Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones Passes Suddenly

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis expressed deep condolences on the sudden and sad death of Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Sarvis said, “With the passing of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, we have lost a fierce champion and a dear friend. Her opposition to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was just one example of her strong commitment to building a more just America, and insisting upon equality for all.”

Sarvis added, “We are extremely proud that Congresswoman Tubbs Jones was one of 143 House co-sponsors of H.R. 1246, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act.”

Equality in the House

Something terrific, something historic happened on Capitol Hill this morning: 52 bi-partisan members of the House of Representatives joined together to form the LGBT Equality Caucus. The 52 were the first, but more will come.

Twenty members stood by caucus co-chairs Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Barney Frank (D-MA) in the House Judiciary Committee hearing room as they announced the formation of the bi-partisan group. It was an inspiring and thrilling moment, a moment to make us all proud, and me proud to be there in that Rayburn hearing room.

Tammy Baldwin introduced the founding members, saying, “We represent different races, different genders, different sexual orientations, different geographic regions, different generations, and different parties, but we share a common mission: to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality.”

What could be more American than the diversity of that group?

“This is about the LGBT community insisting on the same rights as all other Americans,” Frank said, “it’s about the military, marriage, and a job. This is hardly a radical agenda.”

Radical, no, but it is an agenda that those who care about civil rights for all have been fighting for for years. The formation of this caucus is a giant step forward, but it’s important to remember that we’re not there yet.

“With a Democratic majority in the House,” Barney noted, “we now have both the opportunity and the responsibility to move towards legal equality for [LGBT] people. This caucus will play an important role in helping shape the strategy by which we do this.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) called it a “patriotic agenda for all Americans. This caucus will educate and legislate. Our focus is equality, and I am honored to stand with my colleagues today.”
And I was honored to be there for SLDN. This caucus shows how far the LGBT community has come. We are now part of the fabric of our government, but we must continue to push from the outside. Equality is not yet a reality for all Americans, including the men and women who must serve in silence every day under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

-Aubrey Sarvis

Pentagon Balks at Gay Partner Travel

Thanks to SLDN board member Mike Magee’s quick eyes, I can share with you an interesting story about the hoops and hurdles Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) recently had to go through ensuring that her wife, Lauren Azar, could join her on a congressional fact-finding trip to Europe.

According to Politico reporters Patrick O’Connor and David Rogers, “The Pentagon appears to be self-conscious about transporting gay domestic partners at a time when it continues to enforce a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in its own ranks.”

Baldwin, the only open lesbian elected to Congress, exchanged wedding vows with Azar in 1998 in her home state of Wisconsin. However, Wisconsin law does not officially recognize same-sex marriages, and military officials refused to consider Azar a “spouse” under the existing House rules.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intervened with Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ensure Azar was provided a space on the flight along with other congressional spouses. In requesting Azar be allowed to fly, the Speaker cited a precedent established by former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Pelosi reportedly told Gates that Hastert allowed Azar to fly with Baldwin on a previous trip abroad.

According to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law, “marriage or attempted marriage” between two people of the same-sex is reason for discharge from the military. And as this incident underscores, with more and more gay Americans taking advantage of state laws recognizing their relationships, the disconnect between the Department of Defense, Congress, and the American people goes on and on.

-Aubrey Sarvis

Remembering Tom Lantos

Congressman Tom Lantos of California, who was a staunch champion of human rights and LGBT issues in the House of Representatives, has passed away shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, his spokeswoman confirmed this morning. He was 80.

Congressman Lantos, a Holocaust survivor serving his 14th term in the House, was an outspoken support on LGBT rights during his time in Congress, and was a co-sponsor of legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He will be missed by all of us at SLDN, and by so many Americans who knew Lantos to be a passionate, and compassionate, voice for human rights and dignity around the world.

From the Associated Press:

Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, has died, his spokeswoman said Monday.

Lynne Weill said that Lantos, 80, passed away at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in suburban Maryland.

Lantos, a Democrat who chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee, disclosed last month that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.

