U.S. Senator John McCain's promised filibuster of legislation that would have ended discrimination against gays and lesbians in the military will forever stain McCain's legacy. Along with men like Strom Thurmond, he will be remembered for using his seat of power to discriminate against a minority of his fellow Americans. And like Thurmond, McCain will forever be remembered as a hypocrite. We learned after Thurmond's death that while he had been fighting civil rights for African-Americans he had fathered a daughter with an African-American woman. We know as well that on September 11, 2001 a San Francisco resident, Mark Bingham, helped overpower the hijackers aboard flight United Flight 93. Bingham was a gay man who defended his country. "I may very well owe my life to Mark," said McCain in the aftermath of 9/11. It was believed the terrorists hoped to crash their plane into the U.S. Capitol, where McCain was at work, or perhaps the White House. Bingham, a rugby player and business man, helped to overpower the terrorists. The plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania and countless lives, including perhaps McCain's, were saved. Bingham once again showed Americans that sexual orientation shouldn't be used as factor on which to discrimination against people. A gay man helped save McCain's life on 9/11 and today McCain told all gay and lesbian Americans that their lives and contributions are not as valid as the sacrifices made by straight Americans. McCain's actions today were the worst kind of political hypocrisy. McCain not only dishonored Bingham's memory but dishonored all those who are gay and lesbian and who serve in our military.
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