RICHARD GRENELL, who believes in limited government and a strong national defense, ably served President George W. Bush at the United Nations as a communications specialist. The Harvard graduate and registered Republican was a natural choice, then, to be GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's foreign-policy spokesman. But Mr. Grenell is now a victim of stern Republican Party algebra whereby gay = "ungodly" = gone.

Various brayers on the religious right, especially from the American Family Association, called Mr. Romney's selection of the openly homosexual Mr. Grenell "a poke in the eye" of the righteous and a message for them to "drop dead." Evidently, no transparently gay or lesbian person can serve in a public party post, whatever his or her qualifications, lest hosts of the God-fearing be blinded or struck lifeless. No wonder Mr. Grenell quit. He wouldn't want to be responsible for that.

The rights of homosexuals in U.S. society is a subject of continuing debate, but who knew their sexual bent should deny them the opportunity for public service? Perhaps the American Family Association could submit a list of occupations for which gays and lesbians are suitable. Hairdressers? Interior decorators? Several, we see by the headlines, have shown proficiency as fundamentalist preachers. Unlike them, however, Mr. Grenell brought this to public attention with his pants up.