He said at the time that he would serve out his 14th term but would not seek re-election in his Northern California district, which takes in the southwest portion of San Francisco and suburbs to the south including Lantos' home of San Mateo.

The timing of the diagnosis was a particular blow because Lantos had assumed his committee chairmanship just a year earlier, when Democrats retook control of Congress. He said then that in a sense his whole life had been a preparation for the job — and it was.

Lantos, who referred to himself as "an American by choice," was born to Jewish parents in Budapest, Hungary, and was 16 when Adolf Hitler occupied Hungary in 1944. He survived by escaping twice from a forced labor camp and coming under the protection of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who used his official status and visa-issuing powers to save thousands of Hungarian Jews.

Lantos' mother and much of his family perished in the Holocaust.

- Steve Ralls

The Right Time

Hearst columnist Marianne Means (pictured) has a great column in this morning's Jamestown Sun (in Jamestown, North Dakota) about the need - now - to dump "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow lesbian and gay troops to serve openly.

Looking back at the 1993 debate on gays in the military, Means writes that, "The fight over gays in the military was an echo of the crusade by many of the same aging macho guys to keep women away from the battlefield on grounds they would prove a distraction that would weaken the spirit of real warriors. Quaint, pea-brain stuff, but politically potent at the time."

And looking to the future, she sees sure signs of progress.

"An aggressive Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., the popular new chairman of a previously moribund House Armed Services Committee subcommittee, is going to stir the pot," Means writes. "Tauscher has said that she would hold hearings that she hoped would lead to the policy’s repeal. She promised to 'begin the necessary education process' for the change. She also denounced as 'wrongheaded' the comments by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Peter Pace that homosexuality is immoral. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates later declined to reappoint Pace to a second term."

Now, Means concludes, is the "right time" to lift the ban.

"As violence and social turmoil escalate in Iraq, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker pleaded with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to allow him more well-qualified staff members and to ease some of her security rules," she recalls. "He complained about not enough “right people with the right skill sets.” What skill sets? Opposition to abortion, as a required job criterion in the Justice Department? Or a familiarity with Middle East culture — and even an ability to speak the language?"

"We have learned a great deal about what it means to be gay in the past two decades. It is not a moral 'choice.' It is who you are. And that doesn’t mean that you are a danger to your country and can’t be a good soldier, if that’s what moves you."

To read the full column, click here.

- Steve Ralls

Tsongas Joins the Campaign for Repeal

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA) became the 137th co-sponsor of legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" yesterday. Tsongas signed on as a supporter of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which was originally introduced by Congressman Marty Meehan. Tsongas replaced Meehan as Representative for the 5th District when Meehan retired earlier this year.

The addition of Congresswoman Tsongas (who is also a member of the Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee) means that the entire Massachusetts House delegation now supports the legislation to allow lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans the opportunity to serve openly in our armed forces.

Find out if your elected representative is a co-sponsor by clicking here. And, if they're not, send them a message asking that they sign on today.

- Steve Ralls

Congresswoman Tauscher: End This 'Counter-Productive' Law

Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), the lead sponsor of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow lesbian and gay Americans to serve openly, is stepping up her calls for repeal.

In a statement released exclusively to SLDN on the 14th anniversary of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Tauscher points to the importance of opening our armed forces to qualified gay Americans who want to serve.

"In the past 14 years, 12,000 servicemen and women have been discharged under the 'Don’t Ask Don’t Tell' policy," Tauscher says. "But it’s not just those troops who suffer – it’s our security. At a time when the overall readiness of our military is being stretched, two otherwise qualified servicemen and women are being barred every day from providing services we need. We need a boost in readiness so that we are prepared to face future conflicts wherever they may arise. A responsible and moral way to jumpstart this process is by passing the Military Readiness Enhancement Act that would repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and end the counter-productive practice of discharging qualified servicemen and women from our military."

SLDN is proud to work alongside Congresswoman Tauscher as she pushes Congress to lift the ban.

If your Representative is not yet a co-sponsor of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, click here to urge them to sign on.

- Steve Ralls

Skelton: Readiness "Is Our Insurance Policy"

Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO), the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, says he is worried about a "hollow army," and is especially concerned about military readiness, given the war in Iraq, saying the U.S. military is "strained like never before."

