Quote of the Day

Former Vice President and Presidential candidate Al Gore was a speaker at Saturday's Human Rights Campaign dinner in Los Angeles. An avid proponent of lifting the ban during his 2000 White House run, Gore again spoke out against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:"

“For God's sake, [gays and lesbians are] asking for monogamy and military service, is that too much to ask for?” Gore said.

Kudos to Al for again taking a stand on behalf of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops.

-Steve Ralls

Out of the DoD Closet

A new article from the American Forces Press Service - the official news arm of the Department of Defense - features an interview with retired Sergeant Major Kasha Zilka. The interview appears in observance of Women's History Month, and it is about 3/4 of the way through the article that the really eye-opening moment happens:

Zilka found positive female role models within her unit and was praised for her work but still found it difficult to be accepted as a "contributing, effective member," she said. "Women were often labeled as a nymphomaniac, lesbian, husband hunter, or someone's ugly sister. We were judged by our looks rather than our capabilities. "
Dating was nearly impossible, Zilka said. "If you turned down a man, you would be labeled a lesbian. The problem was being choosy without getting labeled. "

SLDN has long talked about the issue of lesbian-baiting in the armed forces. Now, the military's own press service is giving the idea visibility and credibility.

We know that women are disproportionately targeted under the military's ban. We know they are discharged at a rate of nearly twice their presence in the armed forces. And we know they face many obstalces as they make their way through a male-dominated military culture. It's good to hear that the military knows that, too.

Military leaders should stand up and demand an end to lesbian-baiting in the armed forces. No one should expect to face gender discrimination or sexual innuendo as a condition for service to our country.

-Steve Ralls

On the Road . . . From Nashville to Chicago

The best part of being SLDN’s grassroots organizer is having the chance to get to know supporters around the country.

Over the past couple of weeks I had the pleasure of meeting some of these folks in both Nashville and Chicago.

I was in Nashville to attend the National Leadership Gathering of The Interfaith Alliance, a conference of progressive religious leaders of many faiths. I was there to educate, network, and gather petition signatures. I expected to have to do a lot of talking to convince people that repealing “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” was something they should care about. Was I wrong! My favorite (and most common) response was: “Of course I’ll sign your petition. That’s a STUPID law.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

In Chicago I had the pleasure and honor of meeting with a number of SLDN supporters, volunteers, and some folks who were just learning about SLDN -- all of whom had been pulled together by our board member, Jean Albright. We gathered to talk about the work of SLDN and how they can help in the effort to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

We started the meetings by having each person talk about what they knew of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and why they had come to the meeting. As we went around the table, person after person told of how they had been affected.

One woman, who had served a career in the military, told of being nearly outed early on and of becoming a “professional liar” for the rest of her career. I knew the pain of that statement. It was the choice I faced once I came out to myself while in college with an ROTC scholarship. I decided to give up my future career (and my scholarship) because I could not bear to face a future of lying to all of my colleagues. She went on to say that though she’s been out of the military for more than ten years, she still looks over her shoulder.

A man at one of the meetings had served less than two years because someone found and turned in a letter he was writing to friend explaining how he was coming to terms with his sexual orientation. He was discharged more than five years ago, but still wishes every day that he were still in the military. He has watched as the age limits for enlistment have risen and hopes that when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been repealed he will still be eligible to return to the military.

We all know the statistics that surround our call to Lift the Ban, but as I talked with these amazing men and women that day in Chicago I was reminded again of the importance of telling the stories of the human toll this law exacts. We can try to count the cost of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in dollars, but we will never be able to total the emotional cost of this law on people who have volunteered to serve our country.

Those of us who can speak out and work to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” must do so whenever and however we can. It is the least we can do for all of those who have and are serving in silence.

-Karen Armagost

Clarifying the Clearances Debate

How do the government's changes to security clearance guidelines really impact lesbian and gay Americans going through the security clearance process? That's been a question of great debate over the past 48 hours.

Now, we have some helpful clarification.

The White House now tells us that they remain committed to the principles of non-discrimination adopted under the Clinton Administration (and renewed by President Bush in his first term) and that the government will continue to implement the "no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation" rule.

SLDN will, of course, continue to monitor the implementation of that non-discrimination order and hold the Administration to its statement. But lesbians and gays can breathe a little easier knowing that, contrary to some mixed public messages over the past few days, their sexual orientation should not be used as a reason to deny them a security clearance they otherwise deserve.

