don’t ask don’t tell

...now browsing by category

 

The Repeal of DADT is Mission Incomplete

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Melanie Nathan at Mission Incomplete GetEQUAL Rally in the Castro

Calling on the Repeal of DADT Supporting Senators to Co-Sponsor the Repeal of DOMA -

On September 20, 2011, while the LGBT community celebrated the activation of the repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy, which had prohibited gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, activists, including myself, attended GET EQUAL rallies across the country to protest “ Mission Incomplete.”

I was emphatically reminded of  this incomplete mission,  when I noticed on television, that out of the six senators attending a news conference hailing the historic DADT repeal, only three have signed on to “The Respect for Marriage Act” (RFMA) the legislation that supports the repeal of the “Defense of Marriage Act,” (DOMA.)

The repeal of DADT is a milestone, in that gays and lesbians can now serve openly. Yet, other than drawing attention to the iniquities suffered by openly gay members of the military, it does nothing to further equality for LGBT servicemembers. Certainly not until all enjoy marriage equality and the protections provided by ENDA.

Transgender people still serve in silence and LGBT Servicemembers  are denied marital benefits in parity with straight members of the military.

Accordingly, activists and advocates ought to use the DADT repeal activation as an opportunity to enter what is clearly now an historically wide open door. Until this time, we have been tip toeing around legislation always knocking at the back door.   The opening is a view to the offensive inequality suffered by all LGBT members of our American society, whether in uniform or not.

The DADT repeal serves to highlight the discrimination because even though gay and lesbian  servicemembers can serve openly, they are still unequal in the eyes of the law.  Serving openly is not equality. That is why the fight has truly just begun.

The three senators who are co-sponsors of the marriage equality legislation attending the news conference for DADT, on Capitol Hill included Sens. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.); and the three, standing next to them, who have yet to sign on to the repeal of DOMA and who were supporters of  the DADT repeal include Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

By standing at the conference and celebrating the conclusion of DADT, the latter three senators are definitely MIA – they are missing in action and ought to show up for equality – not merely the right to exist in the military or the right to exist in society for that matter. De facto existence is a given – yet de jure equality remains elusive!

It would be hypocritical for Senators Lieberman, Levin and Collins, at this point, to remain silent on DOMA and I hope their constituents will call them on this serious omission.  When they show up on the Respect for Marriage Act,  they will provide the votes needed to have the Senate repeal of DOMA. Of course the House has a long way to go; but the Senate will provide an advance trend favoring full equality for same-sex partners.

Nothing short of full equality will suffice. There is no excuse for anything less; that means the repeal of DOMA, the passage of ENDA and an Equality Bill – an omnibus of sorts – that spells out to the individual States in the US  that even though they are free to create their own laws, they are not free to discriminate.  It is un-American to discriminate.  The most basic of American values is equality and freedom. Now is the time for all to share in the magnificent intent of the Constitution.

So like the folks at GetEQUAL have asserted through the rallies, the “mission is incomplete” –  and  it is up to us as a movement to define and lead and compel the mission.   Let’s do it….  DOMA must be repealed immediately.

By Melanie Nathan.
melanie@gayusathemovie.com
www.visualcv.com/melnathan

Senators Co-Sponsoring  DOMA’s repeal:

1. U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI)

2. U.S. Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO)

3. U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)

4. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

5. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

6. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

7. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

8. U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-OH)

9. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)

10. US. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)

11. U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

12. U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-MN)

13. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

14. U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)

15. U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI)

16. U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA)

17. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

18. U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI)

19. U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

20. U.S. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

21. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

22. U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)

23. U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)

24. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

25. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

26. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

27. U.S. Senator Mark Udall (D-CO)

28. U.S. Tom Udall (D-NM)

29. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

30. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)

1. U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI)

2. U.S. Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO)

3. U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)

4. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

5. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

6. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

7. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

8. U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-OH)

9. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)

10. US. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)

11. U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

12. U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-MN)

13. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

14. U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)

15. U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI)

16. U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA)

17. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

18. U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI)

19. U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

20. U.S. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

21. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

22. U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)

23. U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)

24. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

25. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

26. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

27. U.S. Senator Mark Udall (D-CO)

28. U.S. Tom Udall (D-NM)

29. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

30. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Posted in activist, don't ask don't tell, Gay Marriage, gay rights, marriage equality, same sex marriage, senate, straight couple, transgender | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How the US Military Has Evolved on Gay Rights

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

JOINT CHIEFS of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen proved that his recent support for openly gay and lesbian soldiers was no fluke. Earlier this month he said that ending the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was the “right thing to do.” Mullen said he was “troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie.”

