I enjoy the fact that these same back-slapping, self-congratulating fools who've worked so hard for so long to prevent us from proudly and openly serving our nation still tell themselves and others that they "support our troops" and are "proud to be American," yet only for the America they deem.

Disgusting.

I agree. If you say you support our troops, support ALL of tham. They are all there to doo the same DAMN JOB!!!

File the story in the drawer marked "Idiotic Congressman makes Even More Idiotic Remark", (also known as the repub file).

"How do you have patience for people who claim they love America, but clearly can't stand Americans?" The American President

When is the public going to get tired of electing jackasses?

How about a new rule,,, you complain you are against the

dodt you are automatically out for subordination

Rest in peace, Corporal Andrew Wilfhart. You served honorably and well, and God has welcomed you, I am certain. Rest in peace.

Why anyone ever gave Allen West command over anything other than latrine duty is beyond me. Cpl. Andrew Wilfhart was 10 times the soldier than West will ever be.

Thank you for sharing that, Corporal Andrew Wilfhart and his unit does us proud, and is an expample of the way we should live. No one should be put down because of who they love.

Allen West has no soul or heart. How can he claim to be an American? Cpl. Wilfhart died for you Allen West. Look yourself in the mirror and say that three times.

Why don't we ask the man whose life was saved by Andrew if he gives a rat's *ss about the minor fact that Andrew was gay. I have a feeling that the answer is going to be no.

i guess i inherently know the answer, but part of me wonders why TRMS or anybody should dignify anything this @!$%#ing fascist kook says or does with any coverage (short of some 'ballots v bullets' sort of thing). i mean, the whole same thing was said and done over "West's kind" in the same military.

I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a child who you have raised and loved, but I am so impressed by these parents. In a time of their greatest mourning, they are speaking out to help others. I can see where this young man got his courage and dedication. Thank you for posting the video. It leaves me feeling humbled, and deeply grateful to all who serve.

As James Thurber said, "Don't count your boobies until they are hatched." Health care - Well Maybe- Maybe not. Bank reform - not so much. Credit Reform and regulation - not really. Environmental protection - bye bye. Mortgage Help - zip, Gay Rights - working tirelessly to little avail. DADT Passed? Not by a LONG SHOT. Close GITMO - Forget it. Restore Civil Rights - actually... take a few more away. Honesty in government - Sure except for Wikileaks and the press and the speeches during the campaigns. Protect and strengthen Social Security - Ummm if you are on Wall St, SURE! Democratic Elections - Yeah if you spend a couple of million to get your candidate on the ballot and a couple more to destroy the other guy.
What is wrong with the left? Well - by having so little backbone and so little interest in anything other than re-election, the LEFT is a little right of center and thinks it is "centrist".

If we are honest, not one thing we have gotten has actually come from left of center at all. The proof - CNBC reports that "This is the best quarter the country has reported in 50 years or more." So "The Country" and The DOW are now totally interchangeable. How "left" is THAT?

Sadly, as I said last week, the people of Florida got what they voted for. Unfortunately, we are all stuck with this incompetent bastard. Time again to Cry the Beloved Country.

I worry that there is a continued religious right undertone to this. I just read an article about the New Apostolic Reformation which has done work in, among other places, Uganda.

The movement has had a widespread impact, spreading ideology to other Charismatics inside Mainline Protestant denominations and Roman Catholicism, although non-Charismatic Roman Catholicism is viewed as controlled by a powerful demon named "The Queen of Heaven." The political potential of the movement is now being tapped by politicians including Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, and others, as well as large numbers of local and state politicians. Over the last few years, the apostles have taken visible leadership roles in the Religious Right in the United States and numerous nations in Africa, Asia, and South America and claim Uganda as their greatest "Transformations" success story and prototype.

www.talk2action.org/story/2011/3/30/134253/237/

Fighting against homosexuality is apparently one small part of the overall agenda to "evangelize the world." It sounds crazy, but they don't think so.

This is a comment my cousin made to me when we were chatting about the cruel cutting at the state level to fix "Budget problems", but I thought it was fitting here as well:

"Scott, all the political stuff can be summed up very simply; this is what the end of civil society looks like. This is what happens when empires fall apart - there are no rules."

"I am concerned this is the camel in the tent...How can you give us the comfort that [those] who see the failures of this program are free to speak up?"

Bigots often don't have qualms speaking their hate. Those that do wisely don't want people to know they are a bigot. Does Representative West feel that African-Americans should be kicked out of the army because, his words not mine, "How can you give us the comfort that [those] who see the failures of this program are free to speak up?", this program referring to the one that let African-Americans in the military. Congratulations Rep. West on justifying all forms of bigotry in the United States Military. You can resign now.

"We are a military that is in combat..there is so much training required...I don't want to see us mandate more training that takes away the [ability] of the young commander to be effective....the time spent training is time not at the rifle range."

