In responding to Rick Perry's ad
attacking gay soldiers, Bishop Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church's
first openly gay bishop, says gay people remain easy targets.
In the 30-second ad, titled Strong,
Perry says there is something wrong with America when gay troops can
serve openly in the military but children cannot openly celebrate
Christmas and accuses President Barack Obama of waging a war on
religion.
(Related: Rick
Perry heckled over anti-gay ad during Ames appearance.)
During an appearance Thursday on MSBNC
with host Thomas Roberts, Robinson said such anti-gay rhetoric “must
break God's heart.”
“There is something wrong in America,
he got that right. But it's when we denigrate our brave soldiers —
those gay and lesbian people — who are risking their lives for us
and then go on to slam the separation of church and state, which is
absolutely appropriate and constitutional.”
“I think gay and lesbian, bisexual
and transgender people are very marginalized still in our culture.
They are an easy target. We are an easy target. And it plays very
well to a very Evangelical Christian base, but it really plays to
their worse natures and the fact of the matter is, this is a man
running for president. 'Don't Ask-Don't Tell' is gone, it is the law
of the land and for him to use the brave soldiers in that way seems
to me despicable.”
“[Perry] needs to be the commander in
chief for all our troops just the way all of our citizens need to be
full citizens of this country.” (The video is embedded in the
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As bishop of the diocese of New
Hampshire, Robinson's views could influence the outcome of next
month's primary.
(Related: Rick
Perry supports Boy Scouts' right to discriminate against gays.)