Tipper Gore to Join SLDN for UNITE on March 8

SLDN is excited to announce that Tipper Gore will join us in Washington for UNITE: SLDN's 16th annual national dinner & silent auction. We're honored to have Tipper as our special guest for this important night, and invite you to join us on Saturday, March 8 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

Tipper has a long history of supporting the LGBT community, and has been a strong voice on issues of fairness, liberty and justice for all. She is the author, along with former Vice President Al Gore, of Joined at the Heart: The Transformation of the American Family, which includes profiles of LGBT couples.

In 2002, Tipper told reporters that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" wasn't working. "I have a better solution," she said. "Let's rip it up."

To join SLDN, Tipper and our other special invited guest - Army Sergeant Darren Manzella - RSVP now.

Then join us on March 8 as we "rip it up" in Washington and move closer to the day when we lift the ban.

- Steve Ralls

SLDN Photo Gallery: The Army-Navy Club

Last night, SLDN invited our DC-area supporters to join Sergeant Darren Manzella at the Army-Navy Club, for a reception in his honor. And we wanted to share with you some photos from the event, by photographer Judy G. Rolfe.

Darren and his mom.

Sergeant Manzella speaks to SLDN supporters.

Sergeant Manzella's mom, Nancy, with SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis.

Sergeant Manzella with a not-so-secret admirer from Wonkette.

- Steve Ralls

Sergeant Manzella (and mom) Come to Washington

Army Sergeant Darren Manzella, the openly gay medic recently featured on 60 Minutes, will make his first public appearance following the CBS broadcast in Washington, with SLDN, on January 9.

SLDN invites our D.C. supporters to join us, from 6-8pm, at the Army-Navy Club (at 901 17th Street, N.W.), to meet Sergeant Manzella, learn more about his story and become involved in SLDN's work to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The event, which is free and open to the public, will also feature Darren's mom, Nancy Manzella, who is traveling to Washington to support Darren as he speaks out about his experience serving as an openly gay soldier.

Make plans to join us on Wednesday for an unforgettable evening with Sergeant Manzella. For more information on the Army-Navy Club, including directions, click here. And to read more about Sergeant Manzella, visit SLDN online.

Click here to RSVP for Wednesday's reception.

- Steve Ralls

Words of Faith on the Mall

This past weekend, as part of the '12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots' event on the National Mall, a Sunday morning prayer service paid tribute to the service personnel dismissed under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Members of the clergy came together to deliver a moving service, and we wanted to share some of their words with you here on Frontlines.

Captain Mike Rankin, M.D., USN (Ret.), a member of SLDN's military advisory council, delivered the following remarks:

We have gathered to honor those who defended our nation and our freedoms in all our nation’s wars, even if those freedoms were not always granted to them, and to us. Some, like Harvey Milk and Leonard Matlovich, were famous, the glory of their times. Others—perhaps most—are known only to those who loved them. We honor them all.

You were at Valley Forge and Yorktown, at Gettysburg, Anteitam, and Shiloh.

We admire your courage, and we remember you.

You fought and fell on Flanders fields, aboard the Arizona at Pearl Harbor, in the skies over Midway, on the Normandy beaches, and in the snows of Bastogne and the Chosin Reservoir.

We honor your sacrifice; we will never forget.

We were together in the Ia Drang, at Hue during Tet, in the Marine barracks in Beruit, in Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq. We knew and still know the terror of battle, the exhilaration of survival, the awful pain of burying our dead. We were comrades in arms; we remain so forever.

Know the green good, you whom we loved. Under a prayer wheeling moon in the rosy wood, be shielded by chant and flower. And gay may you lie in grace.

Sister that I Held Near

Sister that I held near, comrade that I loving embraced, we will not forget you.

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter, we will remember.

In the opening buds and in the rebirth of spring, we will remember.

In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer, we will remember.

In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn, we will remember.

May the God who makes peace in the heavens make peace for us here below.

