform were compelled to remain silent by this unpatriotic law. While those in the audience have a right to their own religous beliefs, their boos were as unpatriotic and unchristian as the harassment that returning Vietnam vets got in the '70s. I keep expecting more from my fellow Americans and keep getting disappointed.
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JBRAFTREE | Sep 23, 2011, 04:31 PM EDT
I'll bet there were very few veterans in the group that boo'd him.
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PatriciaMarya | Sep 23, 2011, 04:25 PM EDT
There is so much unvented rage in this country that I do believe that the Mob Mentality has taken over. Any person or group that can be considered as "weaker" or "different" is bringing out the Bully temperament, the lowest common denominator, in those who considered themselves to be the In Group or the majority. I now see how Hitler came to power - the people lost their civilized behavior, became lazy, thus, able to be manipulated and habitually "blamed" others for their country's situation instead of having the courage to look in the mirror and take responsibility for making change. It is time to look at each of U.S. as individuals worthy of respect. Freedom to me is the Decision to make Decisions; in other words, being able to remain above and outside of the Mob and be willing to take responsibility for ourselves and our country. To be sure this can be a lonely place; however, it is the clearest path. Please let U.S. be willing to have the strength of character to do so. And do remember: the louder the shouter, the lower the I.Q.
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