Anyone who is going through security clearance screening and has questions, should check out SLDN's security clearance guidance for more information.

- Steve Ralls

From the House Floor

In response to the United States House resolution in support of the Supreme Court decision to uphold the right of military recruiters to gain access to college campuses, Rep. Blumenauer from Oregon could not have said it better.

Mr. Speaker, my support for this resolution is reluctant because, while I believe that allowing military recruiters equal access to institutions of higher education is beneficial to both the military and the students, I am also strongly opposed to policies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, such "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This policy has deprived the military of over 10,000 highly trained soldiers during a time of war and continues to cost the government millions of dollars in wasted training and enforcement costs. If we want to bridge the divide between the military and universities, we should, instead of passing resolutions like H. Con. Res. 354, pass H.R. 1059, the "Military Readiness Enhancement Act," which, by repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," would end the dispute over equal access for military recruiters. At the end of the day, our security is best served by giving all qualified Americans the freedom to serve our country.

The reality and severity of the military’s recruiting and retention needs are not being fully addressed by Congress. As Rep. Blumenauer stated, HR 1059, the "Military Readiness Enhancement Act" will tackle these issues by ending discharges from the military that are solely based upon an individual’s sexual orientation. Can Congress in good conscience require the military to discharge another 10,000 service members, another 55 Arabic Linguists and another 244 medical specialists?

The answer is simple -- NO. The time is now to pass HR 1059 and put an end to the costly and discriminatory law of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell."

-Ray Quintero

Calling On All Charlestonians

I just returned from Charleston, South Carolina where I spoke last night before the incredible local LGBT rights group, the Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA). The last time I had spoken there was in early 2001 -- before 9/11. before the global war on terrorism, before the military’s recruiting crisis and expanding missions, and before the military’s aggressive discharge of Arabic linguists who were gay (even though the Army faces a 50% shortage of qualified Arabic speakers).

"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" is of special consequence in South Carolina. There are 421,000 vets in the state, or 14.2% of the total population. Of those veterans, 2.5%, or 11,000, are lesbian, gay or bisexual. There are at least eight military installations in the state with 38,000 troops stationed there, and an additional 142,000 jobs tied to military operations in the state, or 8% of all jobs in South Carolina. Our armed forces are critical to South Carolina, and critical to the lesbian, gay and bisexual population there.

There were a number of gay veterans in attendance at the forum. And one who was not who I hope to meet very soon. A prominent Charlestonian is a World War II veteran, served under General Patton, and is gay. God bless him.

Gays have served in every war since the American Revolution. It is time that this farce end.

And we are getting so much closer to that day. There is a bill in Congress, HR 1059, that would repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" and replace it with a policy of nondiscrimination. I urged our friends in Charleston to persuade Representatives Spratt and Clyburn to become co-sponsors. Their conservative voices would add weight and leadership to the fight. Repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" resonates with conservative voters. Our elected leaders need to hear that, though. Spratt and Clyburn now will. Repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" is one of the most politically viable issues today. The momentum is building. The end is coming into sight. And it is not those of us in Washington that have the moral persuasion that will win the day; it is those of you in Charleston and cities around the country that do.

-C. Dixon Osburn

A Letter from the Road

Below is a letter from SLDN Honorary Board Member RADM Al Steinman while touring with the Call to Duty Tour.
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All,

Now that I have a chance to catch my breath after a very intensive Call to Duty Tour through the southern states, I wanted to give you an update on my impressions of those events.

At the Univ. of Virginia, SLDN's Sharon Alexander honored the Tour with her presence as one of our speakers. She has written her impressions on the SLDN blog so I won't duplicate her comments. I was personally unable to be there, but from the reports of the other Tour participates, it was a highly successful event with a good Q&A discussion afterwards on the issue.

The next stop on the Tour was the Univ. of South Carolina. We had expected a potentially hostile audience there, but that turned out not to be the case. In that we were somewhat disappointed, for our primary effort is to reach out to those who traditionally oppose us. The event was staged at the Univ. Law School; the Tour had 7 speakers, including myself, Alex Nicholson (Army), Jarrod Chlapowski (Army), Patrick English (Army), Heather Sarver (USAF), Tim Smith (USMC) and Anu Bhagwati, USMC O-3 who helped plan our Harvard event and who spoke with us at U. Rhode Island. We had an audience of about 30-35 students, many of whom were "family." The Q&A session afterwards touched on many of the various aspects of DADT. Local media and the PBS videographers both covered the event.

