The Beginning of the End for DADT

[Soon]

GetEQUAL sends us the above grid detailing the known (and unknown) DADT positions of Senators that serve on the Armed Services Committee. GetEQUAL: "These are very important targets to go after in the next 30 days with non-violent direct action and civil disobedience. It is of utmost importance that you contact ALL these Senators and express the importance of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." They suggest using these talking points when calling the above Senators.

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Also: GetEQUAL is sitting in at Sen. John McCain's office in Arizona. Follow the developments on their Twitter feed.

[Soon]

TN Congressional candidates: Gays were 'taken care of' when they were in military

Physicians Ron Kirkland of Jackson and George Flinn of Memphis were among the candidates Thursday night who talked largely about how they're against the Obama administration and its policies, according to The Jackson Sun.

The candidates criticized the administration for wanting to overturn the gay policy, which prevents gays from serving openly in the military. President Barack Obama has called on Congress to lift the ban, and military officials are examining how to do that.

.....

Kirkland, a Vietnam veteran, said of his time in the military: "I can tell you if there were any homosexuals in that group, they were taken care of in ways I can't describe to you."

Smith, who served in the first Iraqi war, added: "I definitely wouldn't want to share a shower with a homosexual. We took care of that kind of stuff, just like (Kirkland) said."

The Tennessee Republican Party had no comment about the candidates statements when contacted by The Associated Press on Friday.

[Jess]

Hopefully some good news on this front:

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_129/news/46002-1.html

[Toughy]

Please read the message below about efforts to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year. Please call the Speaker (and your representative) to push the vote now. If you are willing to take one more step, please send this out to supporters, friends and families and flood their offices with calls.

Next week, game-changing votes in the U.S. House and Senate could make or break the fate of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal efforts in 2010.

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) is expected to offer an amendment to the House version of the Defense Authorization bill that would overturn DADT. Similar action is also expected in the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 27.

For Rep. Murphy's amendment to be offered, however, the Speaker of the House must first schedule a vote.

And that's where we need your help - right now.

Urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to schedule a vote on Rep. Murphy's repeal amendment to the Defense Authorization bill next week.

Call Speaker Pelosi today.

(202) 225-0100

The fight for repeal in 2010 hangs in the balance. A few votes could make the difference between victory and defeat. Each representative's vote will count.

You can find your Representative at http://www.congress.org/

Call your representative today to say that waiting another year for repeal is not an option. Ask your Member of Congress for the repeal vote.

(202) 225-3121

We are on the brink of victory, but we aren't there yet.

We can make next week's House vote a historic win if we pull out all the stops and push even harder now. We are closer to achieving repeal than ever before.

Help us get to the finish line.

Thank you.

Aubrey Sarvis
SLDN Executive Director

P.S. On Saturday, May 22, we will celebrate Harvey Milk's 80th birthday. His life reminds us that discrimination against LGBT people is still alive today, and that if we want full equality we have to fight for it. Stand up (http://www.sldn.org/action) for our gay and lesbian service members who continue to suffer from the discrimination that Harvey dedicated his life to ending.

[Soon]

[Toughy]

as my grandmother used to say:

'bless their poor little pea picking hearts.....they just don't know no better.......'

[chefhottie25]

An end to this policy is long overdue. My little sister served in the coast guard...and she had to do it in silence. It put a lot of stress on relationship at the time. I don't know how she did it for so many years.

[tuffboi29]

Originally Posted by Jess

Why is it that it has taken so long to figure out how to repeal DADT? Seems easier to do just about anything than to make it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals.

....Until we have laws making our rights ( ALL of our rights) equal to those of our heterosexual neighbors, we will remain less than second class citizens.

Hear!!! Hear!!!

[Soon]

His apology: “As mayor I must respect the lifestyle choices of others, no matter how disagreeable they are with my personal beliefs or my personal moral standards. I apologize for my comments at the Memorial Day service at Desert Lawn cemetery on Memorial Day.”

[Manul]

This isn't good news:

Gates: Veto possible of military gay ban bill

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Robert Gates says President Barack Obama could end up vetoing legislation that would lift the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

Obama supports repealing the law, and the White House has pushed for quicker congressional action than the Pentagon has favored. Gates also supports repeal.

But Gates tells " Fox News Sunday" that Obama probably still would veto an upcoming spending bill that includes the repeal — if the bill also contains money for defense projects he says are wasteful.

Gates wants to get rid of an aircraft engine and additional transport aircraft that some lawmakers want to keep. They generally represent areas with defense contractors that would stand to lose business from the cuts.

[Soon]

[Manul]

A discussion of the growing debate around the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

[Toughy]

concerning the Pentagon survey on gays sent to soldiers:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-..._b_643405.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,6119129.story

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Jess

I personally think it proves more than anything else that we LGBT folks are getting very very tired of the people we fight to place in office not doing their jobs.

I don't think he should need reminding. He made it clear when running for office that equal human rights was at the forefront of his agenda. Have at it big boy!

Why is it that it has taken so long to figure out how to repeal DADT? Seems easier to do just about anything than to make it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals.

Frankly, I think Bill was trying to do the right thing with gays when DADT first came about. Seemed reasonable.. let's not talk about it, then there won't be discrimination. No one saw AT THE TIME, that it would be turned against us. Until we have laws making our rights ( ALL of our rights) equal to those of our heterosexual neighbors, we will remain less than second class citizens.

If the idiots in Congress that don't want to see it repealed would not do things like putting in a bill that also appropriates money that both Obama and Defense Secretary Gates thinks is wastefull, it would be a done deal!

Just continued polital tactics by right-wing homophobes!

[Manul]

Charges dropped against Lt. Choi

[Jess]

http://www.autostraddle.com/intern-a...-survey-51722/

[Soon]

Eight members of GetEqual, including Robin McGehee and Dan Choi, were arrested in Las Vegas today after blocking traffic on the city's busiest street in protest of perceived inaction on the repeal of DADT by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

(JMG)

[Jess]

Choi finally fired :

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/big-...dont-tell.html

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by Jess

Choi finally fired :

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/big-...dont-tell.html

I wonder how many enlisted and officer soldiers/sailors get an honorable discharge? I wonder if there is a difference in types of discharges based on rank?

[Jess]

The "end" not coming fast enough. Good soldiers losing careers is such a sad injustice.

From Rachel Maddow, Capt. Hopkins: Just Fired from the Army for Being Gay

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...68288#38668288