A Dispatch from Iraq

The current issue of InNewsweekly, an LGBT publication in New England, has a dispatch from a gay New England service member dispatched to Iraq. His op-ed is a story about coming out to a fellow soldier during his deployment.

His commrade's response?

"You know I don't care about that stuff and it doesn't matter to me."

More compelling, anecdotal evidence that, in fact, our men and women in uniform already know they're serving with gays, and care more about job performance than sexual orientation.

Read his complete story here.

- Steve Ralls

A San Diego Wreath Laying

Yesterday, SLDN supporter Ben Gomez and the San Diego chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights participated in a Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony. Ben reports to SLDN that more than 1,000 people were in attendance at the Fort Rosecrans event.

The AVER dedication was, in part, "On behalf of the 1 million gay, lesbian and bi-sexual veterans now living and the 65,000 now serving, the American Veterans for Equal Rights dedicates this wreath to all fallen veterans who have served their country."

- Steve Ralls

So, what can you do about it?

Denise, one of SLDN's two fabulous legal interns for the summer, recently posted her thoughts on SLDN's Lobby Day, the Pentagon's recently released "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" discharge numbers, and why "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" should be repealed.

A quick excerpt of some of her thoughts:

In a most fundamental way, we insist that, in order to serve your country in the armed forces, you must betray the very values and integrity that the services tries to instill in you. You must lie, every day. Once you are discovered (by, for example, confiding to a chaplain, or writing in your private diary, or having a vengeful ex out you, etc.) you are discharged from the service with a notation on your permanent service record and discharge paperwork (DD214) that you are homosexual, and are given a negative reenlistment code. But, also, the very fact that we have such a law fosters discrimination and harassment toward the approximately 64,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual service members currently serving. And, what can a gay service member do about such harassment?

Check out the rest of that entry at Denise's blog, Life, Law, Gender.

-Rebecca Sawyer

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

We just received this news from an alert SLDN supporter: Veterans are invited to purchase half-price tickets for an upcoming Washington Nationals game here in the nation's capital. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit www.nationals.com/militarydiscount.

Here's the complete announcement:

WASHINGTON NATIONALS SALUTE VETERANS & OFFER HALF-PRICE TICKETS

The Washington Nationals is hosting a Veterans Appreciation night on June 14, with special half-price tickets available to veterans, their families and friends, and VA employees. The event will feature a military flyover, a performance by the US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, a VSO color guard, a VA benefit booth, tributes to veterans, and much more. These special $8 tickets are for Upper View MVP seats. To order tickets, visit www.nationals.com/militarydiscount. If you have a group of 25 or more, contact Mike Fisher at mike.fisher@nationals.com or 202-541-1765. If you want to attend the game with family, friends or colleagues and to ensure that you sit together, it is best to have one person buy all the tickets for your group.

The Nationals are also offering an opportunity to salute the veterans in your life. Beginning at 5:45 PM, the Nationals will display photos of veterans, living or deceased, on its jumbotron. To have your loved one's image included, send a jpeg photo (72 dpi) of your veteran in uniform to military@nationals.com. Please include name, rank, conflicts and years of service. The Nationals will play the first 400 images submitted and reserves the right to refuse any photo.

- Steve Ralls

SLDN in Long Beach

SLDN staffers Sharra E. Greer and David Hall will be kicking off the SLDN pride season tour this weekend in Long Beach, Calif. If you're in Long Beach, or visiting for this year's pride festival, be sure to stop by the SLDN booth and say hello. (And pick up one of our new, cool RECRUITER t-shirts or SLDN tank tops!)

And, if you'll be out and about in other cities this year, consider volunteering with SLDN for pride, too. It's a great way to meet people and be a part of our work to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." For more information on volunteering, sign up on our website.

. . . and happy pride!

- Steve Ralls

Eleanor, Prepping the Troops . . .

Yesterday, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) was the featured speaker at a luncheon for SLDN's lobby day participants. More than 70 veterans and activists from across the country are on Capitol Hill today, meeting with their representatives and asking them to support repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Congresswoman Norton, already a co-sponsor of legislation to repeal the military's ban, gave SLDN lobbyists a rousing pep talk before they headed to Congress. "Who do they think they are?," Congresswoman Norton asked, referring to the military's exclusion of LGBT Americans. She went on to note that gay discharges have fallen significantly after 9/11, reminding the audience that African American service members were treated "the same way" earlier in the nation's history. "We need gay troops," Norton said as she saluted those in attendance. "I'm proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act."

