DALLAS (BP) -- In celebration of October's National Coming Out Day, mass same-sex "weddings" were held on the steps of the Texas capitol in Austin and at Founders' Plaza in downtown Dallas.

"Mass," though, may be a little too strong. Ten couples tied the knot at the Dallas event. An Austin news outlet reported "more than a dozen" same-sex "marriages" were performed there. This is not exactly a movement, maybe just a small protest. And, none of these "marriages" are legal. Texans amended their constitution in 2005 to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

We have to wonder, are there really masses of same-sex couples wishing they could legally marry in the 44 states where it's illegal? New census data sheds some light on the fact that the movement is more about somebody's agenda than it is about loads of people who want to commit themselves to lives of marital monogamy with someone of the same gender.

My colleague Kerby Anderson points out that, in August, it was announced that the 2010 census counted one million same-sex households. Then, the census bureau discovered an inconsistency and reduced that figure to 650,000 same-sex couples. It was also found that, of that number, only 131,729 couples were "married." The others were cohabiting. Same sex marriage is legal in six states and the District of Columbia. So, for 131,729 couples thus far, gay activists are attempting to change the definition of marriage.

And, now they're using the military to do it. The law prohibiting open homosexuals from serving in the military was repealed in the lame duck session of Congress late last year. It had to be done then, before a more conservative Congress convened, or it would not have happened. There were rumblings in the run-up to the Sept. 20 official repeal on Don't Ask, Don't Tell that the Pentagon might allow same-sex weddings on military bases in states where it's legal. So, the House passed legislation banning that and also passed a military Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage the traditional way.

But 10 days after the military's official opening to full and open homosexual practice, the Pentagon issued two memos. One said that same-sex "marriages" may be conducted on military bases by military chaplains in states where such ceremonies would be legal. The other says military chaplains may also conduct same-sex weddings off base. This places chaplains and other personnel in the armed services in a bind as they stand for biblical truth in an increasingly PC military.

There probably won't be that many same sex weddings in the military. But this is part of this administration's attack on the Defense of Marriage Act. First, the Justice Department won't defend the law. Now, it's using our military as a way to leapfrog same sex "marriage" in front of public opinion. This must be stopped.
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Penna Dexter is a conservative activist and frequent panelist on the "Point of View" syndicated radio program. Her weekly commentaries air on the Bott and Moody radio networks.