On to Georgia. We made two presentations at the North Georgia State College and University, a military school in Dahlonega, Georgia. NGSCU puts a lot of officers into the Army and has a large Corps of Cadets. Jeff Cleghorn is, of course, a graduate of this school. Jeff and his partner Kevin, hosted a fund-raiser for us in their home in Atlanta, and he and his neighbors and friends also generously housed us for the three days we were in Atlanta. At NGSCU, we were hosted by the School of Education (the Dean himself joined us on-stage) and by the Dept. of Sociology and Psychology. Our first presentation was during the school day, and we had a pretty good turnout, including a number of cadets, many of whom were in a leadership position in the Corps. Presenting at this event were Alex, Jarrod, Patrick, Fred Fox (former Army infantryman and Army officer - veteran of the Black Hawk down incident in Somalia - this was his first appearance with the Tour) and I. The Q&A session was lively, to say the least: lots of the so-called controversial issues were discussed (the religious issue, the moral issue, the privacy issue, etc.). As Anu had done in both RI and SC, Fred's presentation nailed the leadership issue dead-on (i.e., when DOD finally gets around to considering lifting the ban, as they inevitably will, it will be the military leadership that makes it work). And again, each of the stories of Alex, Jarrod and Patrick changed some minds at this school, in the same ways as discussed above with the VFW chapter. We made a second presentation in the evening (at which Jeff Cleghorn was present in the audience - and he even asked the "shower question" in the Q&A, just to make sure it got discussed - LOL).

Our final appearance in the south was at U. Tennessee - Knoxville. The event was sponsored by the Law School and the LGBT student organization on campus. It was held in one of the law school's amphitheaters. It was attended by 40-50 UT students, veterans, and, interestingly, 6 active duty members (some of whom were at UT, but at least one of whom (see below) was from Army Special Forces training nearby. Presenting were Alex, Jarrod, Patrick, Fred and I. And I think the presentations were among the best we've done so far on the Tour. But more importantly, the Q&A discussion was the most comprehensive and the most lively we've had so far. The event was videotaped by our host, and (in my humble opinion) will be interesting and instructive to watch from the standpoint of both the presentations and the Q&A. The highlight, for me, was the exchange that occurred during the inevitable "shower" discussion. As one of the active duty members (a UT student) surfaced the issue, another audience member in the back of the room vigorously indicated he wanted to speak. Following a few of our responses to the privacy issue, we called on the guy, who stood up and said, in essence, "I'm a straight, 18-year active duty Army Special Forces guy, and my former roommate was gay, and he was a damn fine soldier. I didn't have a problem living or serving with him - and I'd be proud to serve with any one of you guys, and I thank you for what you're doing." It was, literally, a tear-jerking speech for many of us. He went on to opine that we need to have straight allies like him speak out, or it's unlikely we'll ever succeed - and we agreed with him on that point, as do most of us in this effort, I believe.

Two of our audience members were transgender, and there was a pretty good discussion of that issue. One of them was a Vietnam disabled vet who was there with his partner. We had three members of a local Bible school, who initiated a fairly extensive "morals" discussion, which went on longer than I would have liked (he was fairly persistent - but our general philosophy on the Tour is NOT to engage in religious or moral arguments but rather to stay on message about the DADT law). All in all, I think the UT Knoxville event was one of the highlights of the Tour so far.

Among the most significant events so far on the Tour has been our outreach to veteran service organizations (VSO's). We've met with the heads of three such organizations, all of whom have been surprisingly supportive. This is contrary to what most of us had expected, as some of the VSO's have been outspoken opponents of repealing DADT. At one of the VSO's we were welcomed by the head of the organization, and we (Alex, Jarrod, Patrick, Heather and I) sat with him around a table. As we introduced ourselves and our service affiliations, we clearly didn't fit his expected image of GLB service members. Furthermore, when he realized that some of these young veterans had deployed to the DMZ and to Iraq, and that two of them were actually members of his organization (Jarrod and Patrick), we had definitely earned a place at the table in his mind. All of those three characteristics of our group, in my opinion, were significant in getting his attention.

As we discussed DADT with the various VSOs, it became clear that we agreed on one major point: it's conduct, not status, that is the issue. In other words, many people don't care what GLB service members do in their private lives, just don't make a disruption in the unit. Looking at these young veterans and hearing their stories, wherein most of them were out to their peers and some even to their commands, all without problem, the heads of the VSO's realized that not every GLB soldier, sailor, marine airman, etc. is going to degrade unit morale, unit cohesion and combat readiness. So we were invited back to speak to the entire VSO at a later date.

