Congressman Allen West Defends Remarks Comparing Homosexuality to Choosing an Ice Cream Flavor

In an interview earlier this week with Florida's Sun-Sentinel, Congressman Allen West insisted homosexuality is a behavior and compared it to choosing an ice cream flavor or riding a scooter.

"You cannot compare me and my race to a behavior. Sexuality is a behavior. I cannot change my color. People can change their sexual behavior. I've seen people do that. I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. So Ive seen a very different perspective on human behaviors. That's where I'm coming from with that. Everyone has the same basic rights. And no one is telling people in the gay community that they don't have the same basic rights that anyone in America has."

When asked if he thinks gay people should change their behavior, West responded:

"No. I don't think that. You know, I like chocolate chip ice cream. And I will continue to like chocolate chip ice cream. So, there's no worry about me changing to vanilla. I like to, you know, ride my motorcycle. What do you want me to do, change my behavior and ride a scooter?"

Watch the video HERE.

Yesterday, after being condemned by Rep. Lois Frankel for the remarks, West insisted they were taken out of context, and defended them, adding an attack on the repeal of "Dont' Ask, Don't Tell".

"I think that what I said was that is behavior. And so what I talked about is, I prefer, I like chocolate chip ice cream. And I'm not going against what someone prefers as their behavioral preference in their life. But when you start to understand about the United States military. The United States military serves one mission and that is to fight and win our nation's wars and if we start to take the military and try to conform it to individual behaviors no matter what those individual behaviors are we're going to lose the essence of what the United States military is."

Watch the video HERE.

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