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w8liftinglady

(23,278 posts)
Wed Dec 14, 2011, 10:14 AM Dec 2011

Openly gay Texas veteran, LGBT rights groups speak out against Perry “Strong” Ad

http://www.americanindependent.com/207277/openly-gay-texas-veteran-lgbt-rights-groups-speak-out-against-perry-%E2%80%9Cstrong%E2%80%9D-ad

The now notorious and highly controversial political ad by Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry ignited uproar among voters and caused fissures in the candidate’s own campaign staff. Seen as a last-minute pandering to the religious right as the Iowa caucus nears, Perry’s ad is under fire for its shot at openly gay servicemembers and what some are calling a fictional War on Christianity. Titled “Strong” the highly unpopular political commercial has garnered a record number of viewer “dislikes” on YouTube and has spurred a trove of caustic, viral parodies.

“You don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school,” says Perry in the TV ad.


Dave Guy-Gainer, an openly gay retired chief master sergeant of the Air Force, vocalized his disappointment with Perry’s ad, saying it was not the first time the Texas governor has attacked gay veterans. After signing a state constitutional amendment in 2005 outlawing gay marriage, Perry was asked what he would tell gay Iraq War service members from Texas returning home and hoping to be wed. Perry replied that if they don’t approve of the new law, they can simply find somewhere else to live.

“It’s absolutely offensive to me as a gay man, a veteran and a devout Christian,” said Guy-Gainer, who served in the Air Force for 22 years, including two tours of Vietnam. “And it’s offensive to any service member who is serving or has served, no matter what their sexual orientation.”

Guy-Gainer, a member of Equality Texas’ foundation board of directors, also works on the legislative committee to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), an LGBT-based national nonprofit that successfully helped repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“Rick Perry says you don’t have to be in the pews every Sunday to know something is wrong in this country– well, I am in the pews every Sunday,” Guy-Gainer added. “I consider myself very Christian and my religion teaches us to be tolerant and respectful of others.”

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