In an interview with the Sedalia Democrat in Missouri, Skelton says that "We’re trying very hard to increase readiness in the military. I’m very concerned about readiness in the military." And the armed forces, he says, are "stretched much too thin."

In a Veterans Day speech in Jefferson City on Monday, Skelton said that, "Today’s Army soldiers — both officers and enlisted — are absolutely first rate professionals. However, this is an Army that is stressed and strained and experiencing readiness shortfalls among the non-deployed forces. . . . I worry that today’s lack of readiness is similar to what the U.S. Army experienced in 1980." That year, Skelton said, military leaders "described a 'hollow Army,' with tactical forces under strength and companies and platoons that had been zeroed out."

"Why should any of us worry about a military readiness crisis?," Skelton asked. "The lack of readiness of our Army forces that are not currently deployed is of great concern because we depend on those forces to be able to answer the nation’s call in the event of some unforeseen future conflict. Make no mistake, the American military remains a formidable force, even when stretched. But the way things are now, it would be difficult for those forces to respond in a timely manner. Readiness is our insurance policy for national security."

One option to boost military readiness, of course, is to pass The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, and repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." According to one estimate, at least 41,000 lesbian and gay Americans would be willing to enlist, without a ban in place. And with repeal, we'd stop the counter-productive practice of discharging two people - every day - because of the law.

It's always in the best interest of military readiness to retain good people, and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" makes that incredibly difficult to do.

And while Skelton has not spoken, to date, on the issue of repeal, he is known as a fair-minded lawmaker who keeps, as his first priority, the best interest of our service members at heart. As more and more members of his committee - and more and more Congressional veterans - enlist in the fight to repeal this law, we hope Congressman Skelton will take a look at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" again, too.

"I know in my heart that as Americans, we have the strength to face today’s challenges, fulfill our duty, and do what is necessary to preserve this great country of ours," Skelton said on Monday.

One giant leap in facing those challenges and preserving our military's readiness would be to topple "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" once and for all.

And if you are a constituent of Congressman Skelton's, log on now and send him a message encouraging him to support repeal.

- Steve Ralls

Veterans in Congress March Toward Repeal

Finally: A movement in Congress we can all get behind.

A growing number of veterans in Congress are joining the fight to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that excludes openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members from the armed forces. A total of 17 Members who once served in the U.S. military are now co-sponsors of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher's bill to lift the ban. They include a Republican Vietnam War vet; a veteran of the war in Iraq; and the highest-ranking military retiree in Congress.

Who, after all, knows the best interests of our fighting forces better than the men and women who have worn the uniform?

Continue reading 'Veterans in Congress March Toward Repeal' at Bilerico.com.

The Old Adventures of New Duncan Hunter?

There goes Duncan Hunter.

Yes, it's true. The notoriously homophobic Congressman from California - who steadfastly refused to appreciate or even acknowledge the service of the LGBT Americans in our armed forces - is retiring.

But, as the saying goes, there will always be another Duncan Hunter. And as The Hill reports, old Duncan (pictured) is stepping down just as "his 30-year-old son prepares to mount a race for his father’s seat."

Welcome to The Old Adventures of New Duncan Hunter.

[New] "Hunter says he will soon formally announce his candidacy, but not on April Fool’s Day," the paper reports. "'Not April 1 of course,'" he said, laughing. "'Maybe a day after.'"

Actually, April 1 may be all too appropriate for starting a new Duncan Hunter campaign.

If, like his father, 'New' Duncan thinks LGBT service members haven't earned the respect and admiration of our country, he's another fool, too. And if he thinks Americans will allow him to treat our men and women in uniform so dismissively, the joke's going to be on him.

Here's hoping the voters of Hunter's district are no fools, either. One Duncan Hunter seemed one too many; two Duncan Hunters would be much too much for sure.

The Hunters' anti-gay antics are becoming very, very old.

And while there may not be anymore dates for me with Old Duncan Hunter, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if I just don't have to put up with the 'New.'

