Gay Troops Urge Defense Bill Passage Even if DADT Fails

Politico.com is reporting that two of the most important groups representing gay and lesbian troops, OutServe and KnightsOut, have requested that Congress pass the National Defense Authorization Bill, even if doing so would require sacrificing the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."

According to their logic, the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is critical. But the safety of their peers is even more paramount. Because the defense budget bill includes essential provisions to keep the troops safe, such as armored humvees, gay and lesbian troops are saying that if passing the budget means delaying repeal, they will continue to serve loyally.

Here is their statement:

There is nothing more important than loyalty to those with whom we serve. This means ensuring that no one issue interferes with funding the courageous and selfless work our fellow service members are doing around the world. Therefore, on behalf of the more than 1,000 active duty gay and lesbian service members and 500 gay and lesbian veterans we represent, we respectfully urge Congress to pass the FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Act to fund the aircraft, weapons, combat vehicles, ammunition and promised pay-raises for all troops, whether or not the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is included.


To be clear, we will continue to fight for our integrity as gay and lesbian service members and we hope that legislative action in Congress can be taken in 2010 to lift the ban. With the support of President Obama, Chairman Mullen, Secretary Gates and the reported seventy-percent of service members surveyed, a new day of openly gay service is at hand if Congress acts during this lame duck session. We are proud to serve in the United States Armed Forces today and tomorrow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-belkin/gay-troops-ok-defense-bil_b_783653.html

PB

:wow:

of queer activism.

they are true heroes.

thank you for posting this, Tx4obama.
outstanding!!


peace and solidarity, always!

OutServe and KnightsOut are not two of the most important groups by any stretch of the imagination, they are both small and fringe. While I support both of them I disagree with both on their statement - as do all major LGBT groups.

do you have a problem with? this? :

-snip-

To be clear, we will continue to fight for our integrity as gay and lesbian service members and we hope that legislative action in Congress can be taken in 2010 to lift the ban. With the support of President Obama, Chairman Mullen, Secretary Gates and the reported seventy-percent of service members surveyed, a new day of openly gay service is at hand if Congress acts during this lame duck session. We are proud to serve in the United States Armed Forces today and tomorrow.

------

Some members of the gay community are up in arms about this statement. But I think it took a lot of chutzpah, and that it makes Senate Republicans look petty.

Just yesterday, Senator John McCain criticized the upcoming Pentagon Working Group Report on "don't ask, don't tell" because he doesn't like its conclusion that repeal will not harm the military. He used the same tactic that anti-gay activists have employed for decades. When the evidence doesn't support the reasons they offer for discrimination, they just turn the data upside down. In this case, the Pentagon report is expected to be 90% supportive of the idea that gays don't harm the military, so the Senator's only option is to pretend that it is 50-50.

So here you have gay and lesbian troops putting the country first. And Senator McCain putting discrimination first. That's what today's statement is about.

***

sounds excellent to me.


peace

http://www.keennewsservice.com/2010/11/15/two-groups-send-mixed-message-on-dadt-repeal-timing/

Two relatively small and obscure groups that support repeal of the military’s ban on gays issued a statement Monday morning urging the Senate to pass the annual defense authorization bill “whether or not the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” is included.”

The general circulation media immediately began reporting that there was a rift in the LGBT community over the issue and that the two groups—OutServe and Knights Out—had called for stripping DADT repeal from the FY 2011 Defense Authorization bill.

Reaction from many in the LGBT community was swift and harsh. Gay political blogger John Aravosis said it was an effort to kill DADT repeal. Blogger Pam Spaulding characterized it as a “bombshell.” And four groups—the Human Rights Campaign, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Servicemembers United, and the Center for American Progress—issued a joint statement Monday urging LGBT groups to “send one message” to Congress: “Repeal DADT Now.”

“Under no circumstances should DADT repeal be stripped from the underlying Defense Authorization bill,” said the statement. “That is simply a non-starter.”

one of those speaking in this article intends for DADT to continue on. they are different strategies.

yours is not MORE legitimate than others' who have EQUAL interest in the outcome.

BREAKING: 3 generations of advocates, vets fighting for repeal of DADT facing arrest at WH
by: Pam Spaulding
Mon Nov 15, 2010 at 14:26:48 PM EST

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/17975/breaking-3-generations-of-advocates-and-vets-fighting-for-repeal-of-dadt-arrested-at-wh

the wrong thing, or the inferior thing.

we all want the repeal of DADT.


peace

it is a matter of differing strategies, to attain the same, shared goal.

neither is a superior strategy. but a strategy that reflects the selfishness of repukes, on both DADT and on the authorization bill, seems to me to have more potential to be effective. just opinions here, mine and yours and all theirs.

they are more than likely considered important to the military personnel that are members and to those that support them.

Out of an estimated 66,000 in uniform. That's a little over 1%, isn't it?

Hmm, I've never heard of these two groups.

OutServe - The Underground Network of LGBT Actively Serving Military Personnel
http://outserve.org/

KnightsOut - An organization of West Point Alumni, Staff and Faculty who are united in supporting the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender soldiers to openly serve their country.
http://knightsout.org/

It's the third photo at this link, too big to post here:

http://talkaboutequality.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/the-ghosts-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-moving-forward/

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GetEqual is great. I hope I read about them every day for the next 44 days. :hi:

Here's a link to the GET EQUAL new campaign, if you're interested in having it.
----------

The below was posted on Alan.com (Liberland) Alan Colmes website the other day

• The first Marine in the nation to be discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Justin Elzie, tells Alan about a new campaign to get Congress to repeal the policy.

Link to the NEW campaign below:
http://getequal.org/2010/11/the-country-is-organizing-next-week-are-you/

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Details here: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_westpoint_knightsout_031609w/

come to think of it.

I guess I don't see the value of baring your chest in a shark tank but that's just m.o.

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Then we won't need to spend billions more protecting them from the harm we wrongly and illegally placed them in.