Pentagon Adopts Missionary Position on Homoerotic Art
jhutson printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Wed Aug 08, 2007 at 06:23:10 PM EST

Providing entertainment for the U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq is one thing; the Pentagon's promotion of a Trojan horse tour that preaches eliminationist theology and crusades for Christ in Islamic nations is another. It is a small wonder that the Department of Defense lends its imprimatur to a conservative Christian organization that invites current as well as former military commanders to help proselytize on military bases. And given the Pentagon's policy of discrimination against gays in the military, it is ironic that the Christian missionary group that they promote sells T-shirts that display what can only be described as homoerotic art. In short, the Pentagon seems to have adopted a new missionary position for the Operation Straight Up Tour and its "Tough-Men Meetings." Basically, the OSU Tour is promoting a holy war against the alleged enemies of Christ -- not unlike, say, a jihad. But there's a difference: jihad does not come with a homoerotic T-shirt.

Writing for The Nation, Max Blumenthal describes the Operation Straight Up Tour, promoted by the Pentagon, as "an evangelical entertainment troupe that actively proselytizes among active-duty members of the US military." He writes:
As an official arm of the Defense Department'