In a speech, Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson hailed the end of ‘don’t ask don’t tell,’ which prevented open military service by gay troops. Though not a parade, high-ranking DOD officials and uniformed servicemembers last month hosted a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Pride Month event that drew hundreds of attendees to an auditorium at the Pentagon. David Lapan, spokesman for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. “It’s a celebration and a patriotic one in the San Diego community,” said Col. The Pentagon took the organizers at their word that the theme of the parade was simply a celebration of patriotism and local community - gay, lesbian, bisexual and trangendered though it may be - concluding it was not about partisan political activity. Inhofe said he doubted the Pentagon, under pressure from the Obama administration, would allow servicemembers to march in support of nonpartisan causes dear to conservatives, such as ending abortion.
“It can be about a philosophy or a social agenda.” “The term political doesn’t necessarily have to be about Democrat or Republican,” Inhofe told Stars and Stripes.
