To Do: Tune In

SLDN's very own Zoe Dunning will appear on this week's episode of OUTSpoken, the LGBT community talk show on Comcast cable in San Francisco.

You can catch Zoe tonight at 9pm . . . Wednesday at 7pm . . . or Friday at 7:30pm on Comcast channel 11.

For more information, visit the OUTSpoken website.

- Steve Ralls

Air Force Launches Mandatory Language Survey

How badly do the armed forces need translators? Check out this story from the Air Force Times:

"The Air Force will begin requiring airmen to take an online survey designed to identify foreign language skills among the service’s personnel, officials said Monday."

Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, obviously aware of how critical translators are to the success of military operations abroad, observed that "An important lesson we continue to learn is that the ability to speak a foreign language is a critical war-fighting skill. We found that many airmen have foreign language skills that have not been documented, so we are canvassing the force to more accurately determine our resident foreign language capability."

So why does the government continue to force out perfectly qualified and well-trained linguists who happen to be gay? According to the Government Accountability Office, more than 300 language specialists have been dismissed under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," including dozens who specialize in Arabic.

The military may have learned "an important lesson," but there's another lesson they need to learn soon: the gay ban isn't just a bad idea; it's a counterproductive one, too.

(The image above, by the way, is an actual help wanted ad for a government contractor looking for Arabic speakers.)

- Steve Ralls

Claire McCaskill on Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Last night on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, Senator-elect Claire McCaskill fielded tough questions on many of the issues she will face as a new member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Among other issues, Matthews questioned Senator-elect McCaskill about her views on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In response, McCaskill said “that’s a good question. I don’t see any reason to change it at this point … but I’m open to talking about it…. I’m anxious to talk about it.”

Now that’s what I call an invitation. We would have preferred, of course, if McCaskill had endorsed repeal, but there was a definite silver lining in her willingness to listen.

SLDN supporters in DC and Missouri alike were abuzz with McCaskill’s comments last night, making plans to reach out to her and educate her on this issue. Claire McCaskill has a reputation as a fair-minded policy maker who is willing to listen to the arguments on both side of an issue and stand up for what she believes.

And Missouri is a great place for McCaskill to get an education on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Three members of the Missouri House delegation are co-sponsors of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act. The St. Louis Board of Aldermen has passed a resolution calling on Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Pat and Wally Kutteles, parents of murdered Army soldier Barry Winchell, live in Kansas City, Missouri, and are two of the most powerful voices for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the country. SLDN’s own board member, Kathleen Clark, has been working with local activists from PROMO, the Gateway Stonewall Democrats and other organizations for over a year to build support in Missouri for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And maybe most telling, the very first LGBT veterans contingent ever to march in the Kansas City Veterans Day parade marched at the very front of the parade with their rainbow flags and “honor every veteran” signs this year and drew nothing but respectful applause from those who attended.

The people of Missouri understand the importance of this issue, and Senator-elect McCaskill is sure to soon as well. We’re looking forward to the conversation too.

- Sharon Alexander

Time to Toot Our Own Horn (a little)

We've always been a little disappointed that non-profits can't win Oscars. Nonetheless, we do have Donatella Versace on speed dial, just in case we need a last-minute awards ceremony gown. And this morning, we came close.

SLDN has received word that our 2005 annual report has won two gold MarCom Creative Awards: in the best 2005 non-profit annual report category, and the best annual report photography category. More than 5,000 entries were judged by several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production and free-lance professionals. And we won!

Like any good award recipient, we have a few people to think, especially our talented and well-hydrated designer, Audrey Denson, and our beach-livin' photographer, Judy G. Rolfe. They did an extraordinary job on the report, and we wouldn't have won without them.

So today, for just a few minutes, we toot our own horn . . . just a little.

- Steve Ralls

CBS 4 Also Reports: Recruiters Ignoring Gay Policy

CBS 4 in Denver has a follow-up this afternoon to the story we brought you this morning about military recruiters.

According to reporter Rick Sallinger, "A CBS4 Investigation into recruiting by the United States Army found recruiters telling potential soldiers that it wasn't a problem if they were gay. The recruiters told people showing interest in being a soldier to keep their homosexuality to themselves."

We encountered one recruiter who said 'I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

The command responded, when confronted by Sallinger, that "We don't condone that behavior at all."

But, as channel 4 reported last night, they do seem to condone drug use and gang activity.

You can watch the full report online here.

We applaud recruiters for wanting access to the best and brightest, regardless of sexual orientation, but the best way to get there is for those same recruiters to speak out in favor of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

- Steve Ralls

You Could Still Be An Officer . . . Unless

CBS 4 in Denver aired an investigation last night into those 'moral waivers' the military has been issuing in order to beef up its ranks. Correspondent Rick Sallinger sent potential recruits undercover, to ask about special exceptions for enlisting. The results are eye-opening, if not downright astonishing:

To see how the policy works, CBS4 sent a woman into local recruiting stations and claimed to have a marijuana possession record.

"You could still be an officer with that," a recruiter told the woman. "It may slow it down a bit … it requires a waiver."

But it gets even more bizarre:

At another recruiting office in Aurora, a different recruiter told the woman that her marijuana possession charge wouldn't keep her from getting into the military.

"It's a waiver," he said and then took his prospective enlistee outside for what he called a "heart to heart."

"I smoked in Amsterdam," the recruiter said. "Since I've been in the Army, I have smoked, but you can't smoke all the time because you will get busted."

If you were a gang member? "You may have had some gang activity in the past and everything, ok, and that in itself does not disqualify you," he said.

Of course, though, if you are gay, the military isn't allowed to recruit you, even with a waiver. Because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," gay Americans are turned away, while former gang members are welcomed aboard.

