Activists ACT to End Don't Ask Don't Tell At The White House Fence

Watch this GetEQUAL Action:



Their words are ringing in my ears.

"I am. Somebody.

I deserve. Full Equality."

Yes!

Representative Ike Skelton is worried about "What Do Mommies and Daddies say to their 7-year-old child?" (About Homosexuality) How About this?

My daughter's family portrait

An Open Letter To Representative Ike Skelton, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee:

Dear Representative Skelton, I am the Father of a 7 year old child. And I am a homosexual. In fact, so is my daughter's other father, my husband. So you can imagine that we've had to deal with the issue of how to talk with our child about homosexuality. And far from it being scary or frightening - it's actually a pretty simple conversation. Here it is in 7-year-old-speak:

Some men fall in love with women. Some men fall in love with men.

Love is love, and everyone who finds love is very fortunate.

or,

Some women fall in love with men. Some women fall in love with women.

Love is love, and everyone who finds love is very fortunate.

There. That wasn't that hard, was it? So now you don't have any reason to object to the "national conversation on homosexuality" you're so afraid that repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell will bring about. 'Cause all those mommies and daddies - and even you - well now everyone will know what to say.

Sincerely,

Lee Wind



Why did I write this letter?

Here's the New York Times article on what Representative Skelton said:

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Tuesday that he thought the military should keep its ban on openly gay service members in part because he did not want to open a national discussion about homosexuality. The chairman, Representative Ike Skelton, a conservative Missouri Democrat, said he thought the debate in Congress over the proposed repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy might force families to explain homosexuality to their children. “What do mommies and daddies say to their 7-year-old child?” Mr. Skelton asked reporters at a news media breakfast.

Wanna sign the petition to demand an apology from Rep. Skelton? Go here!

Namaste,
Lee

Memorial Day in the USA: a letter, and a love, to remember

This is a letter written by a gay World War II soldier, and originally published in 1961. It's beautiful, and heart-wrenching, and so profound:

Click on the letter to see it full sized

Our GLBTQ history is so important to preserve, and to know. Thanks to the One National Gay and Lesbian Archives for sharing this with the world, and to all the GLBTQ soldiers who, out or not, fought for our freedoms.

And most of all, my appreciation to Brian and Dave, for having the courage to love all those years ago - and helping us see that even across time, our hearts are the same.

Namaste,
Lee

A Marine (and current CA Assemblyman) Nathan Fletcher on Ending "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Happily, the California Assembly did pass this Anti-Don't Ask Don't Tell measure, which will now go to our Governor Schwarzenegger to (hopefully) sign.




You can e-mail the Governor here.

More info on the bill:



Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Bill Number: SJR 9

This resolution would put California on record in support of the federal Military Readiness Enhancement Act, recognizing the vital contributions of gay and lesbian members of our armed forces and reversing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Status: Passed full Senate with a 23-16 vote on August 24, 2009. Passed the Assembly with bipartisan support on May 13, 2010.

Author: Senator Christine Kehoe

Principal Co-Authors: Senator Leno and Assembly Members Ammiano, Brownley, Evans, Feuer, Jones, Lieu, Ma, Monning, John A. Pérez, and Salas.

Thanks to all the above for the efforts to put California's weight on the side of equality - hoping that pressure helps move things along on the federal level.

In fact, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) is expected to offer an amendment to the House version of the Defense Authorization bill that would overturn DADT. Similar action is also expected in the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 27.

For Rep. Murphy's amendment to be offered, however, the Speaker of the House must first schedule a vote.

And that's where each of us can help - right now.

Urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to schedule a vote on Rep. Murphy's repeal amendment to the Defense Authorization bill next week.

Call Speaker Pelosi today.

(202) 225-0100

Also, contact your representative in Congress and tell them that waiting any longer to repeal this terrible law is not an option.

In the words of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network:

We are closer to achieving repeal than ever before.

