WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Consensual sodomy between members of the U.S. military no longer would be a criminal act under a proposal sent to Congress by the Pentagon's legal office and made public on Thursday.
Gays could still be drummed out of the military for openly discussing or acting on their sexual preferences. But the separate criminal rule against consensual sodomy would be changed to bring the military legal code closer to that governing civilians, according to the April 7 memorandum.
Under the current Uniform Code of Military Justice, consensual sodomy by heterosexual or homosexual couples can be punished by up to five years in prison. But, if Congress approves, that would be changed so that only "forcible" sodomy or sodomy with a child could be prosecuted as criminal acts.
Groups that advocate gay rights in the military praised the proposal, which must be approved by Congress.
The office of the Pentagon's general counsel sent a draft copy of the proposal to leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Armed Services Committees.
"The nation's troops should be protected by the same Constitution they give their lives to defend," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese in a statement. FULL STORY
I think it's ironic that Gay sex isn't illegal, but being Gay can get you kicked out of the army. What do you guys think about this? Is this a step ahead, or backwards? Do you even care? :francais:
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