Those who will wring their hands and fret about Hagel and his comments on one gay ambassador should read this response-

By AMBASSADOR MICHAEL GUEST | 1/6/13 9:09 PM EST

As an openly gay career Foreign Service officer and former ambassador, I find it disappointing that the debate over Chuck Hagel’s potential nomination as defense secretary has been sideswiped over — let’s face it — flatly intolerant comments Hagel made half a generation ago.

In 1998, James Hormel — a prominent philanthropist who served our country in many ways — became America’s first openly gay nominee to represent our country abroad as an ambassador.

Hagel opposed the nomination on grounds that Hormel is “aggressively gay” — for which Hagel has since apologized. Hormel has accepted that apology and seems willing to move on.

Why, then, should any of us freeze-frame Hagel’s comments 15 years ago — even as many of us, gay and straight, gladly acknowledge that America’s understanding of, and attitudes toward, sexual orientation and gender identity are changing rapidly?

politico.com