And we're proud to have you on our side, Congresswoman Norton.

- Steve Ralls

Rewarding Courage

This afternoon, Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) (pictured above announcing his Congressional bill to repeal the military's gay ban) will receive the Barry Winchell Courage Award during a reception on Capitol Hill. The award is presented each year by Patricia & Wally Kutteles, parents of slain Army soldier Barry Winchell. It is given in recognition of work to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that goes above and beyond the call of duty. Congressman Meehan, who introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act in 2005, is certainly a deserving recipient of this year's honor.

Here's an excerpt from the remarks Mrs. Kutteles will deliver today on the Hill:

"Congressman Meehan embodies courage in Congress. In addition to his repeal bill, he’s kept the pressure on the Pentagon to take action to curb harassment. He’s worked with SLDN to expose the continued discharge of highly-qualified service members simply because of sexual orientation. And he’s spoken out, again and again, about the need to honor the service of gay Americans and respect the dignity of everyone who sacrifices so much for our country and our freedoms. We need more advocates like the Congressman working on our nation’s behalf."

SLDN is proud to be working with Congressman Meehan and Mr. & Mrs. Kutteles to topple "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" once and for all.

- Steve Ralls

Pam's Dinner Coverage . . .

For those of you who missed the SLDN national dinner on Saturday evening, blogger Pam Spaulding has a great online archive of the night's events, including video and audio coverage of the dinner.

Many thanks to Pam for traveling to DC and spending the evening with us. For her complete coverage, click here.

- Steve Ralls

Pam's House Blend

Pam Spaulding, a staunch advocate for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” will cover SLDN’s 14th Annual National Dinner on her award-winning blog, Pam’s House Blend. She will live-blog the event beginning tomorrow at 6pm. So if you’re unable to attend the event in person, check out Pam’s blog for the play-by-play.

Pam has also written numerous entries about SLDN and our efforts to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Here are some of the more recent entries:

Department of Defense Acknowledges Lesbian-Baiting in Article, March 26, 2006
Air Force Dismisses Lesbian Major Under DADT, April 14, 2006
Retired Military Officer: It’s Time to End DADT, May 8, 2006

Go and check out Pam’s blog!

-Rebecca Sawyer

Tomorrow in Metro Weekly . . .

Tomorrow's issue of Metro Weekly includes a cover story interview with Iraq war vet & former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke.

Brian will be speaking about his experience as a gay Marine at the SLDN National Dinner on Saturday evening.

Check out the Metro Weekly website tomorrow for the complete interview.

- Steve Ralls

Danger Lines

Dan Crewe, a retired military officer in Maine, calls for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in this op-ed in Sunday's Maine Sunday Telegram. This is what he had to say about serving under the military's gay ban:

During the nearly 20 years I served in the armed forces, however, I was always aware of a different kind of danger line. I am a gay man, and each day I faced the possibility of being discharged simply because of who I am...

One revelation about my sexual orientation, however, would have made all those years irrelevant. In an instant, my dedication to our country would have taken a back seat to my sexual orientation.

That's not right, and it is time our armed forces welcome lesbian and gay Americans, rather than turn them away at the door. It is time to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual patriots.

-Rebecca Sawyer

Hello, BETTY!

SLDN is pleased to announce a new addition to our national dinner line-up on May 13th: BETTY, the amazing band that opens each week of The L Word on Showtime, will be this year's musical guests!

BETTY has a long history of supporting the LGBT community, and we're proud to have them with us, and to have the opportunity to honor their work on behalf civil rights and equality.

Come see BETTY live!

Tickets to the SLDN national dinner are still available online. Make plans now to join us on Saturday, May 13 in Washington . . .

-Steve Ralls

SLDN on the Radio . . .

Join SLDN tomorrow, May 2, on "Portside" with Burt Cohen, on Portsmouth Community Radio in New Hampshire. From noon until 1pm EST, we'll be discussing SLDN's upcoming lobby days, national dinner and the recent decision in our "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" court challenge.

You can join us live by listening in online at www.wscafm.org from noon until 1pm tomorrow.

-Steve Ralls