President Obama's expansion of gay rights in the military, including on-base same sex marriage and wearing uniforms in gay pride parades, would be radically yanked back in a Mitt Romney administration, according to Republican platform positions taking shape in Tampa and OK'd by the candidate.
"We're pushing back," said Elaine Donnelly, of the conservative Center for Military Readiness. "This is pretty big."
While one subcommittee was tightening anti-abortion and "traditional marriage" language that won praise from the Family Research Council, a national security team moved rapidly to pull back expanded gay rights derided by critics as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Law."
New language included rejecting "the use of military as a platform for social experimentation," and a demand that the military provide "objective and open-minded" recommendations to the president on personnel policies. The brass has been criticized for bowing to Obama's move to expand gay rights in the military.
Other language included affirming "cultural values...team cohesion, including intra-military special interest demonstrations" that Donnelly told Secrets was meant to stop same sex marriages and wearing uniforms in gay pride events, two hugely controversial changes under Obama.
The GOP also OK'd language blocking attempts to remove Bibles from military facilities; would exempt women from ground combat units and infantry battalions; and support for the Defense of Marriage Act. The GOP votes on the platform Monday, the opening day of the Republican National Convention.