- Steve Ralls

Craig's Hypocrisy on Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Sunday's Washington Post featured a guest commentary by William Saletan about former Senator Larry Craig (pictured), hypocrisy and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

From Saletan's column:

Poor Larry Craig. He's being held to the same standard of sexual conduct he imposed on the U.S. armed forces.

Fourteen years ago, in his first term as a Republican senator from Idaho, Craig helped enact the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Air Force, for instance, now says that any airman will be discharged if he "has engaged in, attempted to engage in, or solicited another to engage in a homosexual act."

According to the report filed by the police officer who arrested Craig at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in June, Craig stood outside the officer's bathroom stall for two minutes, repeatedly looked at the officer "through the crack in the door," sat in the stall next to the officer, tapped his foot and gradually "moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot . . . within my stall area." Craig proceeded to "swipe his hand under the stall divider for a few seconds" three times, palm up, using the hand farthest from that side of Craig's stall. Most of these gestures, the officer said, are known pickup signals.

___

Indeed, as SLDN pointed out here at Frontlines last week, Craig was an ardent supporter of the military's ban on gay service members even in the days following his arrest in Minnesota. His letter to an active duty constituent made it seem as if he even thought openly gay troops would be a danger to straight service members.

Craig wrote that, "The armed forces exist to wage war. It is unacceptable to risk the lives of American soldiers and sailors merely to accommodate the sexual lifestyles of certain individuals." He also noted that, "I don’t believe the military should be a place for social experimentation."

Yet, as Saletan points out, "I'd rather live, let live and tell the guy waving his hand under the stall to buzz off. But that's not the standard Craig has applied to others. Any gay soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who admitted to doing what Craig has admitted would, at a minimum, lose his job for violating 'don't ask, don't tell.' In fact, many have been kicked out for less."

Indeed. Bleu Copas, Margaret Witt, Randy Miller and Alex Nicholson are just a few of the thousands of service members dismissed under the law Craig so ardently championed.

If former Senator Craig has had a change of heart about the matter in the past few days, it can be best described as "too little, too late." For, during his time in Congress, Craig was a leading proponent of a policy that he, himself, was ultimately subject to, in some small way.

Now, perhaps, he understands the pain of losing a job you love simply because of who you are, or who others think you might be.

- Steve Ralls

A Shout-Out to Congressman Larsen

The Whatcom County Democrats in Washington are calling on Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA) to get onboard with repeal . . . and to keep his promise to a constituent and veteran.

In a July 28 letter to Larsen (pictured), the group's chair, Barry Buchanan, wrote that "On behalf of the Whatcom County Democrats, I am writing to you regarding two important interrelated issues, (1) co-sponsoring HR 1246 and (2) honoring your promise to former Army veteran Patrick English."

"This is a formal request from the Whatcom County Democrats that you join the current 126 House Representatives who are sponsoring H.R. 1246," Buchanan continued. "H.R. 1246 will overturn the outmoded and punitive 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy which our military uses which results in the discharge of qualified and experienced military personnel. A policy of non-discrimination is long over due."

But Buchanan didn't stop there.

"Our second issue concerns your verbal commitment to Patrick English, a gay former Army language specialist who spoke at our general meeting earlier this month," he wrote. "Mr. English advised us that he spoke with you on January 15, 2007 at which time you said you would s peak with Rep. Marty Meehan both before and after the re-introduction of the bill at the end of February."

There has been no evidence, Buchanan points out, that Larsen follow through with Congressman Meehan or with Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) who now serves as lead sponsor of the legislation. But the Whatcom County Democrats aren't taking silence as an answer.

"As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it is unconscionable that you remain silent on this important issue," they wrote to Larsen. "Even if it is uncomfortable for you to support this legislation, it is the right thing to do for our armed forces, our men and women in uniform, and our national security."

Here's hoping that Congressman Larsen keeps his promise, signs on to co-sponsor H.R. 1246, and joins the fight to lift the ban.

If you're a constituent of Congressman Larsen, you can also write-in and ask him to support repeal. Just click here.

