General Peter Pace garnered gay ink yet again yesterday. The outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman faced off against Senator Tom Harkin, who blasted the general’s March remarks: “I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral”.
During a Congressional hearing this week, Harkin called Pace’s comments “hurtful” and gave the military man some time to clear his anti-gay name. Though he maintained homosexuality’s so-called immorality, Pace did concede that gay men and women serve integral roles in our military. “Are there wonderful Americans who happen to be homosexual serving in the military? Yes.”
Politicos, pundits and activists have been discussing the matter ever since, including Jason Knight: the soldier discharged after coming out against Pace. Discussing Pace’s testimony, Knight tells ABC:
I definitely think it’s a step in the right direction. He seems to value the gay and lesbian community that is currently serving.
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Like the first time, that is his opinion and as a senior military leader he shouldn’t be stressing his own views.
Good thing Pace won’t be military leader for much longer. Then he can talk shit all over town. Luckily, he won’t have such a powerful platform.
jknight
I hate that photo. 🙁
Paul Raposo
What’s wrong with that pic, Jason? I think it’s alright 8^)
jknight
I don’t know I think I look goofy. I guess we are our worst critic. But thanks Paul, preciate that. 🙂
Dawster
oh please… it looks perfectly fine. and the half grin works VERY well with the accompanying comments.
JeremyA
Hey Jason
I too served in the Military for 7 year. I too am gay and I took a discharge when offered just to get away from all of the bigots. I applaud your courage. BTW, the pic is good.
davidhalldc
I think the picture is alright but not your best 🙂
jknight
Okay Okay. I’ll shut up about the photo. [Blushes]Thanks gang.
Anywho, good times.
Thanks for your service Jeremy.
Hotrodbuddy
Hi Jason, I served in the army in the late 70’s and my unit commander heard that some of his men were gay. They sent in a gay soldier who was still in the service to flush out other gays. That was the only way for him not to get kicked out. Anyway I was one of many who were set up by him. I got wind of this set-up and just played along with it. He would invite me out to go drinking with him. We were in Kansas at the time, and there was no gay bars even close to our base. We would go to his apartment or on a country road to drink. He was always putting me in the position to make a move on him. I never did and boy was he frustrated. He finally gave up and moved on to someone else. He “Outed” several who were gay and they were discharged. I was sorry I didn’t know these people or I would have warned them like I was warned. Later there was a big meeting of my unit, and the commander made a huge deal about the “Queers” being caught and kicked out. After I served my tour of duty I opted not to re-up. Later at a reunion of my friends who served with me in the army, this came up. The Commander who ordered this soldier to out gays was kicked out later. Guess What? HE WAS GAY. Thank goodness there is justice. What Peter Pace is saying is so tragic, maybe at some point he will get his “Justice”. We can only hope. Jason, Great picture! I THINK YOU LOOK HOT!! All the best to you!!!
ProfessorVP
I have the utmost respect for those in the military who serve in legal, just wars that defend America and make it safer, gay or straight. But that has absolutely nothing to do with America’s colonial involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. My sympathy goes to the victims of America’s current wars, not you with your Mona Lisa smile that says, to me, anyway, “Fuck me.” The comments here about your photo, and not a peep about what the hell you were doing over there, are a sad commentary on the lack of political savvy on the part of some, but not all, queers. If it’s hot men you’re after, go to the Minneapolis Airport. (Go fast, they are starting to retrofit the stalls.) Even that is more respectable than meddling in the Middle East for big oil, reconstruction and other war profiteers.
talkstocoyotes
I wonder what Pace’s views would have been on the desegregation of the military after WWII. “I support ‘Negroes’ in the armed forces as long as they can pass for white”?
Pace is just another White House puppet. Anyone on that level who isn’t is long gone.