Pace Comment Sparks Ire From Gay and Lesbian Rights Groups

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is in hot water today after describing homosexual acts as "immoral" in an interview published in Monday's Chicago Tribune.

Today, an advocacy group for gay and lesbian members of the military, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, demanded an apology from Pace, which does not appear to be forthcoming. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. advocacy group for lesbian and gay rights, also criticized Pace for the comment.

More developments coming shortly. Audio of Pace's comment is here.

Update: SLDN spokesman Steve Ralls tells News Desk that, in lieu of an apology from Pace, they will call for Defense Secretary Bob Gates to apologize on his behalf.

"I do hope that Secretary Gates will distant the Pentagon leaders from Pace's remarks," Ralls said. In the meantime, he added, "we're not taking any option off the table."

Update: Pace released a statement this afternoon in response to the criticisms, in which he said, "I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views."

Etc.: Law Schools Fight the Military Over Gay Rights, on USNews.com