You can watch the full investigation here.

- Steve Ralls

Veterans on the High Seas

I just returned from an amazing trip with Olivia cruising the Hawaiian Islands over Veteran’s Day week and while our appeal was being filed. In my casual conversations around the ship I found that many lesbians are unaware of a policy that significantly affects their specific population. Women in the military comprise only fourteen percent of the military but make up approximately thirty percent of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” discharges. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that math equals a policy that may purposely target women.

I met four fabulous young active duty women that came to Olivia so they could spend some time feeling free and safe from being outed to the military. One of the service members is a linguist and has served for more than eight years. She expressed great worry over losing her job at some point. Numerous women onboard were veterans and shared their stories of being very lonely and isolated from the gay community. As I sat and listened to their struggle to find a space where they fit and how to manage staying in the closet, I remembered the burden I felt. I sincerely hope our court challenge is successful because I think these women, who have truly sacrificed for all of us, deserve to feel as welcomed and safe by Americans and fellow service members as they did with our vacation group.

Olivia did a wonderful job recognizing Veteran’s Day on the ship and made special efforts to thank the women that are currently serving and those that came before them. My hat is off to companies like Olivia that create a space for both young and older lesbians to be in a welcoming, grateful community.

- Stacy Vasquez

Hofstra Asked, We Told

On November 15th, a panel of four gathered at the Hofstra University School of Law in Hempstead, New York, to talk to students and faculty about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” To an attentive crowd of about 35 students, Sharon Alexander (Deputy Director for Policy at SLDN), Heather Sarver (Air Force veteran and law student at Hofstra), Denny Meyer (President of American Veterans for Equal Rights), and myself, Rhonda Davis (pictured right), presented history, research, and many personal accounts of how DADT is a bad policy for all Americans.

Sharon’s speech kicked off the event. After the moderator introduced her, Sharon moved from behind the table where the rest of us sat, to a standing position closer to where the audience members sat. With a commanding confidence, Sharon expertly broke down the myths behind DADT: that a simple act such as hand-holding between two people of the same gender is a violation of the policy; that there is no patient-doctor confidentiality when it comes to sexual orientation, and that being “out” to anyone (even your most trusted friends and family members) is a violation of policy that could lead to discharge.

After Sharon explained what DADT meant in a legal sense, she slid the microphone to Heather who told a personal account of how DADT ruins lives and careers. Heather’s nervous tone quickly became one of relaxed assuredness after realizing she had captivated the crowd with her story. I myself nearly bolted to my feet with applause when she pointed out, “the policy is ‘don’t ASK, don’t TELL, don’t PURSUE, don’t HARASS,’ yet no one ever gets punished for asking, pursuing, or harassing. The tellers are the only ones who get discharged.”

Heather came into the Air Force understanding what DADT would mean for her, and still she made that personal sacrifice: she agreed not to tell she’s gay. But the heterosexual Air Force members she worked with didn’t keep their end of the bargain; they asked, pursued, and harassed her. So much, in fact, that Heather decided to “out” herself and get kicked out of the military in order to escape the torment. Her story pointed out yet another disparity about DADT, one that I myself hadn’t even realized: that it sets up a bargain, a compromise of sorts, between heterosexual and homosexual service members. “I won’t ask you if you don’t tell me.” The problem is, even when GLBT service members keep with their end of the bargain, as Heather did, the heterosexuals aren’t bound by the same.

When it was my turn to speak, I told of my 12 years of service to the Navy and how, for most of my career, I was “out” to my co-workers. I explained to the university students and staff that I am living proof that gays can serve openly in the military without destroying unit cohesion, morale, or the mission. I am living proof that being gay doesn’t impair one’s ability to be a good worker or a good Sailor, Soldier, Airman, or Marine. I am also living proof that American troops, as well as the American public, are ready for this policy to end. More and more service members are coming out, being openly gay, and blatantly violating DADT because they are tired of the double standard. More and more potential military applicants are protesting recruiting stations because they no longer accept this policy as a condition of service.

Yet, sadly, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” remains a law. Denny Meyer wrapped up the event nicely with his speech. He pointed out that when WWII ended, prisoners were released from concentration camps and given their freedom. The men and women who were imprisoned for being homosexual, however, never again knew freedom. They were shipped to prisons in their home countries to suffer the rest of their lives. Our American GLBT troops in WWII were considered criminals, and still in 2006, our government treats GLBT service members as criminals and second-class citizens.

After about an hour of talking about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the event officially ended and many of the students hurried off to their next class. Several students and faculty members approached us afterward to ask questions and shake our hands. As I walked out of the law school building and headed to my car, I got the feeling that although this event was over, we had left a lasting impression in the students’ minds. My hope is that they all go on to do great things, and that they will remember what we said. It is my hope that these future lawyers will do what they can to repeal the anti-gay “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law so that future GLBT service members won’t have to traverse the same prejudicial path Heather Sarver, I, and so many others have had to travel on the long road to equality.

- Former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Rhonda K. Davis

Road Trip: Creating Change

Creating Change is terrific fun for an organizer in a lot of ways. The cherry on top for me was the good fortune of the conference being held over Veterans Day weekend across the street from the National World War I Memorial in Kansas City. My very first trip out to the Task Force's annual LGBT activist get-together was also my very first time marching in a Veterans' Day Parade!

My predecessor in Grassroots and I worked with the parade organizers to register an official contingent in the parade for LGBT veterans. I'm pleased to report that the organizers treated us respectfully and approved our application for a contingent.

Over the course of my five days in Kansas City for the conference I had the pleasure of meeting so many supporters of LGBT military personnel and SLDN's work, several of them veterans. We held a workshop briefing folks on the issues and spotlighting how local activists can get a resolution passed in their municipality advocating for repeal of DADT. I had so many conversations with folks excited about the opportunities created by some recent election results.