Last week, Mullen reiterated his views to a soldier at a military town hall who asked about the policy. He intimated that soldiers no longer fret about this issue, saying it was the fourth town hall he has done and the first time that anybody asked him about it. Mullen reasserted that he has served with gay soldiers since 1968. He said the feedback he has received from countries where openly gay and lesbian soldiers serve is that “there just wasn’t that much impact after the policy got changed.”

This continues the reversal of 17 years ago, when President Clinton said letting openly gay and lesbian soldiers serve was the right thing to do, but was shouted down by the military, including then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell. More than 14,000 gay and lesbian soldiers were discharged after they were outed or admitted their sexual orientation.

Full Story from Boston.com
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in dadt, don't ask don't tell, evolution, gays in the military | No Responses »

Why DADT Repeal is More Popular Than Marriage Equality

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

The repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and marriage equality, on the surface, are similar policy issues. Both deal with equal rights for gays and lesbians. Both sharply divide liberal and conservative activists and politicians; the same lobbyist groups and think tanks tend to study and push the two issues in tandem.

But when it comes to public opinion, you have two very different issues: support for the repeal of DADT has skyrocketed in the last two decades, while support for marriage equality is stagnant.

Three quarters of Americans support the service of openly gay Americans, up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993, according to ABC/Washington Post polls. There has been a dramatic shift particularly among conservatives: a May 2009 Gallup poll shows their support for repealing DADT has jumped from 46 to 58 percent in just the past five years. The issue has momentum at the federal level: Obama brought up DADT in his State of the Union address, and the Senate has followed up on the issue with hearings in the Armed Services Committee.

Full Story from Newsweek
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in dadt, defense of marriage act, doma, don't ask don't tell, marriage equality, polls, public opinion | No Responses »

Poll: Changing "Gays & Lesbians" to "Homosexuals" Drops DAT Repeal Support by 11%

Friday, February 12th, 2010

A fascinating CBS poll reveals that support for the repeal of DADT varies greatly depending on whether “homosexual” or “gay” is used in the wording of the question.

“In the poll, 59 percent say they now support allowing “homosexuals” to serve in the U.S. military, including 34 percent who say they strongly favor that. Ten percent say they somewhat oppose it and 19 percent say they strongly oppose it. But the numbers differ when the question is changed to whether Americans support “gay men and lesbians” serving in the military. When the question is asked that way, 70 percent of Americans say they support gay men and lesbians serving in the military, including 19 percent who say they somewhat favor it. Seven percent somewhat oppose it, and 12 percent strongly oppose it.”

John Aravois at AmericaBlog reacts:

“Bottom line: Homosexual is a nasty, clinical-sounding word with nasty connotations for far too many Americans. It’s what I’ve argued for years, and have been routinely beaten up by some in the gay community who claim I’m nuts – namely, that no one should use this offensive word and we should correct anyone who does. It now appears I’m not so nuts after all.”

Full Story from Joe.My.God
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in dadt, don't ask don't tell, gay men, homosexual, lesbian, poll | No Responses »

57% Support Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal, New Poll Finds

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

By a 57 percent to 36 percent margin, Americans say openly gay service members should be allowed to serve in the United States military, a new Quinnipiac University poll finds. Two in three say the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy banning openly gay service members amounts to discrimination.

Voters from military households were split on a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Democrats overwhelmingly backed repeal, while Republicans oppose it 53 percent to 40 percent. Independents backed repeal 56 percent to 37 percent.

The findings point to widespread support for repealing the policy but also mixed feelings on how such a change should be implemented. For example, American voters are evenly split on whether gay and lesbian personnel should share quarters with their straight colleagues. And half say the Pentagon should not provide for domestic partners of gay personnel.

Full Story from CBS News
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in dadt, don't ask don't tell, new poll | No Responses »

Senator Gillibrand Introduces Bill to De-Fund Don't Ask Don't Tell

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

A bill that would withhold the cost of implementing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is expected to be announced tonight by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at a gay fundraiser, the New York Times reported. Gillibrand is the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) ninth annual greater New York fundraiser in Manhattan. HRC, the nation’s largest gay rights advocate, recently endorsed Gillibrand’s 2010 candidacy.

The bill seeks to deny funding to the military for the costs of implementing the policy that bans gay troops from serving openly in Armed Forces. Gillibrand is expected to introduce her proposal as an amendment to the federal budget.

The policy has come under heavy scrutiny since President Obama called for an end to the law during his first State of the Union address. On Tuesday, the Pentagon’s top brass – Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates – told a key Senate panel considering the issue that the military should end the policy.

