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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Gay sex immoral says US general | Gay sex immoral says US general |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Gay rights groups in the US have complained after the country's top military commander said he believed homosexual acts were "immoral". | Gay rights groups in the US have complained after the country's top military commander said he believed homosexual acts were "immoral". |
| Marine General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he backed the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuality. | Marine General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he backed the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuality. |
| The policy bans homosexual acts between members of the military. | The policy bans homosexual acts between members of the military. |
| A gay rights group called the comments "a slap in the face to gay men and women serving with honour and bravery". | A gay rights group called the comments "a slap in the face to gay men and women serving with honour and bravery". |
| Joe Solomonese, president of Human Rights Campaign, said: "What is immoral is to weaken our national security because of personal prejudices." | Joe Solomonese, president of Human Rights Campaign, said: "What is immoral is to weaken our national security because of personal prejudices." |
| Discrimination claim | Discrimination claim |
| Under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, introduced in 1993 to relax a complete ban on gays, commanders are not allowed to enquire about the sexual orientation of their personnel. | |
| Soldiers, sailors and air force staff are not supposed to reveal their homosexuality, and are banned from engaging in homosexual acts. | Soldiers, sailors and air force staff are not supposed to reveal their homosexuality, and are banned from engaging in homosexual acts. |
| "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Gen Pace told the Chicago Tribune. | "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Gen Pace told the Chicago Tribune. |
| "As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behaviour] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else's wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behaviour," he said. | "As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behaviour] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else's wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behaviour," he said. |
| After the controversy broke out, Gen Pace issued a statement seeking to defuse criticism. | After the controversy broke out, Gen Pace issued a statement seeking to defuse criticism. |
| He did not apologise but said he "should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views". | He did not apologise but said he "should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views". |
| Critics of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy say it is discriminatory and also counterproductive - as it may undermine recruitment as the US military is struggling to maintain forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Critics of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy say it is discriminatory and also counterproductive - as it may undermine recruitment as the US military is struggling to maintain forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| A 2005 government audit said 10,000 troops, including more than 50 specialists in Arabic, have been discharged because of the policy. | A 2005 government audit said 10,000 troops, including more than 50 specialists in Arabic, have been discharged because of the policy. |