The lesson here, I think, is that for so many years we've assumed that all of our opponents are implacable foes. And we're finding that by reaching out to these folks, face to face, most of the stereotypes and the presumed fear and loathing of "gays in the military" can begin to be defused. And that is essentially what we're trying to do with CTD.

The Tour is now on to Iowa State, U. Missouri, U Colorado (both Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses), Nebraska, Texas, NM, AZ, UT and the west coast).

More later.

-Al Steinman

A Change in Security Clearances for Gays?

Page One Q is reporting that the National Security Agency has changed its rules regarding sexual orientation and the issuance of security clearances. According to the report, some small but possibly significant changes have been which could impact LGBT government employees who apply for those clearances.

In 1997, President Clinton issued an executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the issuance of security clearances. President Bush renewed that executive order. Today's news makes us wonder: has the Bush administration abandoned its committment to the 1997 order, which it previously renewed? And why were the changes announced today necessary? No American should be assumed to be a security risk or unable to serve our country simply because they happen to be lesbian or gay.

SLDN is sorting through the new language and our attorneys are busy determining what, exactly, those changes will mean. Check back here for more information as soon as we have that . . .

- Steve Ralls

Fighting to Serve My Country

David Hall, a plaintiff in Cook v. Rumsfeld, recently joined the SLDN team as a development assistant. Below, he shares his perspective on SLDN's work and life as a former service member.
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This is my first blog entry as the new “kid on the block” at SLDN. But as a former client and a plaintiff in the Cook vs. Rumsfield lawsuit I have a very different perspective of SLDN as a workplace.

I enjoy everyday I come into the SLDN office for work and couldn’t be happier to be part of this awesome team. But in reality, I shouldn’t be here! I should be stationed at some Air Force base or deployed somewhere in the world helping to defend our country. Instead of business attire I should be putting on a flight suit every morning.

When I joined the Air Force in 1996, I never would have guessed I would have to fight to serve my country. I joined so I would have the opportunity to serve my country and defend the freedoms we have come to cherish as a nation. But after being discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, I have a new fight. A fight to ensure gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans has the Freedom to Serve.

Having just recently moved to Washington DC from Alaska I knew there was one place I was hoping to work. I am grateful for the opportunity to join SLDN and help them with their continued fight with this outrageous law. This law not only hurts the country as a whole but destroys lives of honorable Americans who only want to serve their country.

As much as I enjoy working with this great group of professionals, I am looking forward to the day when I get to leave SLDN. It will be the day that the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law is repealed by Congress or found unconstitutional by the courts. Hopefully at this time I will go back to my previous career of serving my country.

I am lucky as one out of the ten thousand Americans who have been affected by this law; I get to come to work everyday and make a difference. Not all of us can work at SLDN but we all can make a difference. We can stand up for the 65,000 active duty gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans and let them know we are proud of them for the hard work they are doing for our country.

-David Hall

From ACSBlog: Losing the Battle, But Winning the War

SLDN's Sharon Alexander posted this entry on the ACSBlog regarding the recent decision in Rumsfeld v. FAIR

-Rebecca Sawyer

On RadioInsideScoop

Sharon Alexander, SLDN's Deputy Director for Policy, will be on Mark Levine's Radio Inside Scoop show discussing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and SLDN's work. You can listen live to the show on Monday, 3/13 from 7-8pm EST online.

-Rebecca Sawyer

The Silver Lining

If there's a silver lining to the Supreme Court's decision on the Solomon Amendment, it is that the ruling has focused attention on the injustice of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Since Monday's decision came down, the chorus calling for repeal has grown substantially.

Yesterday's Washington Post called on Congress to repeal the law. "A combination of bigotry and inertia keeps the gay ban in place," the Post editors wrote following the Solomon ruling.

Today saw more calls for repeal. The Oregonian reminds us that we can beat the ban by lobbying Congress (see SLDN's upcoming lobby days.) And the Baltimore Sun observes that "while the military has won the battle to recruit students, it should lose the fight to keep openly gay people out of its ranks."

There's even more good news today out of Vermont, where a General with the Vermont National Guard has said it is time to revisit the law. Incidentally, that same General has just announced her candidacy for Congress . . . as a Republican.

So while some see Monday's high court ruling as a defeat, it also reminds us that the real issue is the underlying prejudice of the military's ban.

