Anti-Gay Language Stripped from National Defense Authorization Act

The Republican controlled House of Representatives in keeping with the demands of its Christianist puppet masters had previously tried to amend the National Defense Authorization Act to include anti-gay measures that would have among other things (a) incorporated language from Section 3 of DOMA into the defense bill and (b) banned same sex weddings on military bases and barred chaplains from participating in same sex wedding ceremonies. Thankfully, the Conference Committee has stripped away these provisions - no doubt to the intense chagrin of the usual "godly Christian" hate merchants. Unfortunately, the repeal of the military's sodomy prohibition was not successful. Chris Geidner at Metro Weekly reports on the latest developments. Here are highlights:

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network announced this evening that both amendments opposed by LGBT advocates in the House version of the NDAA were dropped from the conference report. SLDN also announced, however, that a provision in the Senate version of the NDAA that would have repealed the military's sodomy prohibition was not included in the conference report.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network announced this evening that both amendments opposed by LGBT advocates in the House version of the NDAA were dropped from the conference report. SLDN also announced, however, that a provision in the Senate version of the NDAA that would have repealed the military's sodomy prohibition was not included in the conference report.

One of the dropped House provisions, proposed by Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), "reaffirm[ed] the policy of section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act." The amendment -- made applicable to the NDAA by referencing Department of Defense rules, regulations and employees -- also repeats Section 3's policy of defining "marriage" and "spouse" as relating only to opposite-sex marriages.

The other, offered by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), would have expanded upon the current restrictions of DOMA by effectively banning same-sex marriages from being performed at military bases or by military employees. Akin's amendment would have prohibited weddings from taking place on military installations, such as bases, or other Defense Department property if they don't comply with DOMA. It also would have prohibited chaplains or other Defense employees from performing non-DOMA-compliant marriages while "acting in an official capacity."

Sarvis said of the decision on the sodomy provision: "However, we are very disappointed that the conferees voted to keep the sodomy provisions in Article 125 [of the Uniform Code of Military Justice]. Dropping Article 125 has been recommended for more than a decade by SLDN and several groups, including the Cox Commission that includes distinguished legal scholars from the military and academia, . . .

The hypocrisy of the GOP and Christianists who claim to champion freedom of religion yet want to trample upon the religious freedom of others is notable. Never mind that some chaplains might be from denominations that recognize same sex relationships or that some military personnel might want to participate in same sex weddings. As is always the case, the Christianists want to inflict their beliefs on everyone.