Former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt has suggested that
Martin Luther King Jr. endorsed discrimination against gays and
lesbians in his seminal “I Have a Dream” speech.
Klingenschmitt made national headlines when he challenged the
military's rule on inclusive prayers during events which include a
multi-faith audience such as ship commissionings and
change-of-command ceremonies. A born-again Christian, Klingenschmitt
demanded the right to pray “in the name of Jesus” in public
settings. He was honorably discharged for insubordination.
On his new YouTube show, Pray in Jesus Name,
Klingenschmitt, also “Dr. Chaps,” voiced his outrage over a
proposed gay-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance in San Antonio.
Klingenschmitt noted King's famous “judged [not] by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character” line to assert
that gays have a lesser or immoral character.
“If your heart is full of corruption or sin or immorality – in
this case homosexuality – then you should be discriminated
against,” he said.
He expanded: “When these confusing statutes now try to redefine
discrimination and say that you can no longer discriminate against
against character … that anyone who discriminates against character
is guilty of discrimination and therefore ought to be discriminated
against, they're actually saying Martin Luther King himself ought to
be punished for his views, and that's not right.” (The video is
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Appearing on The
Alan Colmes Show, Klingenschmitt defended his position.
“I'm trying to distinguish between being black and being gay,”
he said.
“You know, you're conflating two things that have nothing to do
with each other,” Colmes said.