On Saturday morning, following a breakfast event for veterans and allies, sixteen of us from the conference lined up to march. We got to the Liberty Memorial early enough that we were placed in the parade right behind the color guard. A Korean War veteran led our group with an Honor Every Veteran sign sticking out from the basket of her wheelchair. We carried a rainbow flag and Honor Every Veteran signs. The veterans in our group wore SLDN's rainbow "Proud Veteran" pins. It was freezing cold and an awfully early morning for many of us, but we were all very glad to be there.

I'll admit I was nervous. The thought crossed my mind that we might meet with opposition. A few of the high schoolers in their JROTC regiments snickered at the rainbow flag as we passed. But no one yelled at us, or threw anything, or used any of the many other tactics queer people learn to fear, living in a world where too often we're physically attacked for being who we are. It was delightfully uneventful -- we simply marched from the beginning of the parade route to the end, honoring the service of our community's veterans.

It was an empowering experience for me, to stand proudly as a queer person in a fairly conservative environment and proclaim my support for LGBT service members and veterans. I can only imagine how empowering it must have been for the vets in our contingent, many of whom told me they had never had such an opportunity before.

Returning to the conference, our group decided impromptu to bring some Veterans' Day cheer to the rest of the Creating Change attendees. We reformed our ranks and marched with our flag, banner, and signs through the lobby and central conference event space, picking up new people along the way. As our contingent morphed into a conga line of sorts, I found myself a very happy activist.

- Jill Raney

"Out 100" Honors Dismissed Arabic Linguist

This year's "Out 100," the annual list of notable LGBT people compiled by the editors of Out Magazine, includes SLDN client Bleu Copas.

Bleu, many of our supporters will remember, was an Arabic linguist, serving at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, when he was 'outed' via an anonymous email campaign. Those email accusations eventually led to Bleu's dismissal from the Army.

All of us at SLDN congratulate Bleu. If you'd like to email your own message of congrats, send it to us at blog@sldn.org, and we'll pass it along.

- Steve Ralls

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" In the News

It was a busy weekend in the media for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

First, Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) [pictured], the lead sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, told the Boston Globe on Satuday that he will vigorously push for hearings on repeal in the 110th Congress.

Then, on Sunday, Newsweek followed up with an article of its own about repeal efforts . . . which led to Senator John McCain being put in the hot seat on ABC's This Week about the subject.

And finally, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) spoke at this weekend's International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference, where they also spoke about repeal of the military's ban. Pam Spaulding, blogger extraordinaire, has a wrap up here.

The wheels are in motion, and the movement for repeal is picking up momentum!

- Steve Ralls

Counting the Days . . .

. . . until repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?"

Now you can keep track of appointments, holidays and more with SLDN's 2007 Lift the Ban calendar. Our calendar contains 12 images from SLDN's national "Lift the Ban" ad campaign. And your purchase supports SLDN's work to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The calendar is only available for a limited time. To get yours, log on now.

- Steve Ralls

Blogs We Liked: November 13th-17th

Happy Friday! Our third installment of the Blogs We Liked series. Again, in no particular order, blogs we liked this week:

• Appellate Law & Practice on "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell at the First


• Bent Blog on "Honor Every Veteran


• Bill on GLBT Issues on "DADT Appeal to 1st Circuit"


• Pam’s House Blend on "Lesbian and Gay Military Vets Appeal Ruling on DADT


• Queerty on "Homo-Vets Fight the Good Fight!"

If you stumble upon a blog entry you like that features "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or highlights SLDN's work, feel free to send it along to us at blog@sldn.org.

- Rebecca Sawyer

We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For

On Wednesday evening, I had the great honor of meeting and listening to Pultizer Prize-winning author Alice Walker during an appearance at Politics & Prose bookstore here in Washington. Walker was promoting her new book, We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, a collection of essays about political activism and more, and noted that this was one of the few times she had visited Washington without being arrested. (Walker was famously arrested in front of the White House in 2003, as part of a Code Pink demonstration against the invasion of Iraq.)

Her central theme for the evening, though, was a resonant and important one: we have enormous power to create the circumstances and environments that we wish to live in. And, she insisted, we have the power to turn negative experiences and situations into opportunities to both teach and learn. Citing her political adversaries, Walker called them not ‘enemies,’ but ‘teachers,’ who provide a unique opportunity to show the world the reality of the negatives, and the possibilities of the alternatives. (She also spoke about her brother’s experience in the Korean War, and how that helped shape her activism here in the U.S.)

Walker’s ideas struck me as particularly relevant to our fight to topple “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” When veterans and service members speak up and tell their stories about the reality of serving under federally sanctioned discrimination, they also provide an opportunity to teach the public about the alternative: equal opportunity for everyone.

We know from first-hand experience here at SLDN that telling the stories of those who serve is an enormously powerful tool for changing hearts and minds. And so, in the spirit of Alice Walker’s own activism through writing, I’m encouraging all of our veterans to submit their stories to our Documenting Courage project. By telling your own story, you may just compel someone else to write a chapter in their own life about working for change. By taking that small step, we can set in motion the steps toward freedom.

We are, after all, the ones we have been waiting for.

- Steve Ralls

Recruiting Tactics

Kyle DeVries over at BlogActive has an interesting post up about being recruited by the Marine Corps via MySpace. The problem is not so much that he was contacted via MySpace, but that Kyle, an openly gay man, was contacted without regard to the implications of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

All the more reason why "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" needs to go. According to a study by statistician Gary Gates at the Williams Project, there could be as many as 41,000 potential lesbian, gay and bisexual recruits if the gay ban were lifted.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has to go. Urge your member of Congress to support repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." If they are already in support of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, the bill in the House of Representatives that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," thank them and ask them to renew their support in the 110th Congress. If not, or they are a new member of Congress, ask them to support repeal efforts.