- Steve Ralls

Congressional Candidate Lends Support

Retired Navy Commander and Congressional Candidate, Eric Massa is doing just the opposite of most candidates and asking for the peoples support. Not in his campaign but in an issue that he feels strongly enough about to publish it on his home page and on the Daily Kos this weekend.

Eric Massa is asking for the people to support H.R. 1246, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill introduced to congress that would do away with Don't Ask, Don't Tell and create a policy of non-discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Mr. Massa wrote a 5-point essay on the reasons why the current policy does not work, negatively affects the military, and the next steps in the repeal process.

Click over to Eric Massa's website and see why more and more people are pushing for repeal.

- Jason Knight

Ahead of L.A., Growing Support for Repeal

As the Democratic candidates for president prepare to meet in L.A. this evening to discuss LGBT issues, The Los Angeles Times is reporting on the change of heart happening in Congress and the Pentagon when it comes to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"Subtly but unmistakably, rhetoric from the military and Congress has begun to soften on the controversial policy known as 'don't ask, don't tell,'" the Times reports. "[Retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Colin] Powell himself has changed his tune, acknowledging that attitudes have shifted. A House bill that would lift the ban on gays serving openly has gained support from military veterans in that chamber. And the pressures of the Iraq war and the 2008 presidential campaign have focused more attention on the merits of a repeal."

Candidates for tonight's forum have already submitted written responses about the military's ban, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (pictured) wrote that, "Courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice -- the traits that define our men and women in uniform -- have nothing to do with sexual orientation. This is a matter of national security, and I will fix it." This morning's Times reports that Senator Barack Obama and former Senator John Edwards submitted similar statements about the issue.

But shifts aren't just happening on the Democratic side.

The Portland Phoenix reports this morning on Republican Senator Susan Collins, who also seems to be taking a more critical look at the policy.

"A source close to Collins tells the Phoenix she is likely to become the lead Republican senator backing the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would reverse DA, DT and create a non-discrimination policy for the military," the paper reports. "The bill is picking up sponsors in the House, and activists have long hoped Collins would join them to take the debate to the Senate."

Collins may be "starting to sing with the choir now," the Phoenix says, "crediting a gay retired admiral from Maine who recently sat down with her to tell her his thoughts on 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell . . . '"

The evolving views in Congress and the DoD are welcome news. With leaders like Senator Clinton, Senator Collins and others stepping up to the plate, our home run can only be so far off.

- Steve Ralls

Ackerman: "This absurdity can't continue."

Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-NY), a co-sponsor of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act who represents New York's North Shore in Queens and Nassau County in Congress, authored an op-ed in this morning's Newsday about the absurdity of excluding gay and lesbian Americans from military service. (Some of our supporters will remember Ackerman's recent grilling of Secretary Rice over the issue of gay linguists.)

"That sound you hear in Washington is the federal government shooting itself in the foot," Ackerman writes, and goes on to say that "Just to make this clear: In the middle of a war in which we are losing people every day, we are removing from the armed forces volunteers who have absolutely vital, lifesaving skills because they happen to be gay or lesbian."

"This absurdity can't continue," Ackerman says. "The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy is not only wasteful and inefficient, it's unfair and un-American. In the middle of a war we are throwing out good people who have volunteered to put their lives on the line for their country. Every day, another two service members are fired because of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' and unlike the crooks we're now reduced to recruiting, gays aren't granted second chances."

"If we're serious about winning the war on terror, we need to roll out the welcome mat for every patriot, gay or straight, who wants to serve," he concludes. "When Congress reconvenes in September, we need to do the right thing and lift this ban."

You can read Congressman Ackerman's full op-ed online here.

- Steve Ralls

Monday Morning Repeal News

Monday morning brings great news on two fronts for advocates of repeal. Detroit News columnist Deb Price writes in her column today that, "The Pentagon is no longer frozen solid in angry opposition to lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the military." Citing questions raised last week during both House and Senate hearings, Price says that "Gone were the hysterical, Chicken Little-ish 'the sky will fall' warnings that ending 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' would destroy military morale and unit cohesion." Price urges Congress "to listen closely and hear the message: It's your job, not the military's, to make policy."

