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Ed Begley Jr. talks to Greg In Hollywood about DADT: “To have to serve in secrecy is ridiculous.”

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/0711/begley_podcast_1129.jpgI’ve talked to Ed Begley Jr. in the past about his decades of work as an environmentalist. But it was not until we chatted recently at the GLAAD at 25 event in Hollywood that I knew how passionate the actor is about LGBT equality.

Ed, best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich on St. Elsewhere, currently has a show about green living called Living With Ed with his wife, actress Rachelle Carson, on the Planet Green network.

As the congress decides on whether or not to repeal the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy which prevents gay and lesbians from serving openly, Begley had some things to say about Sen. John McCain who has led the effort to retain the policy.

“He’s on the wring side of this issue in my opinion,” Begley said. “He’s a man who served his country with honor, he’s a war hero. Sadly, he is getting pressure I think from other groups of people and he’s bending to that pressure … I think it’s time to have that kind of change.”

He compares the current battle for LGBT equality to the civil rights movement of the 60s.

“We saw that kind of change in my lifetime in Selma, Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama and parts of the South people had to drink from different drinking fountains and go to different schools,” he said. “It was wrong and a lot of people knew it. And fortunately people stepped up to the plate, Dr. [Martin Luther] King [Jr.] and others stepped up to the plate and they became engaged and change occurred. We’re at that point now too with regards to marriage and serving in the military.”

“You certainly don’t have to be straight to shoot straight,” he added. “People have served in every war in the course of history I would hazard to guess who are gay. To have to serve in secrecy is ridiculous [because] one of the great things about our military is what transparency and openness there is supposed to be. They”re built on ethical behavior and to now have to lie about things. Say what is and continue to serve and I think the majority of the military wants it. The leadership wants it. It’s time.”

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