If you live in Vermont, Baltimore, Oregon or the Washington DC area, write letters to the editor of your local papers, supporting the movement for repeal. Wherever you live, ask your Member of Congress to support the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And join us in Washington for SLDN's 2006 lobby days.

The campaign to end the ban is picking up steam, and we need more voices to join us in speaking out.

-Steve Ralls

Supreme Court Decision in Rumsfeld v. FAIR

Yesterday, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Solomon Amendment in Rumsfeld v. FAIR. One blogger, An Army of 1 in 10, voices their opinion on the decision, the realities of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and why we should all support the Military Readiness Enhancement Act.

-Rebecca Sawyer

When the Phone Rings...

Erin Turner, SLDN’s administrative assistant, handles the calls for assistance from service members affected by the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on openly gay personnel. In her entry, Erin provides insight into her work and the work environment at SLDN.
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When the phone rings at Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, it produces a sound different than any other phone. Behind each ring is someone in need; someone who feels alone; someone who feels betrayed. The ring means more than the simple, black, plastic phone could ever imagine it would produce. And yet, it continues to ring—day in, day out.

I know that on the other end of the line is a service member who only wants to be just that: a service member. It should only be so simple.

I feel a combination of duty and helplessness.

I feel a sense of duty to hear their stories and provide them with access to the legal help they need and deserve.

I feel a sense of helplessness that we, as an organization, have to exist at all.

I’ve never worked in a place where the happiest day of my co-workers’ lives would be the day that they lost their jobs. The mission of SLDN is, and always has been, to cease to exist. In one of my past employment bouts, when the phone rang, the worst situation that the person on the other end could be experiencing was that her hair stylist did not have an appointment available before her next big event. That is not the case at my current desk.

Yes, I am a sorority girl. Yes, I have judged people based on their ability to accessorize. Yes, I did think that I knew a thing or two about the world around me. What a shock it was then, to learn that people were being judged for more than their incorrect belief that one can never wear too much black eye-liner. They were being judged and discriminated against for just being themselves. It was the worst kind of sorority of all. It was not one that embraced differences, aided in the betterment of its members, and prided itself on the bond of those who had joined. It was cruel—unfathomable.

What’s to explain how I, a believer in the civil rights of all, had not been more aware that this was actually going on?

Naiveté? Maybe. Unintended ignorance? Probably. I was in college; in a place where the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law didn’t affect me or reach me. Or so I thought.

That was in the past.

Once you learn about the ban on gay service in the military, you can’t ignore it. Regardless of how hard you try, the anger, the confusion, the disbelief that such a law even exists is palpable—undeniable. It’s sometimes overwhelming to think of the number of service members who are affected by this law and who are in need of assistance. Great challenges can only be met and overcome by great determination. Inactivity feeds ignorance; action fuels justice.

And so, regardless of how grand or how difficult the task at hand seems, if that simple, black, plastic phone has the energy, the guts, and the will to keep ringing, I will be right there, on the other end, to answer.

-Erin Turner

Trip Report: Call to Duty Tour at UVA

On Tuesday night I had the opportunity to participate in stop at the University of Virginia on the Call to Duty Tour. If you haven’t heard about Call to Duty yet, you should check them out - calltodutytour.org.

Call to Duty Tour is a great concept – young veterans speaking to university audiences around the country about their experiences in the military and about living under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Their goal is to tell their stories to get people to rethink stereotypes about gays in the military, and consider the idea that gay people should be permitted under the law to serve openly in the military.

Their stories vary considerably.

A former Army Korean linguist talks about coming out to some of his closer friends in the military, and being met with support from all of them – even an Evangelical Christian roommate he was sure would object to living with a gay soldier. He served honorably, but after five years of service chose not to reenlist because he was concerned that one day someone might take issue with his sexual orientation and discharge him under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He chose to leave on his own terms, rather than risk receiving a discharge certificate with the word “homosexual” stamped neatly in a box on the page.

He was a non-commissioned officer who worked in language few Americans can speak. Seems like an awful waste of talent, losing him because of a law that says his career is at the mercy of any commander who has a problem with the fact that he is gay.

One woman, formerly a Russian linguist with the Air Force, talks about her experiences in a very anti-gay office environment. She tried for months to get the anti-gay jokes and comments to stop. She cited loyalty to her gay brother back home in saying that the comments offended her, but her coworkers didn’t quit their verbal gay bashing. She tried complaining, writing up reports about her hostile workplace environment, requesting a transfer out of the office, speaking to her commander about the situation – nothing worked, and she finally came out to get out of the bad situation.