Only then will the Marines be able to recruit all of America’s best and brightest, including lesbian, gay, and bisexual patriots.

- Rebecca Sawyer

International Day of Tolerance

In 1996, the General Assembly of the United Nations invited member states to observe the International Day of Tolerance on November 16th. Today, as the world observes a day set aside by the U.N. to reflect on "human rights and equality, tolerance and anti-discrimination," the United States continues to stand in stark contrast to most of the world in its treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members.

In fact, at least two dozen countries now allow gays to serve openly in their armed forces, including some of our closest military allies: Great Britain, Israel, Canada and Australia. Membership in the European Union also requires that member nations repeal any existing bans on open service.

So today, in observation of the International Day of Tolerance, ask the United States to join our allies from around the globe in welcoming LGBT patriots who want to serve. Email usunpublicaffairs@state.gov and ask the U.S. to take a strong stand against discrimination in our fighting forces.

- Steve Ralls

How Do We Ask People For Money?

One of the questions I hear most often from my friends is “How do you ask people for money? I couldn’t do it.”

Well, as Major Gifts Officer for SLDN, I don’t really see my job as “asking for money” as much as making sure that we have the resources necessary to provide the services that so many people need – at least until this law is overturned.

For me, that’s a pretty easy sell. I understand from my own experience, as well as the experiences of so many people that have contacted our office with questions, in crisis, or just to have someone they can trust to talk to, that we offer something that is both necessary and in short supply.

There is nothing more gratifying than having someone tell me that SLDN was there for them when they needed us.

So, how do I ask for money? Well, it’s easy actually. I don’t. I ask people to invest in SLDN and our mission.

In fact, I’ll ask you for an investment in SLDN right now. If you can, join our Roll Call Sustainer program by clicking here and committing a monthly donation to help us reach our goals.

See? That wasn’t so hard for me.

- Alan Lindquist

Vote Now!

In wake of yesterday's First Circuit challenge to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a number of news sites are asking: Should the U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy be eliminated?

You can show your support for LGBT Americans in uniform by logging on now and voting yes. And, after you vote yes online, ask your elected representatives to cast the vote that really counts: a vote in Congress for repeal.

Steve Ralls

Fighting for Equality

One of the questions I always get is why I decided to be a part of the lawsuit. My initial reason still holds true today: I deserve to be treated like any other American who wants to serve his or her country. I want to continue my family’s history of service by following in the footsteps of my grandfather, father, and stepfather. My grandfather served in the United States Army during WWII. My father and stepfather both retired from the United States Air Force (USAF) after 20+ years of service. I, too, had hoped to retire from the USAF but was denied the opportunity because of this law. With the brief filed yesterday—only possible with the hard work of SLDN and the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP—in the First Circuit Court of Appeals, I am one step closer to having our date in court so we can prove how harmful this horrible law is.

I think it is fitting our brief was filed the Monday after Veterans Day, a day when we honor all those who have served our country in our armed forces. I spent five years serving my country so that all Americans could have the equality and freedom granted to them under the Constitution. Yet, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” takes those rights away from lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans who only want to serve their country honorably.

I am optimistic that one day soon “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will be overturned. Until then, I will continue to fight so that all Americans have the equality and freedom they deserve.

- Former Air Force Staff Sergeant David Hall

Heading Into '08

It's barely a week since the mid-term elections ended, and already potential 2008 Presidential candidates are lining up. And so far, the news is looking good for opponents of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

According to CBS News, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has taken the first steps to launching a bid for the White House. In 1999, Guiliani's aides told the New York Times that the Mayor supports repeal of the military's gay ban. And, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a top Democratic contender for the Presidency, reiterated her support for repeal just a few weeks ago.

The political stars seem to be in alignment, with both Democratic and Republican pro-repeal candidates entering the '08 race.

- Steve Ralls

Southern Voice Profiles Local Veterans

Southern Voice newspaper has a great profile of local veterans in their issue from Friday.

Michael Liebmann, Edward Scruggs, Sherri Boucher and Ann Marie Knittel talk about their experiences in the armed forces, and their views on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"We served and put our life on the line like everyone else did," Boucher (pictured) says. "This is what should matter, not what you did in your personal life."

You can read the full profiles online here.

- Steve Ralls

The Simpsons Take on Recruiting

The Army's recruitment woes have become so well-known that, tonight, they're the stuff of a Simpsons episode on FOX. When Marge learns Bart has been recruited for early enlistment in the Army by recruiters desperate to find new troops, she dispatches Homer to the recruiting office to call the whole thing off . . . and Homer enlists for service himself.

Yes, the Simpsons even threw in the pre-requisite gays in the military jokes (such as the boot camp announcement that the command would be spending much of the first day 'constantly questioning your sexuality') but they pointed out some serious concerns, too, including enlisting recruits with low aptitutde test scores to fill the ranks.

Of course, in the end, all works out for the best, and Homer completes his term of service by doing some recuiting of his own for the military. No doubt, though, if Homer knew about the continued discharge of qualified gays, and the impact "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has on our military, he'd give us that trademark 'Doh!' he's so famous for.

- Steve Ralls

Blogs We Liked: November 4th-9th

Our second installment of the Blogs We Liked series. Again, in no particular order, blogs we liked this week:

• Pam’s House Blend on "GOP Feeling the Agony of Defeat" and "SLDN's annual dinner to honor 'The L Word'"
• PageOneQ on "SLDN on Defense Secretary Nominee Robert Gates"
• An Army of 1 in 10 on "Common Sense Cautions" and "CFC"
• F R E E D O M on "SLDN's Honor Every Veteran Campaign"

If you stumble upon a blog entry you like that features "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or highlights SLDN's work, feel free to send it along to us at blog@sldn.org.

