PFLAG National http://www.pflag.org/blog/?p=448 calls on supporters to tell President Bush not to give one of the highest honors to former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace.

The nations highest award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom will be awarded in a ceremony on June 19th to Pace for being "...one of our Nation's most accomplished and respected military officers. His selfless service and visionary leadership have helped keep our Nation safe"

Pace enacted my speaking out against intolerance and my official start in advocating on LGBT issues when he made his famous comments back in 2007 saying that gays and lesbians were immoral. This subsequently resulted in my dismissal from the military and only furthered my drive to get rid of the ridiculous law know as Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Join PFLAG and myself in standing up and telling Bush 'NO'.

Jason Knight

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jdknight,

What exactly is the wording of the citation? And why do you oppose Gen. Peter Pace receiving this well earned medal?

While I respect Gen. Pace, his career, and his service to our country, it is inexcusable that he used his stars and his position to push his own personal prejudice in military matters.

For those who are unaware, jdknight is Jason Knight, an openly gay sailor whose most recent tour was in Kuwait where he served as a Hebrew linguist. He was known to be gay by his entire command, including the commanding officer. In response to Gen. Pace's offensive comments about gays, Jason wrote a letter to Stars and Stripes, which was published on the front page. The resulting media bruohaha thrust him into the spotlight of the DADT battle, where he has become a staunch advocate for the effort to repeal the DADT law.


http://freedomtoserve.blogspot.com/2007/05/video-jason-...ht-talks-to-gma.html

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,134837,00.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dupontgaf,

Maybe it's his personal Opinion and based on the years of his experience?

Maybe he sees tha damages that lifting of DADT will cause? Maybe he's smarter than you?

They may have known that you were gay..But know one asked ....you told.... DADT Bye Bye....

quote:

Originally posted by ENYVTHS:
They may have known that you were gay..But know one asked ....you told.... DADT Bye Bye....

He has said in other threads that he only told when he was, in fact, asked.

Assume much?

quote:

Originally posted by jdknight:
While I respect Gen. Pace, his career, and his service to our country, it is inexcusable that he used his stars and his position to push his own personal prejudice in military matters.

What you view as personal predudice, may have strong ties (does) to historical application and morality/integrity.

You would deny an exemplary General a medal because he truley believes and can show evidence and reasons for his opinion? You don't respect his service at all......why not just admit it?

quote:

Originally posted by ENYVTHS:
They may have known that you were gay..But know one asked ....you told.... DADT Bye Bye....

As Bleah pointed out, I told when asked because I adhere to the military's values of honesty and integrity. Regardless, the law known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell does not actually prohibit commanders from asking, which is just ONE of the many reasons why this law is just wrong.

quote:

What you view as personal predudice, may have strong ties (does) to historical application and morality/integrity.

You would deny an exemplary General a medal because he truley believes and can show evidence and reasons for his opinion? You don't respect his service at all......why not just admit it?

No. Pace's views have nothing to do with integrity. The integrity came in to play when I was honest about myself. As for morality, that comes from a religious group's misinterpretation of only a handful of biblical verses.

AND REGARDLESS, Pace's personal opinions have NO impact on policy, a bad policy, and should have never been said while in uniform. How many moral codes did that break?

Much as I respect your sacrifice, JD, and support your cause, I grudgingly have to say you're wrong this time. GEN Pace's inappropriate personal comments while in uniform should NOT justify ignoring his many other accomplishments in denying this award.

On the other hand, why the heck is a military officer getting a civilian award? Presumably, anything he did while in uniform was properly honored by his official retirement award - presumably a DDSM. To give him an additional civilian award for his military accomplishments is to present two awards for the same period of service - a significant departure from normal custom. What, precisely, has he done AS A CIVILIAN to justify the Medal of Freedom?

It looks to me like President Bush is using the Medal of Freedom to express his support for GEN Pace's intolerant personal opinions. At a minimum, if this award is indeed presented, then GEN Pace's last military service award should be revoked.

quote:

Originally posted by BobApril:
Much as I respect your sacrifice, JD, and support your cause, I grudgingly have to say you're wrong this time. GEN Pace's inappropriate personal comments while in uniform should NOT justify ignoring his many other accomplishments in denying this award.