When she came out, her commander – an Air Force Colonel – asked her to take back her statement so she could continue serving, but refused to do anything about the anti-gay harassment in the office. The Russian linguist refused to take back her statement.

I don’t know how much it costs to train a Russian linguist, but I bet it’s a lot. Seems like it would have been both cheaper and better policy to enforce the Air Force’s anti-harassment policies in the office rather than let the linguist go.

A former Marine I have worked with here at SLDN, John Ball, spoke of the relief he felt when he finally came out to his closest buddies in the Marine Corps. He said he felt like a fraud when they deployed together – listening to them talk about their private lives, the girls they loved, their hopes and dreams – but never sharing anything personal about himself.

He said when he finally came out, his buddies supported him completely, and said how glad they were that he’d finally shared this with them. They wanted to know everything about this aspect of his life they hadn’t known about before. “What’s a gay bar?” they asked. They wanted to see one, so John dutifully took them out one night to a place he knew. “What is this ‘Queer as Folk’ thing all about?” they wanted to know. So one Sunday night, there were John and his buddies, huddled around the TV in their Marine barracks to see what all the buzz was about. Gay Marine 101, on demand.

Not only did John’s fellow Marines not mind that he was gay, they respected it as part of who he was. They were glad he told, and they wanted to know more. Coming out brought them closer together, because John didn’t have to keep up his guard anymore. They bonded better because he came out.

The most poignant part of John’s story for me was the pain he felt at not being in the Marine Corps anymore. John left of his own accord, rather than risk a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” discharge in the future. When he left, he wrote an op-ed for the Marine Corps Times talking about his service as a Marine who just happened to be gay, and about his opposition to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He was on his way to what he hoped would be a new and better life as a civilian.

Unfortunately, like many veterans, John’s reentry into civilian life was not exactly what he expected. The people were different, the values were different, and he didn’t feel like he fit in this new world. Within a short time he wanted nothing more than to be back in the Marines, but the op-ed – with his photograph and clearly printed name beside it – presented a virtually insurmountable obstacle. A phone call to his former commander confirmed what both John and I knew – that a coming out that public wasn’t going to be forgotten, and that even if the recruiter didn’t catch it, someone along the line would and he’d probably be discharged. As long as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is the law, there is no going back to the Marine Corps for John Ball.

John’s pain and the massive waste of talent, patriotism, and money embodied in the fact that the five Call to Duty Tour panelists presenting at UVA Tuesday night are civilians now pretty much sums it all up for me. The five of them were like a picture that says a thousand words, more eloquently than any lawyer or activist ever could.

And they remind me very clearly why the work we’re doing here at SLDN is so vital, until the ban is lifted.

-Sharon Alexander

My Date with Duncan Hunter

Last night, I attended an Oscar-themed fundraiser for the California State Society here in Washington. The evening was co-chaired by a number of Congressional representatives from California, but it was the Member not on the list who made the evening most memorable: Representative Duncan Hunter, the Republican chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

Congressman Hunter, for those unaware of his stance, is adamantly opposed to repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and has steadfastly refused to allow Congressman Marty Meehan's (D-MA) repeal bill to leave the committee in the House.

Last night, Hunter was saluting a group of California veterans, just returned from the war, and when he left the stage, I approached him and asked, "Congressman Hunter, when will you allow Marty Meehan's bill to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' out of committee?"

Hunter boastfully (at first) said service members did not want to serve with gays, and he would not mark up the bill. When I pointed out poll after poll showing overwhelming support for lifting the ban, he dismissed those polls as "not true." And when I asked him to tell me that he at least saluted the sacrifice of gay service members in Iraq, appreciated their service and acknowledged their sacrifice for his freedom, he refused to do so. Instead, he refused to take my business card, turned his back and walked away.

I walked right along behind him.

And when I left the event for the evening, I said to Congressman Hunter very loudly "Shame on you for disrespecting the service of gay men and women in Iraq. Shame on you."

The crowd in the auditorium turned and looked at Congressman Hunter, and everyone in the room knew: Hunter was called on his homophobia and his refusal to support gays and lesbians in uniform who are sacrificing so much for our country.

Tell Duncan Hunter that those who serve our nation deserve our thanks, not our scorn. Contact the Congressman and tell him to support ALL of our troops by supporting Representative Meehan's bill to lift the ban.

-Steve Ralls