In what sounds like a story straight from The Onion or The National Report, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) stated that he opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell because apparently all gay soldiers want to do is lay around and get massages all day.

I’ve listened to his comments, and even read a transcript of them, and I still can’t find a proper way to actually describe them. So I’ll just let his outrageous ignorance speak for itself:

I’ve had people say, “Hey, you know, there’s nothing wrong with gays in the military. Look at the Greeks.” Well, you know, they did have people come along who they loved that was the same sex and would give them massages before they went into battle. But you know what, it’s a different kind of fighting, it’s a different kind of war and if you’re sitting around getting massages all day ready to go into the big, planned battle, then you’re not going to last very long. It’s guerrilla fighting. You are going to be ultimately vulnerable to terrorism and, you know, if that’s what you start doing in the military like the Greeks did, as people have said, “Louie, you have got to understand, you don’t even know your history.” Oh, yes, I do. I know exactly. It’s not a good idea.

The main thing I get from this ridiculous diatribe is the utter and hateful disrespect he showed toward gay men and women serving in our military. He’s more or less saying that he doesn’t believe homosexuals serving in our military are capable of doing their job – because they’re too obsessed with “gay things.”

These are men and women who have risked their lives for this country (and some still are risking their lives overseas). Yet this disgusting pile of garbage has the gall to sit there and show such utter disdain and disrespect for them? Anyone who’s ever voted (or will vote) for this bottom-feeder should be ashamed of themselves.

But this all just ties in with the normal everyday hypocrisy show by so many on the right. Sure, they’ll profess their supposed “love and admiration” for our men and women in uniform – while showing nothing but absolute contempt toward those brave men and women who happen to be homosexual.

I guess to people like Gohmert, and those conservatives who support him and these anti-gay beliefs, the acts of bravery shown by gay members of our military don’t matter. Their courage means nothing and their sacrifices aren’t as selfless just because of their sexual orientation.

It’s an absolute embarrassment that this jackass is a representative of our government.

U.S. Navy Ship Command Undermines Observations Of Pride Month

The repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell has made life easier for LGB folks in the military, but it certainly isn't "easy", and trans people still suffer the brunt of it all. The command staff of San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson have engaged in passive-aggressive attempts to undermine any observations of LGBT Pride Month, something that the sailors explicitly requested. In addition to dragging their feet on signing off on the event even though the month is half over, regressive conditions were implemented which included removing any language of "gay" or "lesbian" over the loudspeaker, and "transgender" was to be removed from all posters altogether, conceivably justified by the fact that the military still considers being transgender a psychological disorder.

Several sailors have filed complaints, but the Navy released a statement saying that they have not confirmed any complaints. The sailors have responded to their command's lack of action with a course of action of their own: if they are denied an event, they will unfurl a rainbow flag at the pier and have an impromptu event of their own.