For those we honor this day.

And for all the world.

Amen.

Chaplain (CAPT) John Gundlach, USN (Ret.) also spoke at the event, and delivered the followin remarks:

Prayer for Our Brothers and Sisters

Gracious God, you have made each of us in your image. In your eyes all that you have made is good. Yet, too many in this land have been found unacceptable for too long--because of the color of their skin, the country they came from, their gender, or their sexual orientation.

We have gathered here this weekend to remember those who have suffered discrimination and abuse because of their sexual orientation. We particularly remember our brothers and sisters who have offered themselves in the service of our country, only to be turned away or turned out. We remember the 12,000 who in recent years have been found unworthy to serve, whose contributions to the common good have been rejected. We mourn the loss of so great a gift to our nation.

But we also gather to celebrate. We celebrate our brothers and sisters who have served our country so faithfully for so long, some even to the point of giving their last full measure of devotion. We honor them, not only because of their willingness to offer their lives, but because their service required the additional sacrifice of part of their true identity. God, you know who they are, even if this nation never will. Today, we hold them all in our hearts—those who served in the past, and those who continue to serve today. We give thanks for them, and we take pride in them.

O God, we pray for our country. We pray for those who lead us, those who make our laws, and those who pass judgment over us. We pray for our people. Open the eyes of all to see as you see; open the hearts of all to want for one’s neighbor the rights one expects for oneself; open the minds of all to your wisdom that will enable us to forsake our prejudicial norms and embrace a more just society.

May your will be done in this land, and may your way become our way. This is our prayer and our hope. Amen.

Benediction

Go forth into the world in peace. Return to no one evil for evil. But work for justice, practice kindness, and walk humbly with your God. And may God, whose way is just and whose heart is kind, give you courage and bring you peace. Amen.

Thank you to everyone who attended the 12,000 Flags events, and to Captain Gundlach and Captain Rankin for their inspiring words of faith on the Mall.

SLDN National Dinner Tickets Now On Sale

Tickets are now on sale for UNITE, SLDN's 16th annual national dinner and silent auction. Tickets - from $250 to $1000 - can be purchased via our website by clicking here.

The 2008 dinner will be held on Saturday, March 8 @ The National Building Museum in downtown Washington, D.C. The silent auction kicks off at 6:30pm, and dinner starts at 7:30.

Stay tuned to Frontlines for more information on our 2008 line-up of speakers . . . but mark your calendars now (and get your tickets online) for this amazing gathering of veterans, activists and supporters from around the country.

To RSVP and purchase your tickets for UNITE, click here.

Great Britain Continues to Shine

It never ceases to amaze just how far the U.S. is in the closet, and with each new news-piece (as printed here today) we seem to dive farther in there.

Her Majesty's Armed Forces will be holding its third Joint Service LGBT Conference in November hosted by the Royal Air Force. The two-day event will focus on diversity training, presentations and workshops, and will be a social networking opportunity for personnel and their partners.

The Royal Navy and Air Force are both members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme and the Ministry of Defence, as a whole, strives to promote all of the armed services as "good employers for minority groups."

Since the country removed it's ban on LGB service members in 2000, they have since continued to affect social and policy change.

Things you may have missed:
Britain Apologizes to LGB Members Booted Under Ban
Britain Pays More than 6 Million to LGB Troops Booted Out

The examples that Great Britain continues to show are an overwhelming affirmation that we are able to look past our own prejudices and value persons for their actions and conduct. Now if we could only get our leaders to see things that way...

-Jason Knight

In Her Own Words II

Four years ago, because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," I became just another statistic. Two to three servicemembers are discharged each day for no reason other than being who they are, and I was one of them.

I have spoken to many people over the years about my experience, and the reaction is always the same....outrage and disbelief that this really does happen in America today. While it is reassuring to receive the heartfelt hugs, and to hear that I was wronged, it wasn't quite enough. I yearned to speak out in a way that could potentially inspire others to evoke real change.

