Activists Demand Apology From Skelton

Advocates from GetEqual and Missouri gay rights organizations have launched a campaign to demand that Rep. Ike Skelton apologize for saying he would prefer not to repeal "don't tell, don't tell" in order to avoid forcing parents to discuss homosexuality with their children.

According to a news release, GetEqual's national campaign targeting Representative Skelton was launched this weekend with an e-mail blast signed by GetEqual and activist Ed Reggi, a local Missouri resident and cofounder of Show Me No Hate, a Missouri grassroots coalition made up of advocates who support full equality for the LGBT community. The e-mail demands "a public apology from Rep. Ike Skelton for his homophobic and inaccurate comments" about the military's discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" law and that he "end his public campaign to undercut the effort to repeal" the 17-year-old law.

Last week, the Associated Press reported that Skelton, a conservative Democrat from Missouri, expressed his concern for exposing families to the repeal debate. He attended a media breakfast where he asked, "What do mommies and daddies say to their 7-year-old child?"

Activists plan to keep the heat on Skelton, according to the news release.

"Unless Representative Skelton publicly apologizes for his comments today, GetEQUAL and a growing number of local Missouri gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender advocates, organizations, and veterans are prepared to launch further actions later this week."

Read about the campaign and sign the petition here.