Congressional candidate Col. Michael Bob Starr is addressing an article on a conservative media website that labels him a “gay rights activist.”
An article posted Saturday on Breitbart.com focuses on Col. Starr’s apparent support for the gay community during his time as 7th Bomb Wing Commander at Dyess Air Force Base, but Starr explained in an exclusive interview with BigCountryHomepage.com Sunday that the article is not an accurate representation of his stance on the issue.
“I believe and strongly support traditional marriage, but as commander of Dyess Air Force Base, my job was to enforce the law and not discriminate against anyone who made different lifestyle choices than the ones that I agreed with,” Col. Starr says. “All I had to do was make sure that homosexual airmen were not discriminated against. That’s what changed in the law in 2011.”
The website shows pictures from the Dyess Pride Alliance Facebook page of Col. Starr participating in gay pride events during his time as base commander. The colonel says that he would participate in the events hosted by the Dyess Pride Alliance to support the airmen at the base.
“It is a group of lesbian, bisexual and homosexual airmen who are exercising their constitutional right and their freedom under the law to serve openly in the military,” Col. Starr says. “As leader of the base, I participated in as many events as I could to support as many airmen as I could.”
The topic was presented during a congressional candidate forum in Lubbock Friday when candidate Jason Corley asked why gay rights are being supported at Dyess Air Force Base.
“I created an atmosphere of acceptance,” Col. Starr claims. “I did it regardless of the group or organization.”
Starr is one of nine Republican candidates on the ballot for the Congressional District 19 U.S. House of Representatives seat being vacated by Congressman Randy Neugebauer. One candidate, Don Parrish, has suspended his campaign but will still appear on the ballot.
(Information from BigCountryHomepage.com)