(Image source: Flickr/The National Guard)
BY TRACY PFEIFFER
ANCHOR BLAKE HANSON
You're watching multisource U.S. news analysis from Newsy.
Less than two weeks after rolling back ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ U.S. Department of Defense officials have made another move being hailed as a victory for gay and lesbian service members.
“The Pentagon is now allowing military chaplains to perform same-sex marriages, but only if they’re allowed by state law and if it’s permitted by the chaplain’s religious beliefs.”
But even though they’re allowing the ceremonies on military bases, Politico notes-- it’s not the whole kit and kaboodle.
“The Pentagon did avoid another potentially controversial issue: recognition of same-sex marriage for the purpose of extending military benefits. The memo notes that a military chaplain’s participation in a same-sex marriage ‘does not constitute an endorsement of the ceremony by [the] DoD.’”
And McClatchy quotes the executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network as saying, that will be the next big battle.
"Same work, same risk, same sacrifice equals same pay and benefits... Now that's not going to be true for legally married gay and lesbian service members. And it's an inequity that service members are going to complain about, and I believe their commanders in the field will be receptive when the troops point out this inequity.”
But as BeliefNet reports, opponents to the move argue that even simply allowing military chaplains to perform the ceremonies is illegal.
Congressman Todd Akin, a Republican from Missouri, says...
“The Department of Defense has decided to put the White House’s liberal agenda ahead of following the law... [DOMA] makes it clear that for the purposes of the federal government, marriage is defined as between one man and one woman. The use of federal property or federal employees to perform gay marriage ceremonies is a clear contravention of the law.”
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