Gay Republicans challenge Rick Perry’s anti-gay ad

Log Cabin Republicans on Dec. 7 raised objections to Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s latest Iowa campaign ad, which accuses the president of waging a war on religion and attacks the administration for dismantling “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

Perry, who is seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, says in his appeal to the Christian right, “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian. But you don’t have to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school. As president, I’ll end Obama’s war on religion, and I’ll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.”

LCR executive director R. Clarke Cooper responded, “Gov. Perry is running to be commander-in-chief, not theocrat-in-chief. Our nation was built upon individual liberty and individual responsibility, and open service by gay and lesbian servicemembers is directly in line with the vision of our Founding Fathers.

“It is wrong for Gov. Perry to assume being a person of faith does not afford one to support equality. America is at a crossroads and our next president must be someone who is battle-focused on turning around the economy and enabling all Americans the freedom to succeed.”

Perry’s ad followed major policy speeches and statements from the Obama White House on LGBT rights.