- Rebecca Sawyer

Honoring Courage and Commitment

Just in time for Veterans Day, two of Bronwen Tomb’s professors, one at the Coast Guard Academy and one at the University of Connecticut-Avery Point, responded to the original feature in The Day with a salute to Bronwen’s courage and a call for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Bronwen’s story is emblematic of the experience of many service members who contact SLDN for assistance. These service members – officer and enlisted – serve in our military either in fear of losing their career or in disgust over having to lie every day. Either emotion is destructive for not only the service members but for their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardsmen, or Marines. Both the fear of being discovered and the lies service members tell to protect themselves, can lead directly to the mistrust and disruption of unit cohesion that this so-called compromise law was intended to prevent. Bronwen’s professor at the Coast Guard Academy, Erik Wingrove-Haugland, stated in his tribute to Bronwen:

“The time has come for us to reexamine and abandon the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, and to allow for the full inclusion of gays into the military.”

Professor Wingrove-Haugland is right. The time for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” if there ever really was a time for it, is long since over.

Many of Bronwen’s fellow cadets were hurt by seeing this outstanding future leader discharged not because of poor performance issues or bad leadership skills, but because she was honest about who she is as a person. What example does this discharge set for these cadets?

Professor Wingrove-Haugland points out

. . .“the DADT policy forces service members to lie and deceive, which is incompatible with the value the military places on honesty. Five times in the past eight years, I have delivered the Honor Training to the incoming “swabs” who have just arrived at the Coast Guard Academy, trying to convince cadets not to lie, cheat, steal, or attempt to deceive. Yet cadets who are gay are required to lie and to attempt to deceive in order to remain at the Academy. It would be much easier for me to convince the cadets that lying and attempting to deceive are wrong if some of them were not required to lie and to deceive in order to remain in the service.”

This law places service members in a harmful ethical bind. Our military requires immense sacrifice by those who want to serve. Must one of those sacrifices be a service member’s integrity? Clearly, that is the request. Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” service members are not only asked to sacrifice their own sense of integrity but they are asked to forfeit the key core values they have pledged to uphold upon entering the service.

Browen understandably struggled with this battle between the core values she had pledged to follow and uphold, her own sense of integrity, and the law that required her to lie and dissemble. She made the decision to carefully, at least she thought it was carefully, follow the path of honesty. The decision to be honest should not have to take such courage.

Please join us in honoring the courage and commitment of those who sacrifice in service for their country. Spend your Veterans Day Honoring Every Veteran.

- Kathi Westcott

Kicking Off the National Dinner

Last night, SLDN kicked off our 15th annual national dinner at a reception in Washington, D.C. Our dinner co-chairs, staff and table captains gathered at the home of SLDN honorary board member Dan Carucci to start the groundwork for what will be our best dinner yet.

This year, SLDN is proud to honor Showtime's The L Word, for an upcoming storyline on the show about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We look forward to welcoming cast members and writers involved with the series to our dinner, on March 24, 2007, in Washington. We'll also be featuring dismissed Arabic Linguist Bleu Copas at this year's dinner.

So, start making plans now to join us on March 24 at the National Building Museum! Tickets are already on sale. And for more information on becoming a table captain or sponsor, email David Hall at dhall@sldn.org.

See you there!

- Steve Ralls

To Do: Blowoff at the 9:30 Club

We hope our Washington area supporters will all come out to the 9:30 Club on Saturday for a special 'Honor Every Veteran' edition of the Blowoff dance party.

Blowoff will join SLDN in saluting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender veterans during its Veterans Day event on November 11. Attendees with military I.D.s will be given free entrance to the event, and proceeds from the evening benefit SLDN's work to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Tickets are available online. We look forward to seeing you all there!

- Steve Ralls

New Leadership at the Pentagon

President Bush has just announced that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will step down at the Pentagon. Bush has nominated former CIA Chief Robert Gates to replace Rumsfeld.

We do not yet know where Mr. Gates stands on LGBT issues, or “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in particular. We do know, however, that during a debate at Texas A&M University about affirmative action, then-University President Gates said that “Students at Texas A&M should be admitted as individuals, on personal merit -- and on no other basis." While that stance may or may not have been appropriate for Texas A&M at the time, a similar stance on recruiting troops for the U.S. armed forces may serve Mr. Gates well. With current troops stretched thin, and good future troops hard to find, a Pentagon policy of putting person merits first could go a long way in building a stronger military.

SLDN hopes Mr. Gates will bring new ideas to the Pentagon, including strong support for qualification ahead of discrimination and policies that respect and honor every service member, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Check back here for updates as we learn more about Mr. Gates and his nomination.

- Steve Ralls

A Veteran's Salute

Photo by Davina Pardo, from the documentary Ask Not. The behind-the-scenes story of Soulforce’s Right to Serve campaign in 30 US cities is told in Ask Not, a documentary about “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” co-produced by Persistent Visions and ITVS.

As part of SLDN's weeklong Veterans Day salute, Former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Rhonda Davis shares her thoughts on military service, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the young women and men of Soulforce's Right to Serve campaign.

Despite being discharged for “homosexual admission” in July of this year, I am proud of the 10 years of active duty and 2 years of reserve service I gave this country. In return for my commitment, the U.S. Navy gave me excellent training and education, travel to all corners of the world, and bullets on my broadcaster’s resume that would even make Katie Couric proud. The American military offers THE best opportunities a person could ever hope for. The Navy was my ticket out of the rural South and into the news anchor seat at a TV station in exotic Tokyo, Japan. What the Armed Forces did for me, it can do for anyone who’s stuck in a dead-end job, too poor to go to college.

