Staunch republican and former Congressman Bob Barr penned a letter in today's Wall Street Journal calling for our government to repeal everyone's favorite discriminatory policy, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
In addition to highlighting the policy's money wasting, talent trashing aspects, Georgia-born Barr – who admits he's not the biggest gay activist this side of the political divide – takes some time to dig into his political peers, particularly the presidential candidates:
Last week's forum of 10 Republican presidential hopefuls offered the country some troubling insight into the thinking of leading GOP candidates. In particular, the five who responded to questions about the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy governing military service by gays and lesbians showed a disturbing move away from conservative principles, in favor of what smells strongly of political expediency or timidity.
…
Republican presidential candidates left me — and I suspect many others — questioning whether those candidates really even understood the issue, or were simply pandering to the perceived "conservative base." The fact is, equal treatment of gay and lesbian service members is about as conservative a position as one cares to articulate.
Barr goes on to explain what good conservatives know – Don't Ask, Don't Tell's a disgusting invasion of privacy. If the GOP wants to keep the government out of people's personal lives, they should abandon the policy all together.
Don't you hate when conservatives make sense?
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barry goldwater said the same thing. "true" conservatism actually means the government out of the bedroom and not caring about sexuality. if you look back to the 18th century, "conservative" is pretty much what "liberal" is considered now. of course, that'snto what these dimwit Republicans pandering to the religious right practice.
Bob Barr has become much less of an asshole the longer he's been out of office. Glad he's seeing the light.
Bob Barr not an asshole? Are you nuts or just not aware of the content of the entire Barr editorial? He's against Gay Marriage Rights, he's against Hate Crimes Legislation or any law that would make homosexuals a "protected minority", but he thinks it's fine to let you fight, be maimed or die for country. He's fine with gays being cannon fodder, just don't expect to be accorded the rights or equal protection under the law that heterosexuals are given. Thanks, but no thanks Bobby. Also, have you ever noticed how much Barr resembles Heinrich Himmler?
Bob Barr is and continues to he a homophobic bastard who would throw the gay community in camps with little if any remorse.
What's more, Queerty is derelict in not reporting the entire editorial by Barr, just cherry picking what sounds like a pro-gay portion. Shame on you Queerty!
Cherry-picking: it's the American way!
OK, Graywolf, I never said he wasn't an asshole, I simply said that he is becoming less of one. You need to read some of his Atlanta Journal-Constitution columns, which are 180s of the positions while he took in office. That's not to say he's still not a neanderthal, it's just that his edges have softened towards the libertarian side of the equation.