Ken Buck Opposes DADT Repeal: Military Should Be 'As Homogeneous As Possible' (VIDEO)

[Agorism]

Link to video

During a debate on Friday, Colorado GOP Senate nominee Ken Buck made some of his most direct comments to date opposing the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, saying that the military should be "as homogeneous as possible" and the country should not get distracted in talking about "lifestyle choices."

Buck and his opponent, Democrat Michael Bennet, engaged in a "lively" debate on Friday, hosted by Colorado Springs affiliate KOAA and the Colorado Springs Gazette. Although the primary focus of the debate was economic issues -- with Bennet saying he supports "extending the middle class tax cuts" and Buck stating that extending the Bush tax cuts would "pay down the deficit" -- the two men also touched on social policies.

In the past, Buck has said that he supports keeping the military's ban on gay men and women serving openly in the military, reportedly telling the Colorado College Republicans, "Right now, the policy works. I'm not saying it will never be changed. It probably will be changed. But I'm not sure if we're ready today." In Friday's debate, Buck gave a longer answer, saying that "lifestyle choices" should not be part of the discussion:

BUCK: I do not support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I think it is a policy that makes a lot of sense. It's not whether an individual is gay can serve in the military, the question is whether that individual can be openly gay in the military. It's one thing to deny someone access to the military and to a career in the military, it's another thing to -- for morale purposes and other purposes -- make sure that we are as homogeneous as possible in the military in moving towards the common goal of the security and the military action, as opposed to the distractions that are caused by allowing lifestyle choices to become part of the discussion.

The Huffington Post contacted the Buck campaign for clarification on his positions, but we did not receive a response.

Being gay is not a "lifestyle choice," according to all major mainstream medical and mental health organizations. The American Psychological Association states, "[M]ost people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation."

"It flies in the face of our military, in terms of they were able to successfully integrate when we desegregated the armed forces," said Trevor Thomas, communications director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund, which supports repealing DADT. "They were able to successfully integrate women in the academies, when that was moved forward, and then they were able to now -- happening right now -- successfully integrate women officers on submarines, serving side by side men. So Mr. Buck remains out of touch, and he should talk to some military.

 

[Brett85]

At least he doesn't support federal drug laws like Rand. I'm considering donating to Buck's campaign.

 

[idirtify]

At least he doesn't support federal drug laws like Rand. I'm considering donating to Buck's campaign.

rand supports federal drug prohibition?

 

[Brett85]

rand supports federal drug prohibition?

In the interview he gave to Fox yesterday he said that he didn't support any changes to federal drug laws. I don't see any reason to still support Rand when he keeps flip flopping every day on this issue.

 

[idirtify]

"They were able to successfully integrate women in the academies, when that was moved forward, and then they were able to now -- happening right now -- successfully integrate women officers on submarines, serving side by side men. So Mr. Buck remains out of touch, and he should talk to some military.
-----------

Yeah, and there are so many COA (cycle-of-abuse) bisexuals that the military would shrink to a quarter of its size if they all came out.

 

[idirtify]

In the interview he gave to Fox yesterday he said that he didn't support any changes to federal drug laws. I don't see any reason to still support Rand when he keeps flip flopping every day on this issue.

OMFG! Is there a link or a tube - or a separate thread about this?

 

[Danke]

I'm for having as many geneous military men as possible too, but why homo ones?

 

[erowe1]

I'm for having as many geneous military men as possible too, but why homo ones?

If you want to maximize the number of geneouses, you can't do that by excluding the homo geneouses. Can you?

 

[specsaregood]

In the interview he gave to Fox yesterday he said that he didn't support any changes to federal drug laws. I don't see any reason to still support Rand when he keeps flip flopping every day on this issue.

You know full well that is not what he said. He said he is not "proposing" changes. Not that he didn't support them. ie: that is not a part of his campaign platform. He did not say he wouldn't vote for changes. This was cleared up to you in the related thread. So why are you misstating his position here?

OMFG! Is there a link or a tube - or a separate thread about this?

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=261235

 

[Brett85]

You know full well that is not what he said. He said he is not "proposing" changes. Not that he didn't support them. ie: that is not a part of his campaign platform. He did not say he wouldn't vote for changes. This was cleared up to you in the related thread. So why are you misstating his position here?

