Two lawmakers denounce same-sex ceremony at Fort Polk
Last Modified: Friday, June 08, 2012 12:15 PM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two Republican congressmen on Wednesday denounced a same-sex ceremony held at the Army's Fort Polk training base in Louisiana, saying it violated Defense Department policy.
Following last year's repeal of its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Defense Department said chaplains at military installations can officiate any private ceremony, as long as it's not prohibited by state and local laws. Louisiana law does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions.
Fort Polk spokesman Scott Stearns said the two women took part in a commitment ceremony last month. Everyone at the base chapel understood it was not a marriage ceremony, he said.
U.S. Rep. John Fleming, R-La., said in a statement the "marriage-like" ceremony performed by an Army chaplain shouldn't have been allowed on the base. U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., claims the ceremony violated Defense Department policy.
Akin sponsored a measure approved by the House last year that would prohibit military installations from being used to "officiate, solemnize or perform a marriage or marriage-like ceremony involving anything other than the union of one man with one woman." The Senate didn't approve the legislation.
"This appears to be a case where political agenda has trumped the rule of law, which is absolutely unacceptable," Akin said in a statement.
A spokesman for Fleming said the congressman's office learned of the ceremony from "constituent contact."
"The liberal social experiment with our military continues," Fleming said. "My frustration is compounded by the fact that a social agenda, which has nothing to do with military readiness or our national defense, is being imposed on our men and women in uniform."
Posted By: Capt America On: 6/9/2012
Title: Are you kidding!!!
I don’t really give a crap who does what with who it’s your business, however I hate it when I get someone else’s liberal crap shoved down my throat! Liberals are the biggest wimps on the planet they going running from a real fight given half a chance! They whine about guns, gay marriages and being more caring about those around them and I see these same Hippocrates walk past homeless people in this country and treat them like garbage. The military whether you believe it or not is about enforcing American policy and interest bottom line if these “ladies” can go fight for their country (I doubt they are combat arms troops!) then let them. I think we should focus on the important issues not the side show issues and we should be focusing more on how the hell we get our unemployment ratio out of the trash! Or stop Americans from losing their homes left and right! I think that might supersede the gals getting married.
Posted By: A Believer On: 6/7/2012
Title: Two Honorable Men: Mr. Akin and Mr. Fleming
Thank you, men, for holding firm onto your religious values and principles by opposing the marriage of two women. What an embarrasment to our military to have to condone such behavior. Socially, it is a dissapointing and embarrassing behavior to other military personnel and to us individually and as a country. Same sex partners and marriages embarrass me personally when other countries look to us as an honorable and respectable nation. Most of all it embarrasses me before our God who made it quite clear how He felt about this behavior: "unlike other sins, homosexuality has a severe judgment administered by God Himself. This judgment is simple:they are given over to their passions. That means that their hearts are allowed to be hardened by their sins" (Romans 1:24) and "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination"(Lev. 18:22)
Posted By: Jenny Franklin On: 6/7/2012
Title: Intelligent!
These two women are willing to die for this country and the rights of people like these two republican politicians! They should be allowed to happiness and love in their lives
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