On the other hand, why the heck is a military officer getting a civilian award? Presumably, anything he did while in uniform was properly honored by his official retirement award - presumably a DDSM. To give him an additional civilian award for his military accomplishments is to present two awards for the same period of service - a significant departure from normal custom. What, precisely, has he done AS A CIVILIAN to justify the Medal of Freedom?

It looks to me like President Bush is using the Medal of Freedom to express his support for GEN Pace's intolerant personal opinions. At a minimum, if this award is indeed presented, then GEN Pace's last military service award should be revoked.

From when this thread was first posted I have given it a lot of thought and I kept having trouble finding the words that would correctly express my thoughts and feelings.

Along comes BobApril and put into words exactly what I was trying to. Thanks Bob.

Gays not liking what he stands for......is probably a feather in his cap!

Gay's and Liberal's are pissed off about everything anyway!

http://www.sldn.org/templates/press/record.html?section=2&record=4907

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Condemns Presidential Honor for Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace
Washington, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today strongly condemned President George W. Bush’s awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace. During a March 2007 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pace called lesbians and gays “immoral” before adding, "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.”

“Honoring General Pace with the country’s highest civil award is outrageous, insensitive and disrespectful to the 65,000 lesbian and gay troops currently serving on active duty in the armed forces,” said Aubrey Sarvis, SLDN’s executive director. “Our men and women in uniform are making tremendous sacrifices for our country and are looking for the President to recognize leaders who offer them praise and vision, not condemnation and scorn.”

President Bush will honor Pace alongside five other recipients at a White House ceremony on Thursday, June 19th. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, recognizes exceptional meritorious service. The medal was established by President Truman in 1945 to recognize notable service in World War II. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy reintroduced it as an honor for distinguished civilian service in peacetime.

In Sept. 26, 2007 testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Pace expanded on his earlier remarks by saying, “we should respect those who want to serve the nation but not through the law of the land, condone activity that, in my upbringing, is counter to God's law.” “All I'm saying is that in my responsibility -- with the authority I've been given and responsibilities I've been given -- are to obey the law of the land and to object if something is either illegal or immoral,” continued Pace.

Statistician Gary Gates at the Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles estimates at least 65,000 lesbian and gay Americans are currently serving on active duty and the reserves while another 1 million gay Americans are veterans of the armed forces.

“Regardless of one’s opinion about ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ every service member deserves respect,” said Sarvis. “As Commander and Chief, the President should condemn General Pace’s remarks and express support to all our men and women in uniform, gay and straight.

# # #

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and related forms of intolerance. For more information, visit www.sldn.org.

......Another worthless liberal socialist organization!

quote:

Another worthless liberal socialist organization!

Pken, care to explain how SLDN is a socialist organization? Oh, I forgot, you don't ever bother to justify your prejudices -- you just lay them out there for the world to see. LOL.

quote:

Originally posted by dupontgaf:

quote:

Another worthless liberal socialist organization!

Pken, care to explain how SLDN is a socialist organization? Oh, I forgot, you don't ever bother to justify your prejudices -- you just lay them out there for the world to see. LOL.

Whose behind it then? Conservative Rebublicans?

quote:

Originally posted by pken:

quote:

Originally posted by dupontgaf:

quote:

Another worthless liberal socialist organization!

Pken, care to explain how SLDN is a socialist organization?...

Whose behind it then? Conservative Rebublicans?

Don't know, pken. You made the claim - YOU go do the research to support it.

quote:

Originally posted by pken:

quote:

Originally posted by dupontgaf:

quote:

Another worthless liberal socialist organization!

Pken, care to explain how SLDN is a socialist organization? Oh, I forgot, you don't ever bother to justify your prejudices -- you just lay them out there for the world to see. LOL.

Whose behind it then? Conservative Rebublicans?

Military veterans, so I think it's safe to say that yes...many republicans ARE behind SLDN.

(How on earth do you wrap your bitty head around the concept of the log cabin republicans without smoke and pyrotechnics???)

Clue No. 1.........The real military folks are in favor of Gen. Pace receiving the Freedom Medal.

Now, Who are these SLDN folks?

quote:

Originally posted by pken:
Clue No. 1.........The real military folks are in favor of Gen. Pace receiving the Freedom Medal.

Now, Who are these SLDN folks?

Pardon me - are you stating that I'm not "real military?" You will need to back that up - or apologize for disparaging the honorable service of every current or former servicemember who disagrees with you.