GOP lawmaker speaks out against ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

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Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) took to the floor of the state Assembly on Thursday and spoke out against the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy with regard to gays in the military.

‘I believe that any American that has those core values of honor, courage and commitment and any American that is willing to risk their life for their country should have the opportunity to serve openly and honorably, and I rise today in support of this resolution,’ Fletcher, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, said to a smattering of applause from Democrats in the chamber.

‘There’s nothing in someone’s sexual orientation that affects their love of country or their patriotism.’

Fletcher’s comments marked a rare moment of bipartisanship on a gay rights issue, many of which have divided the Legislature on mostly partisan lines in recent years.

You can watch Fletcher’s remarks below.