This morning also brings news that more and more Members of Congress are heeding Price's advice.

Five new lawmakers, including the highest-ranking veteran in Congress, have signed on as co-sponsors of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246). Representatives Michael A. Arcuri (D-NY), Brian Baird (D-WA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Joe Sestak (D-PA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) all became co-sponsors of the bill on Friday, bringing the total number of supporters to 131. Sestak (pictured) is Congress’s highest-ranking veteran, having served 31 years in the United States Navy and retiring as a 3-star Admiral.

And so momentum continues to build for toppling "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"Listen closely and you can hear a glacier cracking," Price wrote this morning.

Indeed, all indications points to the same conclusion: There is a sea-change coming in the fight to lift the ban.

- Steve Ralls

The Women, the Admiral, and the Undersecretary

This week women on Capitol Hill brought repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) back into Congressional hearings with great results.

Senator Susan Collins asked the new nominee for Joint Chief of Staff, Admiral Mullen, if he thinks it’s time for Congress to reconsider DADT, given the current strain on the military and the loss of critical talent due to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In her question she laid out some pretty good arguments for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Admiral Mullen correctly answered that this is an issue Congress will decide.

On the House side, Susan Davis (pictured), Chair of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, asked similar questions of three Generals and the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Michael Dominguez. At a hearing probing why the Army has not met its recruitment goals for the last two months, Davis asked if Congress shouldn’t reexamine the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law given the fact that an estimated 41,000 men would likely apply to enter the military if the ban on gays and lesbians were repealed. Davis is a cosponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, the House bill to repeal DA, DT.

When Dominguez answered that people who believe themselves to be homosexuals can serve since the law is about conduct, and that actual “discharge ahead of schedule” numbers for gays have been relatively small for the last five years (around 700 annually), Davis came back with some excellent points in her calm, respectful style:

• that there is “probably some question about how [conduct] is interpreted”

• that if the discharges were in “high-skill areas” it could be an issue (Arabic linguists, anyone?)

• that “there are people who may not even think about serving, who would like to serve because they somehow don't feel welcome in the services”

She closed by saying that we should look to other services [ie. England, Australia, Canada, Israel, almost all NATO countries, etc. who allow openly gay service in their militaries] for their experiences, and that “we need to be as open as possible.”

Talk about understatement! Earlier at same the hearing, Army Major General Thomas Bostick , gave examples of felons who had received waivers to enter the Army because they deserved a second chance. One was an example of a 17-year-old who committed statutory rape with a 15-year-old.

Now, I’m not against second chances, but how about some first chances here? In the military, gays and bisexuals get fired if they hold hands or kiss someone of the same gender. But former statutory rapists get a “second chance?”

Davis had it right – there are some serious questions about how homosexual “conduct” is interpreted. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law says you can’t tell anyone you’re gay, and you can’t commit any gay “acts” – even off base and on your own time. Basically, you just can’t be gay. It’s about who you are, not conduct. To say the military is “welcoming” of gays is absurd.

Kudos to both Collins and Davis, as well as Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, who’s the lead on the House bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” All three serve on the Armed Services Committees of their chambers. These women on the hill are raising the issue, starting the conversation, and getting some pretty important questions about DADT into the Congressional record.

More power to them. We need to start this Congressional conversation ASAP so that when a vote on gays in the military comes up, it doesn’t blow up like it did in 1993.

- Julie Kruse

Kudos to Collins

Kudos to Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who quizzed soon-to-be Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during recent confirmation hearings at the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Here's a transcript of the exchange between Collins and Mullen:


COLLINS:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Admiral Mullen, this morning you described our troops as being strained and stretched. And this is a concern that I share and that I think every member of this panel shares.

We've seen longer deployments, more waivers granted to recruits with criminal records. We've actually seen an extension of the age limit for recruits.

We've also experienced considerable difficulty in filling specialty positions such as for linguists, which are obviously very important in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Press reports have said that more than 50 Arabic linguists have been discharged from our armed forces since the "don't ask/don't tell" policy was instituted. In addition to the loss of translators, the estimates are that there were more than 11,000 other servicemembers that have been separated since "don't ask/don't tell" was instituted by Congress back in the early '90s.