If we have to train our soldiers to not be bigots, than we have a much bigger problem. Did we have to train our soldiers to be more tolerant of African-Americans in the military? What about Hispanics? Asians? Women? Anyone we have to train not to hate shouldn't be serving in the military in the first place. Those kinds of people are much more likely to be involved in the shooting of innocent civilians, because they are more likely to believe they are all guilty because "they were born Arab." If anything, people who voice their concerns about serving with gay men and women helps tell the military determine who is unfit to serve. Those that speak up don't represent the direction America is going and shouldn't be representing us on the field of battle.

We shouldn't ask - because it shouldn't matter - this father was SO eloquent! The tears in my eyes right now are for a life that shouldn't have been lost. Our soldiers are in places the should not be. War is hell, even when for a noble purpose. Our current "engagements" are just plain wrong. We ravaged Afghanistan looking for al-queda and Ossama, Iraq was Bush revence, and $$$ oppertunity for his cronies. Lybia - I still am not sure. Bring ALL our troops who are in harms way - home. Open service should be the norm.

I am grateful to all who serve this country to keep it free. Why so many Americans feel that this country can only be protected by heterosexuals is beyond me. Every person that is able, qualified and has an interest in joining the armed forces of the U.S. should have that right.
Next you'll be trying to dictate what clothes they should be wearing, what weapons they should be using, and probably on what days they should serve on. And so on and so forth. Just let it be already! We are a diverse, multifaceted, dynamic country. And yet we just want to cast it all away, by being a nation of disgruntled urchins!

Cpl Wilfahrt is a hero. Rep West is a moron. How in God's name did that jerk get himself elected. Didn't anyone check HIS military record? What's wrong with Florida voters?

Cpl. Wilfahrt had more integrity, bravery and courage in his little toe than West has in his entire body. It's men and women like Wilfahrt we NEED serving in our military, not like those little punks who went killing for fun in Afghanistan.

Having a boogeyman to scare people has worked very well for the Republicans for many years. Right now the Republicans have 3 boogeymen: gays, Muslims and illegal aliens. There is no downside because there are always new boogeymen to take the place of others. Fear always works with the rubes.

Rachel: You're only progressive when it comes to gender issues.

You're a closet NEOCON. Just look at the way you're covering the middle east. Bring one MILLITARY EXPERT AFTER ANOTHER ....

What a progessive that is.

People with clinical homophobia need to be diagnosed with a mental illness and removed from the U.S. military.

That will fix the problem.

I just can't resist ...

A number of clinical psychologists are finding a persistent group of patients who are unable to overcome their condition despite years of therapy. These psychologists are beginning to suspect that the condition is not a pathology but actually an undocumented expression in human behavior. The condition: homophobia.

Dr. I. M. Fine, an unofficial spokesperson for these psychologists, describes the typical patient with this condition. “They come to us with a great deal of guilt. Family and friends have been telling them for years that they need help. So they are highly motivated to change. While a few have made progress after sensitivity training, there is a persistent core group that never gets it. We’ve decided that it must be normal for them.”

Those suffering with this condition come from all walks of life. Stereotypes of poor red-necks no longer fit as homophobia can be found everywhere from night clubs and churches, to country clubs and ghettos. In fact, you can find it almost anywhere but university faculties. Dr. Fine explains how the condition has gone unnoticed for so long. “For most of our history people could live their whole lifetime without encountering fear inducing stimulus. Nowadays it seems our patients can never find a safe place.”

One patient of Dr. Fine, who asked that we not give her name, told us, “I used to go years without an incident. Now, I’ll be watching TV and a Richard Simmons infomercial comes on, or a re-run of Will and Grace, and BAM! I’m talking to Ralph on the big white phone!” (She means throwing up in the toilet. Ed.)

Studies of the phenomenon are rare since this perspective on homophobia is still in its infancy. Dr. Fine tells of a "twin study" to determine whether there is a genetic cause. But there is a lot more work to be done. He explains, “I have a colleague using DNA sequencing to find genetic markers or even a specific gene which determines homophobia. But he is having trouble getting the necessary funding. He suspects that 90-100 percent of the population could have that gene. If so, that would explain why isolating the gene is so difficult. Actually, my friend is homophobic himself but hasn’t come out of the closet, yet. You can imagine what people would say about his data if they knew he had the condition. He is a courageous man but he is afraid he would lose tenure if people knew.” (Dr. Norm Allmann refused to be interviewed for this article. Ed.)

Gayle Esbienne, spokesperson for the National Deeply Confused Individuals Task Force, believes Dr. Fine and his patients are “mean-spirited dweebs who should shut their %$@#& mouths.” The NDCITF recommends mandatory isolation of homophobic people in camps which will provide re-education and re-programming… or death.

But Dr. Fine is still speaking up for the tragic victims of this pernicious social stigma. He asks, “Did you know that in almost every state, a homophobic person can be denied service in a restaurant? It is so unfair. These people can’t help the way they were born!” Another patient echoes this sentiment. “Do you think I want to live like this? I want to get married and raise a family like everyone else. Why won’t people just let me be me?"

One troubling development is that some of Dr. Fine’s patients have taken a militant stance. Last week we found a few in front of a cable news channel with signs which read, “Straight isn’t Twisted” and “Homophobic! Loud and Proud.”

As the question of homophobia plays out on the stage of America, one thing is sure. The more controversy we journalists create, the more money we make.