Lol. If that's the case then Rand is very good at parsing words. He's the best politician I've ever seen. He could teach Bill Clinton a few lessons.

 

[Slutter McGee]

Lol. If that's the case then Rand is very good at parsing words. He's the best politician I've ever seen. He could teach Bill Clinton a few lessons.

He is very good at it. Earlier in the year he said that he did not support eliminating all Federal Drug laws. Well, there are some Federal Drug Laws that I would consider constitutional, such as intercepting drugs at the border or in customs. He used the word "all" on purpose. And yes he is a good politician.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

 

[GunnyFreedom]

If you are a liberty candidate running in the current climate where the debate is dominated by liberals and neocons, then you quite often have to speak in Rorschach blots. We are, in fact, relying quite a LOT on you guys to help educate the electorate so that we don't ever have to do that again.

 

[specsaregood]

He is very good at it. Earlier in the year he said that he did not support eliminating all Federal Drug laws. Well, there are some Federal Drug Laws that I would consider constitutional, such as intercepting drugs at the border or in customs. He used the word "all" on purpose. And yes he is a good politician.

Bingo, it still amazes me that we have to spell it out here to our members.

 

[Brett85]

Bingo, it still amazes me that we have to spell it out here to our members.

But there's still the issue that hasn't been cleared up about Rand supporting funding for the drug war. I don't really understand why so many people blindly support Rand. Somebody has to hold his feet to the fire on some of these issues. He's been throwing the liberty movement under the bus every chance he gets.

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/17/1439630/sheriff-contradicts-paul-campaigns.html

 

[winston_blade]

DADT might get overturned by the Supreme Court as a violation of free speech anyway. If I remember right, there is a case in the pipeline right now.

 

[specsaregood]

But there's still the issue that hasn't been cleared up about Rand supporting funding for the drug war. I don't really understand why so many people blindly support Rand. Somebody has to hold his feet to the fire on some of these issues. He's been throwing the liberty movement under the bus every chance he gets.

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/17/1439630/sheriff-contradicts-paul-campaigns.html

I tend to go by what he says, not by third hand heresay. As far as blindly supporting him? Hardly, everything he says gets nitpicked, but if you listen to exactly what he says, he seems to always leave a liberty-oriented "out". But hey, even if you take everythign he says at his worst, he is still going to be one of the most liberty oriented senators around. With Mike Lee of UT challenging him for the #1 spot. And Mr. Lee doesn't have a tough general election coming up.

 

[RonPaulFanInGA]

But there's still the issue that hasn't been cleared up about Rand supporting funding for the drug war. I don't really understand why so many people blindly support Rand. Somebody has to hold his feet to the fire on some of these issues. He's been throwing the liberty movement under the bus every chance he gets.

hXXp://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/17/1439630/sheriff-contradicts-paul-campaigns.html

Going by an AP account.

And you were already answered that operation UNITE is an earmark that is inserted into unbalanced budgets. Paul has already pledged to not insert any earmarks nor will he vote for any unbalanced budgets.

Good grief. Read between the lines.

 

[specsaregood]

And you were already answered that operation UNITE is an earmark that is inserted into unbalanced budgets.
...
Good grief. Read between the lines.

So if I am understanding this correctly and I think that I am, that makes twice in this thread that "traditional conservative" has purposefully miststated Rand's position into a negative light, despite having it explained to him in other threads previously?

 

[Brett85]

So if I am understanding this correctly and I think that I am, that makes twice in this thread that "traditional conservative" has purposefully miststated Rand's position into a negative light, despite having it explained to him in other threads previously?

I would like Rand to actually clear up these issues himself. He doesn't need professional apologists to spin everything he says. I've donated money to Rand and made phone calls for him, but I'm done with all that if he can't stand on principle on these issues. I consider myself to be a conservative, and I'm far more libertarian than Rand is.

 

[GunnyFreedom]

I would like Rand to actually clear up these issues himself. He doesn't need professional apologists to spin everything he says. I've donated money to Rand and made phone calls for him, but I'm done with all that if he can't stand on principle on these issues. I consider myself to be a conservative, and I'm far more libertarian than Rand is.

Wow, specs, is Rand paying you to shill for him?

that's the same thing Paul supporters were accused of during RP08.