Rick Perry Slams Gays In the Military in New Ad

Presidential GOP hopeful Rick Perry recently launched a new ad video attacking gay military members and "Obama's war on religion."

In the video, Perry says, "I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a Christian." He then goes on to say that there is something wrong with the country when "gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school."

"As president, I'll end Obama's war on religion," he says. "And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage."

Perry said that he did not support the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, which the Obama administration helped eliminate, allowing gays to openly serve in the military.

After Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave her landmark speech in Geneva this week, Perry issued a statement attacking the Obama administration about using gay rights to make foreign aid decisions.

"Just when you thought Barack Obama couldn't get any more out of touch with America's values, AP reports his administration wants to make foreign aid decisions based on gay rights," Perry said. "This administration's war on traditional American values must stop," the GOP candidate added.

Several LGBT rights organizations were appalled by Perry's comments.

"Rick Perry is continuing to misrepresent the views of the hundreds of thousands of people of faith in this country who live openly or advocate as allies for the LGBT members of their community," Dr. Sharon Groves, director of the Human Rights Campaign Religion & Faith program said in a statement.

"We cannot be in the business of forcing people to choose between who they are, who they love, and their faith. Rick Perry's rhetoric presumes that you can't be Christian and supportive of LGBT people."

The HRC also had this to say in regards to Perry's statement about Clinton's speech in Geneva. "Rick Perry has made no secret of his dislike for LGBT Americans - but his most recent remarks are outrageous even by his own standards," said HRC President Joe Solmonese.

"It is bewildering that someone who wants to be President of the United States wouldn't want to see our nation be a global leader in universal human rights. This is further proof that Rick Perry doesn't want to represent the best interests of all Americans - he wants to advance an extremist, anti-gay agenda that represents the fringe views of a very small few."

The Log Cabin Republicans even complained about Perry's latest video ad, reported CBS News in a Dec. 7 article.

"Our nation was built upon individual liberty and individual responsibility, and open service by gay and lesbian service members is directly in line with the vision of our Founding Fathers," said Log Cabin Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper. "It is wrong for Governor Perry to assume being a person of faith does not afford one to support equality."