Pop quiz

If an audience at a debate of Democratic presidential candidates booed a member of the armed forces who's currently serving in Iraq, exactly how high would the mushroom cloud above Fox News HQ be?



At least Rick Santorum belatedly clarified that the booing wasn't cool.

Again with the hypocrisy. To be fair, the people who come to a debate well before a primary election are far more invested, and tend to be more partisan, than other voters in the party or general election voters. So I'm not going to sit here and write that all Republicans hate gay people, even gay servicepeople. That's unfair, and I don't think it's accurate.

But...

In my (admittedly anecdotal) experience, the voters and candidates who seem to be the most eager to wrap themselves in the flag, to the point where they accuse anyone who questions U.S. foreign policy is a pinko commie who hates America, somehow also seem to be the same people who go on and on about DADT and why it's awesome. (This is particularly hilarious when the person driving the giant oil-sucking SUV with the Support Our Troops" sticker never actually deigned to serve himself.)

Here's the thing... aside from the fact that anti-gay politicians like Rick Santorum seem to think way more about gay sex than actual gay people, it's incredibly insulting to assume that LGBT men and women aren't fit to serve in the military. It's an all-volunteer military, and you're going to turn away people who are willing to make that sacrifice because of who they happen to be attracted to? That makes sense...?

I'm a straighty, hetero, breeder, whatever you wanna call me, but from what I gather from my LGBT friends and colleagues, there are easier ways to meet people than to volunteer to sacrifice one's personal freedom for several years and possibly end up in a combat zone being shot at.

If a gay man or woman has volunteered to enlist in the armed forces, it's because he or she wants to serve our country, and no other reason. And if you support our troops, then you support all of them.

Confidential to the debate audience... there are many moderate Americans who are disappointed with President Obama for various reasons, and a sane presidential candidate could easily poach them. But you guys realize you're on camera, right? Reasonable voters aren't really wild about identifying themselves with people who cheer on the death penalty and red-blooded, legal citizen, Ron Paul-employed Americans dying from perfectly treatable diseases who also fracking boo at a U.S. soldier. Did the GOP fire all of its PR people?

And Rick Santorum seems like a real weenie.

UPDATE: the New Yorker's take.