Rabbi arrested at New York demo over gays in the military
Kelly
Agence France Presse
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Rabbi arrested at New York demo over gays in the military
Two leading US gay rights activists, one of them a rabbi, were arrested in
New York Thursday at a demonstration to express outrage over a top US
general's comments that homosexuality was immoral.
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce chief Matt
Foreman were detained after sitting down in the road to block traffic
passing a military recruiting station in the bustling Times Square
intersection.
The ad hoc group of around 50 demonstrators were protesting comments made by
the US military's top officer, General Peter Pace, who said in an interview
published Tuesday that homosexual acts were immoral.
Shouting "Pace is immoral, gays are fabulous" and "military bigots have got
to go," protesters, some wearing t-shirts saying "Queer Guerilla" and waving
placards calling for Pace to quit, wrapped themselves in a giant rainbow
flag.
Former New Jersey governor and gay activist Jim McGreevey condemned the US
military's official policy on gays in the military, known as "don't ask,
don't tell," saying it treated homosexuals as second class citizens.
"The whole 'don't ask, don't tell' policy is wrong in so many ways. It asks
people not to be honest and open about their sexuality," he said.
"Homophobia is the last accepted prejudice in America. We battled racism and
sexism and yet homophobia is unfortunately still tolerated... we need to
change that," he told reporters.
"I think the joint chiefs of staff need to understand that being gay is part
of who and what we are," he added.
Another protester, Ann Northrop, said the gay community was furious about
Pace's comments.
"We will not stand by while we're being insulted by the leaders of our
country or anyone else," she said.