Full Story from On Top Magazine
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in bill, dadt, de-fund, don't ask don't tell, Kirsten Gillibrand, new york, ny, Senator | No Responses »

Why Republicans Are Largely Silent On Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

A funny thing happened after Adm. Mike Mullen called for gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military: A curious silence befell much of the right. If this were a Sherlock Holmes story, it would be the case of the attack dogs that did not bark. John McCain, commandeering the spotlight as usual, did fulminate against the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But the press focus on McCain, the crazy man in Washington’s attic, was misleading. His yapping was an exception, not the rule.

Many of his Republican colleagues said little or nothing. The right’s noise machine was on mute. The Fox News report on Mullen’s testimony was fair and balanced — and brief. The network dropped the subject entirely in the Hannity-O’Reilly hothouse of prime time that night. Only ratings-desperate CNN gave a fleeting platform to the old homophobic clichés. Michael O’Hanlon, an “expert” from the Brookings Institution, speculated that “18-year-old, old-fashioned, testosterone-laden” soldiers who are “tough guys” might object to those practicing “alternative forms of lifestyle,” which he apparently views as weak and testosterone-deficient. His only prominent ally was the Family Research Council, which issued an inevitable “action alert” demanding a stop to “the sexualization of our military.”

The occasional outliers notwithstanding, why did such a hush greet Mullen on Capitol Hill? The answer begins with the simple fact that a large majority of voters — between 61 percent and 75 percent depending on the poll — now share his point of view. Most Americans recognize that being gay is not a “lifestyle” but an immutable identity, and that outlawing discrimination against gay people who want to serve their country is, as the admiral said, “the right thing to do.”

Full Story from the New York Times
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in bigotry, dadt, don't ask don't tell, gay soldiers, gop, republicans | No Responses »

Israel: Serving Proudly in the Military

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

I began my mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces in the summer of 1994, just a year after the government decided that gays could serve openly in the military. At the time, I had not yet solidified my sexual orientation, having had encounters with both men and women. I was generally confused.

One thing I did know was that I wanted to join an infantry unit and also serve as a paratrooper—like a “real man.” Basic training was grueling, with sleepless nights, agonizing exercises, and long runs in full battle gear. Those hardships taught me the value of friendship: men struggling together, bleeding together, and supporting one another while pushing themselves to the limits of their abilities. They also taught me that there’s a flip side to military machismo: a helping hand when times are tough or a brotherly hug when missions are accomplished successfully. These friendships enabled me to open up to the other men and talk about my sexual identity. The reactions were always supportive; regardless of whom you share your bed with, these friends would say, we know you are a good fighter and a member of the team.

And so, oddly enough, it was my military service that helped me make sense of my sexual orientation. By the time I became a young officer, I’d come out of the closet to my family and friends and had a steady partner. I did not pin a gay-pride flag on my duffel bag or hang one at my base; I don’t think that would have been appropriate in the military, given the diversity of opinions and beliefs. But I never lied about my preferences, and by the time I became a senior officer in an elite unit, most of my fellow officers knew my story. Yes, I was a gay officer in a special-forces unit—and a damn good one, at that.

Full Story from Newsweek
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in dadt, don't ask don't tell, israel, israeli soldier, military, openly gay | No Responses »

Colin Powell Now Supports Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

The last we heard from Colin Powell, on CNN’s State of the Union in July of last year, was that he supported “review” of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Following yesterday’s hearings by the Joint Chief Chair Mullen and Defense Secretary Gates, Powell now says he supports it.

General Powell released a statement to the NYT: “In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed. I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.”

The paper notes: “When Mr. Clinton tried to end the ban on gay soldiers, General Powell was the Joint Chiefs chairman and opposed the move on the grounds that it would undermine discipline and order in the military but he supported the ‘don’t ask’ compromise. In his statement on Wednesday, General Powell said ‘the principal issue has always been the effectiveness of the Armed Forces and order and discipline in the ranks.’

Full Story from Towleroad.com
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in colin powell, dadt, don't ask don't tell, gays in the military, repeal | No Responses »

Creating Change Conference Opens in Dallas This Week

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

From the possible end of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law that bans gays from serving openly in the armed forces to the expansion of gay marriage, there will be plenty of chatter among the 2,000 gay and lesbian activists gathering in Dallas this week. The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, kicks off today, with events planned through the weekend.

“There’s buzz about everything,” said Sue Hyde, the conference director. “People are going to be buzzing about ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ … We have some really tough issues on the agenda, and we’re making some progress on the local level and the state level and even the federal level on a whole range of issues.”

Task Force officials welcomed President Barack Obama’s remarks on overturning “don’t ask, don’t tell” last month in his State of the Union address. But they’re disappointed he didn’t offer a detailed plan, which allows for “foot-dragging,” Hyde said.

Full Story from Dallas News
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in conference, creating change, dallas, defense of marriage act, don't ask don't tell, Gay Marriage, gay rights, marriage equality, same sex marriage | No Responses »

« Older Entries