But as Veterans Day approaches, I am sad for the thousands and thousands of young kids who won’t be able to enjoy the travel I have enjoyed and who won’t be able to obtain the same kind of training and education I received … not because they’re unfit for the military, but because they’re openly gay; young people like the students of Vassar College who refuse to accept “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as a condition of service.

On November 3, 2006, more than 50 students from Vassar made the trip from Poughkeepsie, New York to Manhattan to join students from Columbia University and Soulforce in demonstrating against the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. I accompanied 12 of them into the military recruiting station at Times Square and watched as they tried to enlist, and were all turned away for being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. These are young people who were willing to give their lives to their country; they were willing to give up the many personal freedoms service members must sacrifice, but they were NOT willing to sacrifice their own dignity. They were NOT willing to live a life of secrecy and deceit. And why should they have to? These people are from a generation that is more accepting of homosexuality, not like my generation where homosexuals had to accept the closet as their only option. These students are openly gay to their friends, family, professors, and fellow students; why should they have to go into the closet – one they’ve never had to be in -- in order to be accepted into the United States military?

While a crowd of such students quietly protested outside the recruiters’ door with duct tape on their mouths and signs in their hands that read, “Right to Serve,” those of us inside had a unique opportunity to talk to recruiters from the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps about DADT. We sat inside the tiny, stuffy recruiting station talking for nearly two hours, and although the recruiters’ hands were tied by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, all was not a lost cause that day. By the end of our discussion, the recruiters’ eyes were opened to the oppression the policy means for GLBT service members.

One strapping, young Marine recruiter said to us, “I wouldn’t have a problem serving with gays, but I can’t process you in because of this policy. This isn’t my policy, but I have to enforce it.” So I took the opportunity to ask him the age-old question about showers – which seems to be the backbone (for at least some people) of why gays aren’t allowed to openly serve. “Would you have a problem sharing living quarters and having to shower with an openly gay man?” I asked.

He said, “No, of course not. I don’t care if a guy is gay, as long as he’s a good Marine. I’m straight; I have a wife; that’s my life. If someone else is different, that’s their life, and I don’t have a problem with that, so long as he doesn’t have a problem with me being straight.”

And that, I believe, sums up America’s new attitude about gays in the military. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is not what the majority of service members want; it’s not what the majority of the American public wants, and it’s not what the students of Vassar College want. They simply want to join the military. They want, and deserve, the right to see the world, to proudly wear the military uniform … to serve this country… to retire, one day, as veterans … to be celebrated on Veterans Day for their commitment and hard work.

Six Vassar students (Curt, Clare, Julia, Leslie, David, and Pete) were arrested last Friday because they refused to leave the recruiter station in Times Square until they were processed into the military. The rest of the duct-taped young people kept vigil outside the station, holding their signs with cold hands, until 5:00 PM to show passersby that the youth of today does NOT accept “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the way things must be. The next day, the six who were arrested were released from custody and no charges were pressed.

To all these students, and to the hundreds like them who are speaking out against this policy, I salute you for the service you are doing right now for this country. Because you took a stand on an issue you believe in, because you continue to challenge this antiquated, prejudicial military law … I pay tribute to you, and I hope some day you’ll have the freedom and liberty to defend this country’s freedom and liberty.

I encourage others to keep this issue on America’s radar, even if you’re not a service member, veteran, or even someone who’s interested in joining the military. This issue is about human rights; it’s about the most basic of all freedoms we have as citizens: the right to serve one’s country. I believe the GLBT community will never achieve any other rights until we lay this foundation, until we get rid of the ban on gays in the military. Only then will we be able to achieve marriage, adoption, immigration, and other forms of equality.

Happy Veterans Day to all the young GLBT community standing in the cold outside locked recruiter stations around the country, and Happy Veterans Day to the 65,000 (plus) GLBT service members currently serving in silence, and to those of us who have been discharged purely out of prejudice.

- Former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Rhonda K. Davis

What Now?

Last night's election results mean a certain change in Washington. There's new leadership in the House, potential new leadership in the Senate, and a changed political landscape. But what does that mean for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?"

SLDN just issued our statement in response to the mid-term vote count. First, "We now know that every co-sponsor of legislation to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ who sought re-election appears to have been successful, with just one outstanding race in Connecticut yet to be decided. And we also know this: Support for lifting the ban did not cause voters to reject any candidate."

And secondly, "The new leadership in the House of Representatives will provide new opportunities to educate our elected leaders about the importance of repealing the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel. Legislation to repeal this unfair and un-American law will be re-introduced in the 110th Congress, and SLDN looks forward to working with the new leadership for its passage."

So what can you do? If your Representative is a co-sponsor and won re-election, thank them and ask them to renew their support in the 110th Congress. If they are not yet a co-sponsor, urge them to sign on. And if you have a new Member of Congress, reach out to them soon and ask them to support repeal. You can find a list of current co-sponsors online here.

And stayed tuned for more analysis and information on what you can do in the days and weeks ahead . . . SLDN will begin work immediately with our allies in the new Congress to realize our ultimate goal of the freedom to serve.

- Steve Ralls

Honoring Our Fallen

This weekend I had the honor of attending Honoring Our Fallen, a ceremony remembering LGBT vets who have passed away. It was my first visit to the historic Congressional Cemetery, and to the event, hosted by American Veterans for Equal Rights and the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance.

