• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace Goes Out with a Bigoted Bang

September 26, 2007 by Andy Towle

Pace

In a Senate hearing today regarding the Pentagon’s 2008 war spending request, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace reiterated his comments about homosexual immorality, causing a five-minute shutdown of the hearing in which the doors to the chamber were briefly sealed. According to the AP, Senator Tom Harkin asked Pace if he wanted “a chance to amend his remarks in light of his retirement.” This is Pace’s last week on the job.

Pace2Said Pace: “Are there wonderful Americans who happen to be homosexual serving in the military? Yes. We need to be very precise then, about what I said wearing my stars and being very conscious of it. And that is, very simply, that we should respect those who want to serve the nation but not through the law of the land, condone activity that, in my upbringing, is counter to God’s law.”

Upon hearing those comments, anti-war protestors seated in the room reportedly began objecting and yelling, which led to the brief adjournment.

When the hearing resumed, Pace reportedly continued his remarks:

“I would be very willing and able and supportive [to changes to the policy] to continue to allow the homosexual community to contribute to the nation without condoning what I believe to be activity — whether it to be heterosexual or homosexual — that in my upbringing is not right.”

Senator Tom Harkin objected to Pace’s comments as “hurtful” and “demoralizing”.

Last March, Pace caused controversy when he declared that he believed “homosexuality is immoral” in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. He later said he regretted the comments but stopped short of apologizing.

The remarks ignited a national debate on gays in the military, prompting reactions, or unfortunate non-reactions in the case of Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Their silence following Pace’s remarks prompted outrage and demands for answers from gay rights groups. Eventually, both Clinton and Obama came forward with their thoughts on the issue.

Pace’s remarks also led to a protest in Times Square by the “ACT UP Army”, led by longtime activist Larry Kramer and attended by former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey.

It’s anybody’s guess whether the outgoing General’s remarks will inspire the same kind of outrage the second time around.

According to reports, Harkin was stern with Pace after he made his statement: “Pace noted that the U.S. Military Code of Justice prohibits homosexual activity as well as adultery. Harkin said, ‘Well, maybe we should change that.'”

Flashback
Gen. Peter Pace Says Military Shouldn’t Condone “Immoral” Gays [tr]
General Pace Expresses Regret Over Anti-Gay Comments [tr]

Filed Under: Military, News Tagged With: Don't Ask Don't tell, Military, News, Peter Pace

Recent Posts

  • Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    4 hours ago
  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    6 hours ago
  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    7 hours ago
  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    9 hours ago
Previous Post: « Towleroad Guide to the Tube #178
Next Post: Mario Lopez: It’s Time for His Season Premiere »

Primary Sidebar

  • Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

Recent Posts

  • Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    4 hours ago
  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    6 hours ago
  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    7 hours ago
  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    9 hours ago
  • Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    10 hours ago
  • GOP Official Resigns After Using Hawaii Republican Party’s Twitter Account to Prop Up QAnon Zealots as ‘Patriots’

    GOP Official Resigns After Using Hawaii Republican Party’s Twitter Account to Prop Up QAnon Zealots as ‘Patriots’

    10 hours ago
  • Biden Cans White House Doctor Who Misled Public About Trump’s COVID Treatment, Condition

    Biden Cans White House Doctor Who Misled Public About Trump’s COVID Treatment, Condition

    11 hours ago
  • GOP Senator Josh Hawley Files Ethics Counter-Complaint Challenging 7 Dem Senators, Writes Screeching Op-Ed Denouncing ‘Cancel Culture’ and Big Tech, Defending ‘Karens’

    GOP Senator Josh Hawley Files Ethics Counter-Complaint Challenging 7 Dem Senators, Writes Screeching Op-Ed Denouncing ‘Cancel Culture’ and Big Tech, Defending ‘Karens’

    12 hours ago
  • Rudy Giuliani Hit with $1.3 Billion Defamation Suit by Dominion Voting Systems Over Election Fraud Lies

    Rudy Giuliani Hit with $1.3 Billion Defamation Suit by Dominion Voting Systems Over Election Fraud Lies

    12 hours ago
  • GA School Board Members Ripped for Refusing to Wear Masks During 13-Second Moment of Silence for Teacher Who Died of COVID: ‘We See Where Your Priorities Are!’ — WATCH

    GA School Board Members Ripped for Refusing to Wear Masks During 13-Second Moment of Silence for Teacher Who Died of COVID: ‘We See Where Your Priorities Are!’ — WATCH

    12 hours ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Log in