This summer I have had the opportunity to join others with the same goal, and to contribute to making that change. By joining the Legacy of Service Tour, it has been my honor to speak alongside a panel of veteran servicemembers, like Eric Alva, Antonio Agnone, Jarrod Chlapowski and Alex Nicholson.

During the most recent stop in Concord, New Hampshire, we spoke before a crowd of true changemakers, including: Sylvia Larsen, New Hampshire Senate President; New Hampshire Senate Policy Director, Jennifer Frizzell; Delana Jones, Political Director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party; New Hampshire State Representatives Gail Morrison and Mo Baxley; NH House candidate, Harold Janeway; and representatives from each of the major Democratic presidential campaigns.

The United States military continues to miss it's recruiting goal month after month. The shortage of qualified candidates for enlistment has forced the military to actively recruit convicted felons. People who have been a burden on society are now being called on to protect it.

The argument for keeping the DADT policy in place is that an openly gay soldier would decrease troop morale and be detrimental to unit cohesion and combat readiness.

As a soldier first, it affects my morale to know that a known gang member can serve alongside other service members.

As a woman, it affects my morale to know that a convicted rapist can serve alongside female service members.

As a parent it affects my morale to know that a convicted child molester can serve and live alongside military families.

As Americans, it should affect all of our morale to know that Congress is forcing the U.S. military to choose convicted felons over competent, qualified and capable service members just because of their sexual orientation.

End Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

-Sonya Contreras

Concord, NH Celebrates LGBT Service Members

If you are in the Concord, NH area tomorrow afternoon and want to show your support for a repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, stop by the Kimball Jenkins Estate Carriage House Gallery at 1 p.m. to hear from SLDN client, Sonya Contreras, as she shares her personal experiences as a Former Sergeant in the U.S. Army who in 2003 was dismissed from the service after admitting that she is a lesbian.

Sonya will be in Concord as part of the Legacy of Service Tour which travels across the country sharing service member’s personal stories of courage and sacrifice and discussing the need for repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Join Sonya on August 16th at 1pm at:

Kimball Jenkins Estate
Carriage House Gallery
266 North Main St
Concord, N.H. 03301

Or, to learn more about Sonya’s story, in her own words, click here.

-Victor Maldonado

DADT Event in Chicago

Army Brig. Gen. Keith H. Kerr, Army Colonel Stewart Bornhoft, Navy Captain Joan E. Darrah ( all retired ) and five other former military officers will speak out against the military’s anti-gay “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ( DADT ) policy at a program benefiting the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network ( SLDN ) at Chicago’s Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, on Aug. 3, 7-9 p.m.

DADT makes the United States Military the only employer in the nation which must, by law, fire someone because that person is lesbian, gay or bisexual. More than 11,000 servicemembers have been discharged under the policy.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by visiting www.chicagoSLDN.org , or calling 773-720-7610.

-Jason Knight

Spirit of Stonewall

This past Sunday I had the privilege to speak about my experience with Don't Ask Don't Tell at San Diego's 'Spirit of Stonewall Community Celebration' named after the famed 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York's Greenwich Village, which is considered to be the commencement of the contemporary Lesbian and Gay liberation movement.

With music from Peech and Noah Sugarman, the event featured speakers that hit a broad range of topics affecting the LGBT community today. From CA law and gay marriage, to the elderly, the military, to a moving speech from 16 year old Missy Luber on the challenges of LGBT high school youth.

Several Stonewall awards were presented including the Stonewall Service award to Chief William M. Lansdowne and the San Diego Police Department for its proactive stand against hate crimes, and Champions of Pride Robert A. Lehman & Thomas D. Felkner who co-founded Stonewall Citizens' Patrol in an organized response to the escalating crimes that occurred in the past year against the LGBT community.