The ceremony opened with a lovely rendition of the nation anthem and closed with God Bless America. Space was given for family and friends of fallen veterans to say aloud the names of their personal heroes. I particularly appreciated SLDN Honorary Board Member and retired Navy Captain Mike Rankin's mention that women rarely get their due recognition for military service.

I remember reading in elementary school about a woman who presented herself as a man so she could fight in the Revolutionary War. There's no telling whether this soldier identified as male, or whether she was a lesbian or bisexual. Simply being female was enough at the time to disqualify her from service.

Historians only have the record of a woman who went to great lengths to conceal her identity in order to risk her life fighting for a country that kept her as a second class citizen. I don't know about you, but I'm inspired.

This Veterans Day weekend I’ll be thinking about all the LGBT Americans who have served in our armed forces and not gotten their due, as I march with LGBT veterans and allies in a local Veterans’ Day parade. You can join me in showing our gratitude to ALL of our nation’s veterans by participating in SLDN’s Honor Every Veteran campaign. Post an Honor Every Veteran sign, hang an American flag side-by-side with a pride flag, or support a local business participating in the campaign. Above all, thank the veterans you know for their service.

There's no way to count exactly how many brave Americans have fought and died for a nation that has banned them from service. That so many serve anyway is a powerful testament to our belief in a better America.

- Jill Raney

Vote!

Please take time today to vote in your local elections. And when you vote, remember the 65,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans on duty in our armed forces, serving under the federally sanctioned silence of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Ask candidates in your local and statewide races about their positions on repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Check online to see if they are already a co-sponsor of legislation to allow gays to serve openly. And cast your vote for candidates who support every American’s freedom to serve.

We can repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by electing candidates who put qualification ahead of discrimination.

To find your local polling place, click here.

- Steve Ralls

Catching up with Tracy Thorne

Today's Virginian-Pilot has a timely "Whatever Happened To . . . " profile of former Navy officer Tracy Thorne.

Many of our long-time supporters will remember that Thorne challenged the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban in court after appearing on ABC's Nightline, and facing dismissal for that appearance. Though the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decided not to take his case, Tracy's story helped ignite a nationwide debate about the law.

Today, Thorne is Tracy Thorne-Begland, living in Virginia with his partner and helping to raise their two-year old twins. He remains active in the community, supporting the work of Equality Virginia, which has been working to defeat the anti-gay amendment on the ballot tomorrow in Virginia.

And when asked if he regretted his Nightline appearance and the ensuing controversy, Tracy replied, "No, I've never regretted it for a moment. It was the right thing to do. I think every member of the armed services has a duty to live their life honestly and openly, and I felt it was my obligation to step forward and say the policy then, as the policy is now, is hurting people, brave-hearted Americans who wanted to serve their country."

You can read the entire profile here.

- Steve Ralls

Military Tries Out the 'Phraselator'

It does sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but it's apparently true. Facing a severe shortage of Arabic translators, the U.S. military has sent troops into the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan with the 'Phraselator,' which the Washington Post describes as "a hand-held device that promise[S] to digest . . . English phrases and produce a prerecorded Arabic translation with an Iraqi accent."

It doesn't seem to be working quite so well, though.

Of course, the military could rely on good, old-fashioned manpower, if it didn't insist on firing its gay translators simply because of their sexual orientation.

Bleu Copas is just one of dozens of gay Arabic speakers who have been booted under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." These men and women were trained, fluent in the language, and ready to serve.

What's the consequence of their discharge? As the Post says in its coverage of the Phraselator, "The stakes are high for the military, which suffers from such a shortage of interpreters that it has had to rely increasingly on contractors -- 6,500 in Iraq and 1,500 in Afghanistan."

Our country could rely on the expertise and training of people like Sergeant Copas, too, if only Congress would take the lead and repeal the ban.

- Steve Ralls

Tell Us How You're Honoring Every Veteran

As we mentioned earlier, this Veterans Day weekend (November 10-13), SLDN is launching the "Honor Every Veteran" campaign, honoring the service of the more than 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender American veterans. Next week, individuals and businesses (like the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC) from across the country are standing up and proclaiming their support of America's LGBT service members and veterans.

We want to hear from you! Tell us how and why you're honoring every veteran this Veterans Day. Email us at blog@sldn.org and we'll post your thoughts throughout the week.

Join us in honoring every veteran this Veterans Day!

- Rebecca Sawyer

My Favorite Holiday

Jill Raney, SLDN's new grassroots organizer, shares with us her favorite holiday...

One of my very favorite holidays is coming up next week -- Election Day! Are you ready to vote?

This Tuesday, November 7, every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is up for grabs, as well as a third of the U.S. Senate and many state and local offices. There's no telling what our Congress and state governments will look like a week from now! Plus, many states will weigh in on propositions or ballot initiatives, some of which will affect the legal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.

So what does all this mean for the future of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?

Well, this discriminatory and wasteful mess is a federal law that only Congress can change. We can all do our part towards lifting the ban by voting for representatives and senators who won't stand for a law that treats lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans as second class citizens and endangers our military's readiness.

Do you know where your candidates stand? First, check online to see if they are a cosponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, the bill in the House of Representative that would repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and replace it with a policy of nondiscrimination. If they are not listed, check out their website to see where they stand on the issues. And if there's nothing specific about a candidate's stance on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", stated positions on LGBT rights or other civil rights issues, or on military readiness issues can help you determine whether a candidate is worth your precious vote.

Not sure where you should go to vote, or when the polls are open? Head to your favorite search engine and search for your state's Board of Elections. There you can find all the important details so you'll know where to go on Tuesday.

See you at the polls!

