Remember How Republicans Say They Love the Troops – They Don’t

Well Certainly Not the Troops That Don’t Live Their Lives the Way Conservatives Say They Should Lead Their Lives

Look in any dictionary for a description of the word “hypocrisy” and the dominant illustration will be “conservatism”.  Case in point is the fact that Republican states are blocking marital benefits for National Guard troops.

Ben Sklar for The New York Times

Alicia Butler, left, with her spouse, Judith Chedville, and their daughter Jordan in Austin.

Yeah, go ahead and risk your life for us, we still hate you.

Texas is one of six states refusing to comply with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s order that gay spouses of National Guard members be given the same federal marriage benefits as heterosexual spouses. Mr. Hagel’s decree followed the Supreme Court’s ruling in June striking down part of the Defense of Marriage Act that had prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.

While a majority of states ban same-sex marriages, most are not fighting the new policy. But Pentagon officials say that in addition to Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and West Virginia have balked. Each has cited a conflict with state laws or constitutions that do not recognize same-sex marriages. (A West Virginia official said, however, that the state intended to follow the directive.)

Of course the argument that state laws trump federal law has been fought and decided, see War, Civil.  See Constitution, American.

But nothing stands in the way of conservatism animosity for gay and lesbian couples, nothing, not even the fact that while these state governments will fight against benefits the members of their National Guard are entitled to, when the first sign of trouble and danger rears its head the National Guard will get the call.