GOP Complains About San Diego Pride

Members of the GOP are furious about the Pentagon's one-time exception that allowed members of the military to march in full uniform during Saturday's gay pride parade in San Diego. As I noted at the time, the Department of Defense has a long-standing rule against wearing uniforms at any civilian event.

Congressional Republicans challenged Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Tuesday to explain why the Defense Department allowed active-duty troops to wear their uniforms while marching in San Diego's gay pride parade last weekend. In a letter to Panetta, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma said department rules bar service members from participating in political activities while in uniform and pressed Panetta on why a waiver was granted, who requested it and why it was considered over others. Inhofe, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, also pointed out that administrative action has been taken against service members who have violated the rule. "If the Navy can punish a chaplain for participating in a pro-life event or a Marine participating in a political rally, it stands to reason that the Defense Department should maintain the same standard and preclude service members in uniform from marching in a gay pride parade," Inhofe wrote. In a statement accompanying the letter, Inhofe said he was concerned that the Obama administration "continues to force its liberal social agenda on the military by promoting the homosexual agenda, mandating the use of high-cost green energy initiatives, pursuing abortion rights and suppressing the free exercise of religious liberties."