- Jill Raney

In San Diego: Rinaldi vs. Hunter

Today's San Diego Gay & Lesbian Times has some coverage of a Congressional race that everyone who cares about repeal of "Dont' Ask, Don't Tell" should be paying attention to: Openly gay veteran John Rinaldi is taking on the powerful chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Duncan Hunter.

Hunter has been one of the most consistent opponents of lifting the ban, and has been the chief Congressional roadblock to getting a hearing on H.R. 1059 - legislation to allow gays to serve openly. Rinaldi, by contrast, has been outspoken in his support of repeal, and has vowed he'd be a strong advocate for getting rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," if elected on Tuesday.

Here's what Rinaldi recently said:

“All citizens who have the ability, the sense of duty and the heart should have the right to serve their country, independent of race, religion, creed, gender or sexual orientation. Our great nation’s military, and the people it protects, deserve nothing less.”

We couldn't agree more.

Before you vote on Tuesday, we urge our San Diego supporters to know where the candidates stand on issues important to them.


- Steve Ralls

Blogs We Liked: October 30th - November 3rd

We're launching a first ever weekly round up of blogs posting on SLDN's work and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." If you stumble upon an entry you like, feel free to send it along to us at blog@sldn.org!

In no particular order, blogs we liked for the week of Oct. 30th – Nov. 3rd:

• Skipping to the Piccolo on "Fear Is No Way to Remember Barry Winchell"

• PageOneQ on "Gay Military Rights Group Warns Servicemembers to Stay Away from Internet"

• Queerty on "News: A Comparative Lesson"

• Good As You on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Blog"

• Average Gay Joe on "Gays in Military Warned Pentagon Snooping on Internet Usage"

• Pam’s House Blend on "Pentagon Ratchets Up Surveillance of Online Habits of Military Personnel" and “Homobigot Duncan Hunter to Run in 2008"

• Pandagon on "Virginia’s Marriage Amendment May Nullify Rights for Members of Military"

• Corrente on "DoD Gay Witch Hunt Continues"

• Preemptive Karma on "But We Are Being Sent to Iraq"

• Scott’s Take on "Stop Giving Gay Translators the Boot"

Feel free to let us know what you think of these entries in the comments!

- Rebecca Sawyer

Here We Go Again

Today, Time Magazine reports that Sgt. Santos Cardona, one of the infamous 'dog handlers' in the even more infamous Abu Ghraib prison scandal, is heading to Iraq . . . to train Iraqi police forces.

"If news of this deployment is accurate, it represents appallingly bad judgment," retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who commanded a division in the first Gulf War, told Time. "The symbolic message perceived in Iraq will likely be that the U.S. is simply insensitive to the abuse of their prisoners."

This news, of course, follows reports of record numbers of troops receiving waivers to enlist . . . of a dire need for new recuits . . . and of the military's continued dismissal of perfectly qualified gay Americans who are ready and able to serve.

Instead of welcoming those gay Americans who want to serve, though, the military chooses to redeploy troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; send troops back for multiple deployments; and look the other way when those without the usual qualifications want to sign up for duty.

It boggles the mind.

- Steve Ralls

UPDATE: We just learned that the Army has decided not to deploy Sgt. Cardona, for fear that "the safety of others in his unit" may be threatened.

Remembering Fallen Heroes

This morning's Washington Blade has a preview of tomorrow's ceremony at Congressional Cemetery to remember LGBT veterans.

Tomorrow morning's cereomny will take place at the gravesite of Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, whose tombstone reads “When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.” Matlovich was one of the earliest advocates for allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces.

We hope you'll consider attending Saturday's service, which will be led by SLDN honorary board member Mike Rankin.

For more information, check out our earlier blog.

(Photo by Adam Cuthbert for the Washington Blade.)

- Steve Ralls

Deployments

SLDN's Deputy Director for Policy, Sharon Alexander, shares with us her letter to NPR regarding a recent segment on Fort Hood soldiers and their families saying their goodbyes before deploying to Iraq.

I want to thank Renee Montagne for her Tuesday coverage of the 1st Cavalry’s deployment to Iraq. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I listened to the interviews with the deploying officers and non-commissioned officers of the 1st Cav and their families. As a veteran and the wife of a veteran, I remember well the pain of saying goodbye for long periods of time.

But as painful as these deployment send-offs are, imagine how much more painful still it is when your loved ones cannot be present to send you off to war. Please remember in your coverage of this war, that an estimated 65,000 American service members live and serve in a very different world; those service members are gay and lesbian Americans. Same-sex partners and spouses are not recognized as family to the service members they love. They do not have access to come on base for send off or homecoming festivities, and a hug or kiss good-bye from a deploying service member to his or her same-sex loved one is grounds for discharge from the Armed Forces for violation of the so-called “homosexual conduct policy.”

The fact that in 2006 we still treat some Americans as second class citizens is appalling to me. Anyone who loves our country enough to volunteer to fight, even die for us ought to be afforded the simple right to say goodbye to the person he or she loves before heading off to war.

Let’s honor all of our patriotic Americans in uniform and their family members by repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

- Sharon Alexander

Congrats Bleu!

In a recent press statement, Instinct Magazine announced it has named Former Army Sergeant Bleu Copas as one of its Leading Men of 2006. Bleu joins the list of 24 "leading men honored for their accomplishments within the gay community."

Some background on Bleu’s story: Bleu, an Arabic linguist in the Army, was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" after an anonymous emailer outed him to his command. After his discharge, he spoke out about his experiences and called for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The Daily Show with Jon Stewart featured Bleu in a hilarious segment on gays in the military in September.

All of us at SLDN thank Bleu for having the courage to share his story. Congrats, Bleu, on being named one of Instinct’s Leading Men of 2006!

Feel free to post your kudos to Bleu in the comments.

- Rebecca Sawyer