Blogging...Gravel

10pm
Refusing to be censored, Mike Gravel is the most outspoken Democrat on the stage tonight when it comes to the issue of gays in the military. "I have also challenged my fellow candidates to join me in publicly pledging that whoever gets elected, he or she will issue an apology on behalf of the federal government to the 100,000 gays and lesbians who were discharged by the military for their sexual orientation," Gravel writes. "No other candidate has joined me in that pledge."

Having served in the army from 1951-1954 Gravel went on to be elected to the Senate from Alaska and served from 1969-81. While in that body Sen. Gravel was integral in releasing the Pentagon Papers to the public and ending the Vietnam War draft.

Sen. Gravel’s views on the LGBT community have been a refreshing breeze throughout this campaign and in fact, Gravel has so far been the only candidate running for President who has made a personal visit to SLDN’s office. Thank you Senator for adding your voice to the debate.

-Victor Maldonado

QUOTES:
GRAVEL
Well, let me say I have worked all of my adult life on this issue and the issue of justice. For me it's justice. It's human rights. It's not whether you're gay. I've advocated many times for gays to come out of the closet, please.
Some people can't pay the price at a given point in time, but there's one thing that counts. You've got to assert your rights. Nobody is going to give you anything from on high. It just does not happen that way in a system of representative government, and so you have to step forward.
And I'll be happy to step forward with you as I have all of my life, and I can promise you one thing. You stand up for me -- and I need your support -- I need your support and want it and beg it, because I'll do more for your cause than any other human being that walks the earth as your president. Thank you very much.

COMMENTS:
OK....let the fireworks begin...

You know he is a little excentric but I have to agree with Ethridge....he is honest and sincere in his beleif that the gay community is good and decent and worthy of the same respect the rest of America. God bless you Mike Gravel.

Thank you Sen. Gravel.....you are right....leaders lead and I appreciate your willingness to push the other candidates on the issues that are importnat to the LGBT community....having you participate in this forum has furthered our national debate.

- Victor Maldonado

Gravel: I've Just Begun to Fight

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel is making headlines again. As has been reported around the blogosphere, Gravel was not invited to the upcoming presidential debate being hosted by the Human Rights Campaign and the LOGO Network. The former Senator from Alaska, clearly unhappy about not being included in the candidates' forum, has released a statement this afternoon on HuffingtonPost.com. In it, he addresses his unwavering support for repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," his condemnation of General Peter Pace's remarks about gays, and calls on the other candidates to join him in making a unique pledge:

"I have also challenged my fellow candidates to join me in publicly pledging that whoever gets elected, he or she will issue an apology on behalf of the federal government to the 100,000 gays and lesbians who were discharged by the military for their sexual orientation," Gravel writes. "No other candidate has joined me in that pledge."

In fact, an apology would not be unprecendented. The British military recently did just that: an explicit apology to those who were discharged under their (now repealed) ban on open service.

As we reported in the early days of Gravel's campaign, he stopped by the SLDN offices to meet with our staff and learn more about how he could be helpful in pushing for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We're enormously grateful for his outspoken support and for lending his voice to the campaign for repeal.

In today's posting, Gravel notes that ". . . I'm going to rejoin the battle with even more determination to advance the gay rights discussion during the other debates. So stay tuned, because this old soldier has only just begun to fight."

All of us at SLDN are proud to have him fighting on our side.

- Steve Ralls

Mike Gravel Speaks Out on DADT

We posted earlier about former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel's strong support of repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Here's Gravel on Toniq TV speaking out on the ridiculousness of the current law and of the presence of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals in the militaries of ancient Greece:



-Rebecca Sawyer