Meehan also said the military's policy discriminates against homosexuals. But it doesn't bar homosexual orientation and, actually, tacitly condones it. It only forbids homosexual conduct. Many, many laws discriminate against certain behaviors.

Whether, given his official position, Pace should have offered his personal views on the morality of homosexual conduct instead of confining his remarks to the military policy is one thing. But that's not what this flap is really about.

Pace's hanging offense is having passed moral judgment on homosexual behavior and those engaging in it. Certain opinions are strictly forbidden in our society, whether you utter them in uniform or civvies, in public or in private.

If Pace's unpardonable sin is being judgmental, aren't many of his accusers guilty of the very same thing? Are they not passing moral judgment on and demeaning him for passing moral judgment on homosexual behavior?

Many homosexual activists and others, while demanding "tolerance," want to silence and demonize those who disapprove of homosexual behavior. For them, it's not just "don't ask, don't tell." It's "don't tell, and don't even think these thoughts."

Pace is right not to apologize for the content of his remarks, which would be insincere. While I'm certainly not trying to be offensive, and people are free to disagree, Pace's moral position on this has been affirmed by virtually every religion and society throughout history, and by "Nature's Law," upon which this country was founded. He has just as much right to express it as his critics have to express theirs.

If the tolerance police are looking for a target against whom to direct their wrath, they should consider Sen. Hillary Clinton, who, with characteristic courage and forthrightness, declined to answer whether "homosexuality" was immoral, saying that was for "others to conclude." Like Gen. Pace, perhaps?