Booing a gay soldier

Many bloggers and reporters, including me, have expressed disgust over the conduct of debate audiences as of late. In particular, last night's incident wherein audience members of the Fox News/Google GOP debate booed a gay soldier's question about the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'. Sarah Rumpf tries to dispel the notion that this was a 'crowd reaction':

The person who booed was just a few rows in front of us. The booing got an immediate and angry reaction from nearly everyone sitting around him, who hissed and shushed at him. Lots of loud gasps, "Shhhh!" "No!" "Shut up, you idiot!" etc.

There was a concrete floor beneath all of our chairs. Ever been in a metal shop or warehouse with a concrete floor? Certain sounds can really resonate on that kind of surface.

I'm still unimpressed. Not so much with the audience anymore, although their vapidity makes me rather uncomfortable, but instead with Santorum himself. It was disconcerting to see that his answer continued on, having neglected to thank the soldier for his service (as would generally be considered appropriate), to lecturing his audience about how allowing gay people to serve in the military is granting them a 'special privilege'. He goes on to say (in essence) that by allowing people to declare themselves as gay, we are somehow making the military less effective, and that it undermines the military's ability to protect the United States. It's nonsense.

Worse still was the remark about playing 'social experimentation' with the military and that it's 'tragic'. Personally, I'm having trouble coming to terms with how coming out of the closet is a social experiment. Santorum's answer was littered with small pieces from his known anti-gay sentiment; it seemed to be a circuitous way of expressing those views. At least, though, we can take comfort in the unlikelihood of this man ever becoming president.