[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 122 (Wednesday, July 26, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10714-S10715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DISCRIMINATION IN SOCIETY

  Mr. SIMON. Thank you, Mr. President.
  I suppose I am like a great many Americans on this whole subject, and 
what we are dealing with in the problem of recognizing homosexuality, 
and this problem in our society.
  I grew up in a home where we had strong opinions against prejudice, 

[[Page S10715]]
  against people because they were African Americans or Jewish Americans. 
But frankly, I did not understand this problem. I was not hostile to 
people who were gay, but I did not understand that they faced some 
special problems. The reality is, they do. I think we have to recognize 
that factor.
  I also would add, because it is not only this bill, but we face it in 
the military and other places. When I was in the military, I was in 
part of something that no longer exists, the Counter Intelligence 
Corps. Among other things, we screened people for security clearances.
  If there were people who were gay, they did not get security 
clearances. This goes back to 1951 to 1953. I happen to think that was, 
at that point, a very legitimate reason for not having security 
clearances, because people could be blackmailed.
  If we decide we are not going to have people that are gay in the 
military, say we have an emergency, and then we have to have selective 
service, we conscript people, are we going to say that anyone who is 
gay is not going to be drafted? We are going to end up with an awful 
lot of gays in this country if we determine that.
  I think there are practical problems. I think we should recognize 
this. Now, does that mean that everyone approves of this lifestyle? 
That is not the question. The question is discrimination.
  For those--and I run into this at town meetings, and I am sure the 
Presiding Officer has--people who say, what about the Bible. The ten 
commandments include adultery. Some of the other things did not get 
mentioned.
  I recall my army days. If we had decided we would kick everyone out 
who was involved in adultery, our branches would have been thinned 
appreciably.
  I think we have to recognize that there are weaknesses in society, 
but that discrimination is not the route that we ought to be going.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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