And my appreciation to Nathan, for having the courage to speak honestly about this, and to everyone fighting to get rid of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Don't Ask Don't Tell is a Bad Policy for our military, and a Bad Policy for our Supreme Court Nominees. Elena Kagan, are you a Lesbian?

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Sigh.

I wish we didn't have to ask.

But the sphere of public influence has changed, and there's not much that's private about private lives anymore.

A month or so ago, when Elena Kagan's name first floated up as a possible nominee for this Nation's highest court, talk flew about her being a lesbian. The White House was swift to condemn the rumors. I wasn't sure how offended to be by that. I mean, really, who cares if she's a lesbian? And why the presumption of horrible offense/slander for her to be called one? Haven't we moved past that knee-jerk reaction?

Sadly, no. There are plenty of people out there reminding us just how tough it is to be out and proud and still try to achieve great heights.

The American Family Association's Bryan Fischer said on his blog that:

Social conservatives must rise up as one and say no lesbian is qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.

Wow. No lesbian? Really? No matter how qualified?

That's as stark a statement of discrimination as I can imagine.

And that's what we're up against. That mentality of the extreme right that shrieks in anger (which is really their fear) if anyone not part of their club gets close to their power.

Hate-mongers aside, I agree with Andrew Sullivan, who said on his blog that knowing if Elena Kagan is Gay is as material as her being Jewish. If she hid being Jewish, it would be weird and offensive, right? Same deal here.

I'm sure she'll be asked. And I hope she'll answer proudly either:

Yes, I'm a member of the queer community.

or

No, but I'm a straight Ally of the queer community, even more so from this experience of the prejudice they face.

But I hope she doesn't take the 5th and avoid the question. Because at the end of the day, we need to change things so one's sexual orientation is NOTHING to hide. But instead, something to celebrate.

I don't really care if Elena Kagan is a lesbian (though the sense of representation I'd feel if there was an openly queer justice sitting on the high court would be a nice thing.) But you just have to look back in the news a couple of days to be reminded that just having same-sex passions doesn't necessarily make you a friend, or even an ally, of the Gay (GLBTQ) community. (George Rekers, anyone?)

I don't care if Elena Kagan is a lesbian or a straight woman of a certain age who's never been married. All I care about is knowing if she'll be a fair justice, and an Ally to our Queer community, as we fight for equality in the decades ahead.

I'm sure there's some people who feel, like with actors, or sports figures, that a supreme court justice coming out is something to be done from the safety of retirement or after one is sitting with a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land.

And that may very well be the Obama Administration's strategy.

And I may be naive in what I'm about to say, but I'm going to write it anyway:

Hiding sucks. If teenagers can find the strength to be real and fight for the right to attend their Prom with their same-sex girlfriends (like Constance McMillen), then by golly Adults in power should find that strength, too.

If Elena Kagan, US Solicitor General and nominee to the US Supreme Court is a lesbian, let her come out. Let liberals and fair-minded conservatives rally to her side and her cause, and let's have the WAR on the merits of her qualifications.

Let's shame those little-minded bigots who say that "no lesbian is fit to serve" and out-vote them and prove them wrong.

Let's stand up for ourselves, our community, and the teens coming after us.

Come on, Elena Kagan. The truth.

To add to the mix, as Dean of the Harvard Law School Elena Kagan rallied against "Don't Ask Don't Tell," and fought the military's recruitment on her campus.

In an email to students and faculty at the time, Kagan responded to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, stating: "I abhor the military's discriminatory recruitment policy."

But then there's this report, that in answer to a questionnaire regarding her appointment to U.S. Solicitor General, she said:

There is no Federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage.

It's corroborated by CBS news:

If Kagan is confirmed, "The hope of a nationally recognized right to gay marriage is over," writes William Jacobson, associate clinical professor of law at Cornell Law School.

Jacobson notes that in a questionnaire she filled out as a nominee for solicitor general, Kagan unequivocally wrote, "There is no federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage."

The issue may come before the High Court because of a challenge that has been filed against California's Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage.

Huh. That's disappointing.

So, what do you think? Should Elena Kagan come out as whatever she is? And I know it shouldn't matter, but would it matter to you either way?