Set against the historic Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park coupled with the beautiful July weather, the event brought renewed commitment to the LGBT equal rights movement and an opportunity to stand together and celebrate a shared vision of freedom and equality.

Stay classy San Diego. :)
-Jason Knight

Join Reichen & SLDN in New York

SLDN invites our supporters in Manhattan to join Reichen Lehmkuhl at SPLASH as he unveils the Fly Naked with Reichen Jewelry Collection from LoveandPride. The festivities kick off at 7pm sharp on July 19th. (10% of the Fly Naked collection's revenue is donated to SLDN.) Also on hand will be SLDN client, and former Marine Sergeant, Brian Fricke.

Cocktails are by Stoli & Bud Select; sounds are by DJ DeMarko and the bling is by Reichen. Guests can also enter to win a trip to Las Vegas, courtesy of Luxor and American Airlines; learn more about SLDN; and get a sneak peek at the Fly Naked collection. SPLASH is located at 50 West 17th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues.

For more information, or to shop the collection, click here.

- Steve Ralls

Join Jason Knight in Washington

This morning's Stars & Stripes newspaper reports on SLDN's announcement that Jason Knight will join the organization in our efforts to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Jason, who has served openly in the U.S. Navy - including during a deployment to Kuwait - will become part of our national ad campaign; speak out across the country on behalf of repeal; and meet with Congressional staffers in Washington on Tuesday afternoon.

Then, on Tuesday evening, Jason will join SLDN supporters at the Women's National Democratic Club in Washington to talk about his work to support repeal and his commitment to working with SLDN to lift the ban.

Jason has joined the fight against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." On Tuesday, you can join Jason in a show of support for his work.

Details about Tuesday's event are on our website, here. Make plans now to join us as we welcome a passionate new voice to the cause.

- Steve Ralls

Meeting Jason Knight

Jason Knight speaks to a reporter in Chicago. Photo by Julie Kruse.

It was a a privilege and fun to accompany Jason Knight last week on his 2-day trip to the University of Chicago to counter General Peter Pace’s address there!

General Pace was invited to address the Graduate School of Business before he made his infamous remarks on gays being “immoral”.

After Pace’s comments, 1,400 students and faculty of the University of Chicago then signed a position to un-invite him. They figured that a leader who gravely insults those who serve underneath him should not be held up to business students as a model of outstanding management practices.

When it became clear General Pace would indeed appear, three University of Chicago departments joined together to invite Jason Knight in response to Pace’s appearance. They didn’t want to silence General Pace but wanted to broaden the debate to include the views of a gay sailor who served under Pace.

When General Pace made his insulting remarks, Jason was serving in Kuwait as an openly gay sailor, out to other members of his unit. He took umbrage at Pace’s remarks, and said so in a brief letter to the Stars and Stripes. When the paper did a full article on him, the Navy began discharge proceedings against him under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Jason’s final discharge papers came through the day after he spoke in Chicago.

The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Divinity School, and the Center for Gender Studies at the University of Chicago pooled funds to invite Jason to respond to General Pace. He gave a talk to linguistic students about learning Hebrew at the Defense Language Institute in Monterrey, taking classes seven hours a day, five to six days a week for forty-eight weeks. This intensive training provided him with the skills to carry out simultaneous translation for the Navy.

Jason spoke again the next day on campus in “counterpoint” to General Pace’s comments, a few hours before Pace’s speech, describing his experiences as a gay sailor. He was joined by MSgt. Jean Albright who served in the Air Force for twenty years.

Then, outside the building where General Pace gave his speech, Jason spoke with nine media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune which originally broke the story of Pace’s remarks on gays. He reiterated his request that Pace apologize for his remarks.

It was great to spend time with Jason as he set the record “straight” about the outstanding service our gay, lesbian, and bisexual troops provide to our country despite having to live under the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. The University of Chicago community learned what a waste it is for talented, skilled, highly trained service members to be “fired” by the military. The Navy has lost an outstanding linguist. Jason, however, has the skills and training the military provided him, and his whole life ahead of him.