I recently met with a retired admiral in Maine who urged me to urge you to reexamine the "don't ask/don't tell" policy. In your view, should we reevaluate this policy?

MULLEN:

Senator, the current policy and law is as you've described.

MULLEN:

And it's a policy that came in at a time -- in a time -- it was greatly debated at the time that it was actually put in place.

I'm supportive of that policy and I really think it is for the American people to come forward, really through this body, to both debate that policy and make changes, if that's appropriate.

And so, from that standpoint, that's really where -- that's how I see it. The current policy is one I support, have supported. And until it's -- until it changes or really changes both in policy and law, that's where I am.

COLLINS:

Would you encourage Congress to reevaluate the policy?

MULLEN:

I'd love to have Congress make its own decisions with respect to
that.

Note the remark by Collins that she was approached by a retired admiral, in her home state, about questioning Mullen about repeal. Her question is proof that, when we speak up, we can impact change at a national level.

All of us at SLDN are grateful to Senator Collins for bringing up the topic during the recent hearing, and for her thoughtful questions about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." You can also send the Senator a note of gratitude by clicking here.

- Steve Ralls

Ron Paul Says He'd Change "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Texas Congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, known for a more libertarian view on politics than most of the Republican field, says he would change "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" if elected to the White House.

In a Q&A with Google, Paul pointed to the recent dismissals of lesbian and gay Arabic linguists as evidence that the policy needs, at the least, a revision. Speaking about one of those discharges, Paul said that "He was kicked out, for no real good reason at all, and I would, I would want to change that, I don’t support that interpretation."

Paul's remarks are a welcome step in the right direction for the GOP, but still leave some big questions to be answered. Does the Congressman believe it's time to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" In re-iterating his views on "disruptive" behavior, is he suggesting that military rules & regulations be applied without regard to sexual orientation? And in that case, would he support open service? Or is the Congressman advocating a different change altogether?

No one knows for sure yet, but at least one 2008 GOP contender seems to be taking at least one small step in the right direction, and that's good news, indeed.

- Steve Ralls

Checking in on Elaine

It's been a while - too long, really - since we last checked in with Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness. You remember Elaine: she was the one who blamed retired General John Shalikashvili's stroke for his support of repeal . . . who inaccurately told The Washington Times that "even Democrats" don't support legislation to lift the ban . . . and who slammed Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-NY) for suggesting that gay Americans may have an important contribution to make to our country.

So we decided to check in on Elaine, and see what her newest rant might be. Turns out, she's furious about "San Francisco values."

Referring to Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher's leadership in the campaign to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Donnelly told Cybercast News Service that, "We don't really want to see legislation passed that would reflect the San Francisco agenda of Ellen Tauscher."

Hooray for values! Let's see how Elaine's 'values' stack up against Congresswoman Tauscher's, shall we?

Tauscher: 3 trips to Iraq to visit the troops; 5 trips, overall, to the Middle East
Elaine: 0.

Tauscher: Member of the House Armed Services Committee, on which she is Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee
Elaine: Has "experienced two 'trap' landings on the carriers USS John F. Kennedy and USS Kitty Hawk (without so much as a tussle of that perfectly coiffed 'do)

Tauscher: 6 terms in the House, representing California's 10th Congressional district
Elaine: Never elected to anything (thankfully for us)

So what 'values,' exactly, do they have out in the city by the bay? Maybe it's American values (79% of the public supports repeal); or military values (73% of personnel say they're comfortable around gays); or even conservative values (a "large majority" of Republicans support lifting the ban, too).

So if Elaine wants to talk about 'values,' let's have that debate. Congresswoman Tauscher has stood up for a strong national defense; equal opportunity in our armed forces; and supporting the troops by putting the best and brightest on the job. Meanwhile, Elaine keeps arguing against women and gays in the military.

Is discrimination really the 'value' we want our government to embody? Or is Elaine just more out of touch than ever before?

- Steve Ralls