You Wanna See Hypocrisy In Action? John McCain Wants To Keep "Don't Ask Don't Tell" No Matter What!

Get this - McCain said in 2006 that "Don't Ask Don't Tell" was working (for whom, Senator McCain? More than 13,500 servicemembers have been fired under the policy since 1994.)

At that time, McCain said he would only consider changing the policy if the leaders of our USA military said it should be changed.

Fast forward to last week: On February 2, 2010, The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, testified that "Don't Ask Don't Tell" should be eliminated and that Gay and Lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in our armed forces... And guess what? It would seem McCain doesn't really care what the leaders of our military say about it.

Check out this amazing dailykos video that shows McCain's homophobia-no-matter-what in action:



McCain is practicing the politics of hate, and it's shameful.

If you'd like to express your disappointment to Senator McCain directly, check out this nice e-mail setup over at HRC (the Human Rights Campaign) that lets you send a polite but firm e-mail to the Senator saying "I urge you to live up to your words -- and to the integrity of the office you hold -- and end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Wanna tell President Obama to take action on ending "Don't Ask Don't Tell?" Go here, to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network site, where you can sign a petition.


Okay, and if you really want to be surprised, check out this Fox News report where not only the Fox News Military Analyst Colonel David Hunt comes out in favor of ending Don't Ask Don't Tell, but even the male host of the program adds his two cents, saying

"Yeah, it's like a civil rights issue. I find it absolutely absurd."

Wow. I agree with two people on Fox News!

Check it out:




Namaste,
Lee

"From Here To Eternity" Was a Whole Lot Gayer!

One of the most famous scenes in movie history, this passionate make-out session on the beach, is from the Hollywood version of "From Here To Eternity." Bert Lancaster and Deborah Kerr can't control themselves. Turns out, neither could some soldiers with other guys. But that didn't make the movie. Heck, much of it didn't make the book.

There's this incredible article by Kaylie Jones, over at The Daily Beast. Kaylie is the daughter of James Jones, who wrote the book From Here To Eternity. It was published in 1951, but Kaylie reveals in the article her father's battle with his publisher about a whole gay sex plotline, of soldiers having sex with men for money, and in one case, enjoying it.

You can click on the image in the article and see two of the actual pages where cuts were made, and still read the original type-written scene underneath the crossed out lines.

It's nothing more salacious than in any YA novel these days. But still, because it's Gay, there would probably be a furor over it, even Today.

And that's one of the more poignant moments of the article, because Kaylie says of her father,

He also believed also that homosexuality was a natural condition of men in close quarters, and that it in no way affected a soldier’s capabilities on the battlefield. What would have amazed him is that the discussion still continues to this day, cloaked in the same hypocrisy and silence as it was 60 years ago.

The story of her father's fight to keep some of the Gay content in what became an iconic historical novel is a powerful statement about censorship and our culture's lack of maturity and honesty when it comes to homosexuality.

We're still talking about Don't Ask Don't Tell.

And this just shows how antiquated and ridiculous that is.

Huge thanks to my twitter friends, @heatherwpetty and @EllenHopkinsYA for sharing this article with me, so I could share it with you. This is a great example of what makes twitter so powerful.

Lieutenant Dan Choi comes out, gets fired under "Don't Ask Don't Tell," and what President Obama said about his commitment to end the policy

Rachel Maddow interviews Lieutenant Dan Choi about his recent coming-out and dismissal under "Don't Ask. Don't Tell." She also speaks with the highest ranking former military officer in the US Congress, Representative Joe Sestak, (Dem. PA)

Rachel starts off the segment by sharing a hand-written note President Obama sent a female officer, Lieutenant Sandy Xou [phonetic spelling of her last name] who wrote the President after she was also recently discharged from the military for coming out as gay.

It's essential viewing:



Lieutenant Choi's final words in the interview,

"We Want To Serve"

still ring in my ears!

For more info, you can check out the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network

All right, President Obama. We're waiting for you to come through on this!