According to the SLDN, the Pentagon fires 2 gay people every day.
Brave New Foundation champions social justice issues by using media to inspire, empower, motivate and teach civic participation that makes a difference.
Several months ago, while creating the Iraq Veterans Memorial, one of their producers came across a startling fact: Over 11,000 service members had been discharged from the military in the past 14 years. Why? It seemed nearly impossible that when the military was in need of people willing to serve their country that so many would be discharged. Were they tired of the military? Was it insubordination? Sickness or disease? No, it was simply because of their sexual orientation. These 11,000 service members were discharged because they are gay. We decided to take action. After a few calls to some great organizations (who are all partnered with us on this campaign) we found out more about “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and the fight to lift the ban.
After watching Stephen Benjamin’s story, we hope that you are as disturbed by the inability for gays to openly serve in the US military as we are. Please sign the petition to have your Member of Congress sign on to the Military Readiness Enhancement Act. It is important for the United States to join the ranks of other nations who are fighting alongside us and allow lesbians and gays to serve openly.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is nothing more than institutionalized discrimination.
So when the military draft is reinstated as most people think will happen sometime after the 2008 presidential election, what will it mean to DADT? If you say you’re gay will you automatically be passed over?
It’s ridiculous to me that anyone would want to join the military to “serve his country” while we’re in Iraq.
But it angers me to think a gay or lesbian service person could get kicked out of the military based not on performance but for who they sleep with.
I agree. Lift the ban. If you’re dumb enough to want to go to Iraq for this president then you should be free to do it.
With servicemen performing 3 and 4 tours of duty in Iraq, even the dumbest Republican can see maintaining “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” is foolhardy.
But in the presidential debates, all of the Democrats said repeal and all of the Republicans said leave intact.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a good organization made up of men and women who are committed to getting this antigay policy reversed once and for all.
When you watch the clip of Stephen Benjamin’s story, you see how screwed up the Pentagon’s policy toward gays is and how the GOP, once again, finds itself on the wrong side of an issue and about 20 years behind the curve. When Arizona senator John McCain said in the Republican debates that the current policy is working just fine, I realized how deep the cultural divide is in this countyr.
There is a bill to repeal “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” that has some 122 co-sponsors in the House. Even a few Republicans are co-sponsoring the bill. Now, whether we can expect Pelosi to use her influence to bring the bill to the floor is another issue. She’s a pretty lame Speaker and easily flinches when the party opposite says “boo.”
The time has definitely arrived to repeal this shitty piece of legislation from the first Clinton term. Times are different and it’s up to the Congress to show some rare leadership.
mbmdl- I think it will depend if there’s a war going on.
Lift the ban and then immediately reinstate the men and women who wish to return to the military and allow them to serve openly.
It’s fairly simple. Even the idiots in the Congress should be capable of following this one.
I agree 1000%. Lift the ban. DADT is nothing more than discrimination that targets Americans over their sexual orientation. Join France, the UK, and Israel in the 21st century and stop discriminating against gay soldiers.
Stephen Benjamin is a genuine American hero.
He’s better than the men and women who run the Pentagon. Benjamin has more courage in his ear lobe than General Peter Pace has in his entire body.
I was happy to follow the link and sign the petition. These folks shoud be allowed to serve. It is unlikely thet the Bush regime can develop a “straight bomb”.
I don’t agree with the discrimination, but I don’t think the military is a place for ANYONE under a totalitarian regime!
It might be a hidden blessing folks… Bush’s foreign campaigns are meat-grinders!
Ironic, considering the Commander in Chief had a 2 year relationship with Jeff Gannon-Guckert.
The U.S. never ceases to amaze–and not in the good sense. No wonder citizens of other countries look at us and shake their heads in bewilderment.
I guess better a terrorist invader than one of those awful gays!
Its pretty nuts that they are kicking out gays while welcoming gang members.
For me its not enough for the Democratic presidential candidates to say that they would repeal DADT. I want to see some serious leadership on the issue. In the House, their are more than 120 co-sponsors.
Why hasn’t Clinton, Obama or Biden introduce a Senate version?