- Julie Kruse

You’ve Paid for the Sickness, Now Pay for the Cure!

It’s Tax Day again. Time to give a little to Uncle Sam for all that he has given us: schools, roads, social security, health care, national security—and discrimination.

Yep, that’s right. Our hard-earned money is being used every day to discriminate against our own countrymen and women.

Every day, the U.S. government fires two people for being lesbian, gay or bisexual. They do it through the only law—local, state or national—that sanctions discrimination. This law is “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and our tax-dollars pay for it—at a tune of at least $364 million since 1993.

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been responsible for the discharge of more than 10,000 men and women from the Armed Services because it mandates the firing of lesbian, gay or bisexual service members. It’s a stupid law that wrecks lives, ruins careers, mocks America’s commitment to civil rights, wastes money and compromises our safety.

With this law, our government makes U.S. tax payers—you and me—to pay for their discriminatory practices. Many Americans have taxes withdrawn from every paycheck and don’t think about the moral implications of how their tax dollars are spent.

For the more than 900 service members who were discharged last year alone, the very taxes that were taken from their paychecks helped pay for their removal from service and the loss of that paycheck.

This is unforgivable!

Join me and by using your tax- refund money to fight their bigotry. Use it to support SLDN. Help us repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Help us take our fight to the Supreme Court. Help us provide free legal services to service members caught in its trap.

SLDN doesn’t get a penny from the government. Not one penny. The federal government won’t fund the fight against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” But you can!

SLDN has responded to each of the more than 8,000 calls for assistance—many from service members anonymously serving on the frontlines in Iraq—only because faithful Americans contribute generously in support of our work. Join them—and me—with a gift of your own. Help us counter-balance the $364 million that the government has already spent.

By making a donation to SLDN, you could even reduce your tax burden next year! SLDN is a tax-exempt, 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and as such, all donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. What this could mean for you is that the more money you contribute, the fewer taxes you might have to pay—and the less money the government has to use against the more than 65,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual service members actively serving right now!

Just as the government needs a steady flow of income to keep our country going, SLDN needs a steady flow of income to keep us going. Put your money to especially good use this year by choosing to help every month by joining Roll Call, our monthly giving program.

With your support, SLDN will continue to offer free legal services to men and women in uniform . . . continue to work with Congress on repeal of this archaic and unfair law . . . and continue to speak out on behalf of service members silenced by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

In addition to your financial support, there are other things you can do to help SLDN achieve our goal of an open and inclusive Armed Forces. You can:

- Join Frontlines, SLDN’s online action center, and invite your friends, family and colleagues to do the same.

- Fly both and American flag and a rainbow flag when observing national holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.

- In observance of Memorial Day, send your local Veterans Service Organization a card in memory of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members who served and sacrificed for our country.

- In November, send your local Veterans Service Organization a Veterans Day card in honor of the more than 1,000,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

- Write a letter to the editor of your newspaper telling them that qualified lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans are denied the opportunity to serve our country at a time when the military can’t meet basic recruitment goals.

Remember, no organization provides the kind of help that SLDN does—and we do it without the help of a single government dollar.

- Polly Stamatopoulos

What are YOU doing on March 24?

Watching Queer Eye re-runs on Bravo? Spending a quiet evening at home? Or painting the town with Cybill Shepherd, Marlee Matlin and Pam Grier?

Tickets are on sale now for SLDN's 15th annual national dinner and silent auction, honoring Showtime's The L Word. Join us for an evening of "honor, courage and victory" as we celebrate the campaign to the lift the ban and pay tribute to the LGBT patriots who served in our armed forces.

This year, we're moving to The National Building Museum, a beautiful venue that's perfect for a night with the stars. It will be an evening you won't soon forget.

- Steve Ralls

(And for those who can't make it to Washington, the event will be blogged, live, by our friend Pam Spaulding.)