And the White House should catch a glimpse in the mirror of its own anti-LGBT hypocrisies lately.

Being free from anti-LGBT discrimination in a federal contractor’s workplace isn’t much different than being free from anti-LGBT discrimination in the Armed Services… or in America’s Diplomatic Service, for that matter. President Obama can change that federal discrimination with the stroke of a pen.

Yet the president is rumored to be wanting to nominate– for one of the highest cabinet posts available– a former United States Senator, who used his high office REPEATEDLY to demonize, discriminate and/or vote against LGBT civil rights.

Chuck Hagel left that office– just four short years ago– with no indication that his career-long bashing of LGBT Americans, including LGBT Nebraskans whom he was also sworn to serve and represent, was a mistake.

Imagine how gay kids in Nebraska felt about themselves after reading their ‘esteemed’ Senator’s remarks in the World-Herald. Wasn’t it Chuck Hagel’s job to represent and serve them, too?

Of course, the White House spin would have us believe this is about a single remark– the apology for which our president now hawks as some major advancement for LGBT civil rights.

Nonsense. This is about a whole political career in which Hagel went out of his way to demonize and discriminate against LGBT people, including a well-qualified gay ambassador.

Did Check Hagel ever invite LGBT Nebraskans into his Senatorial office to hear out their concerns? Did Hagel seek Log Cabin Republican’s endorsement? Can he even point to meeting with Log Cabin Republicans?

Note, too, the issue is NOT just the ARBITRARY denial of partner benefits unequivocally NOT banned by DOMA, but also the Pentagon’s REFUSAL to include the tens of thousands of individual LGB troops in the protections against harassment and discrimination of the Military Equal Opportunity Program which are AUTOMATICALLY extended to nongay blacks, women, et al. At least OS-SLDN has admitted that, despite all the song and dance about “repeal without problems," they’ve received reports of such mistreatment. The question is why they, HRC, and the rest of Gay, Inc., while continuing to ask for our money to fight for us, are investing more time in defending this historically antigay wolf who donned sheep’s clothing only when it benefitted him and clucking about pie in the sky than they are in mobilizing the Community to demand full equality under the law for gay troops NOW while Panetta is still there?