Openly gay soldiers may destroy military, Bachmann says

Michele Bachmann
Michele Bachmann. (Photo: Andy Birkey, Minnesota Independent)

On a conference call with supporters of Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom coalition on Tuesday evening, presidential candidate Michele Bachmann said she would reinstate Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, while agreeing with a caller who said allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military would “destroy the armed forces.”

“I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Bachmann said in her introductory remarks. “I gave my life to the Lord when I was 16 years of age. We are committed to the pro-life cause, we believe that life deserves protection from conception to natural death.”

Bachmann also talking about her work on the anti-gay marriage amendment that will be on the ballot in Minnesota in 2012.

“We also believe that God has a design for marriage between one man and one woman. I was the chief author of the marriage amendment in Minnesota and we persisted, and after seven years, in a very hostile liberal state, we finally passed that marriage amendment and it will be on the ballot and I believe it will pass in 2012.”

She said conservatives don’t win “pro-family victories’ unless they fight hard and have trust in the Lord: “It’s incredibly important that we trust him in what he can do because god is so big and so great and so powerful.”

Bachmann took questions from callers, including a man named Jack who said “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is going to destroy the armed forces” before his call was dropped.

“I think of all of the candidates that are running in this race, I have been very vocal about this,” Bachmann said. “I would reinstate the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. It worked before and what it says is the issue of sexuality is one that doesn’t come up and people aren’t allowed to be open about it because the United States military is unique, its not a social experiment.”

She said repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is gong to hurt the military’s preparedness: “I take very seriously the job of Commander in Chief. I see that as my very first job and I would listen to the generals [on DADT].”

Bachman told the activists not to settle for a moderate candidate when choosing their candidate for 2012, and that she is the most socially conservative.

“I believe that this is a powerful election, and I firmly believe that this is the election of all elections and that’s why my message has been don’t settle,” she said. “Every four years the pro-life conservative Christians, we are told about this time time the race and just get patted on the head and told that we have got to elect the moderate in the race.”

Bachmann’s campaign has recently focused on the theme that conservatives don’t have to compromise on their ideal candidate.

“Don’t settle. Don’t settle for anyone less than a candidate that will stand up for our profile, pro-family, pro-marriage issues,” she told people on the call. “What makes me stand out is that I have stood up on every battle tat we care about and I have taken the heat and have shown in the heat of the battle I push on.”

She added, “I have a titanium spine. I will put my spine up against any man who is running in this race.”

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