Demand Post-Thanksgiving DADT Repeal

The Senate has promised to review legislation to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy which bars lesbian, gay and bisexual servicemembers from the armed forces. Insiders suggest that there are enough votes (including a few moderate republicans) to overcome a filibuster. We must take this issue up now since progressive voices have been losing seats this may be the last chance for full repeal within the legislature for years to come.



Take action via HRC and call your senators now!

Taxpayers Demand $4.4 Million Refund Over Anti-Gay Military Survey

Servicemembers United an advocacy organization dedicated to repealing the anti-gay military policy known as Don't Ask Don't Tell is furious over a new and biased survey about the policy.

The Department of Defense just paid the research firm Westat the outrageous sum of $4.4 million to design and administer an email-based survey about the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. While its development was shrouded in secrecy for weeks, leaked copies of the final version recently began circulating. To everyone’s surprise, the survey, which went out to 400,000 service members, turned out to be laced with bias, inaccuracies, and derogatory assumptions and insinuations about gay and lesbian Americans. Demand that Westat and the Pentagon repay the American Taxpayer for this outrageous waste of $4.4 million!

Sign the petition to demand a full refund and an end to the discriminatory policy of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Veterans Lobby Day on Capitol Hill

Today hundreds of LGBT veterans and allies will descend on Capitol Hill to demand a repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy which bars openly gay servicemembers. A full schedule of events can be seen at Veterans Lobby Day.

There is also a "virtual lobby day" action and no matter where you are you can engage in two minute activism to show your support for repeal. LGBT POV is encouraging us to call our members of congress and demand repeal now.

Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121, tell them where you live, and ask them to connect you to your representative’s office.

Tell the staffer who picks up: Hi, this is [YOUR NAME] from [YOUR CITY] and I’m calling to support the Veteran’s Lobby Day that’s happening today. I urge Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year.



Also be sure to read up on the latest story of veterans from the front lines speaking up against the policy and join Howard Dean by signing the petition for repeal.

DADT Protest Rally in Washington D.C. on May 2nd

Newly formed activist group GetEQUAL will be holding a rally to protest the military's anti-LGBT Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. President Obama had promised to repeal the policy this year in his State of the Union address, but it appears the administration is backing down on that commitment to the gay community and the military.



Sunday May 2nd, 2010
Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. at 12:00 PM

Washington D.C. Rally for DADT Repeal Tomorrow

LGBT activists are headed to the nations capital to rally and lobby for an immediate repeal of the discriminatory Don't Ask Don't Tell policy which bars gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers from serving openly. Among the protesters will be esteemed comedian and straight ally Kathy Griffin.

Thursday, March 18th
NOON
Freedom Plaza, Washington, DC (on Pennsylvania Ave NW between 13th and 14th streets)

Virtual Lobby Day to Repeal DADT

The Human Rights Campaign is holding a virtual lobby day to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell that is coinciding with the hearings of the issue on Capitol Hill. Today is the day to put pressure on the congress to demand a full repeal of the policy barring openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual people from serving their country.

Take action to enable free and open service:

• First, go to the special action page where you can email your elected officials.

• Follow-up with a phone call. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Tell them where you live, and they’ll connect you to any of your lawmakers’ offices. Tell your lawmakers that you’re calling to urge Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year.

• Spread the word on Facebook. You can also RSVP to the virtual lobby day event and invite your friends.

• Use Twitter to spread the word. Our volunteer lobbyists will be tweeting from the Capitol using the #DADT, #ENDA, #DPBO, #HIV and other hashtags. Once you take action, tweet about the experience and join the conversation.

• Learn more at www.hrc.org/RepealDADT

Tell John McCain to Stop Flip-Flopping on DADT

Senator John McCain has reversed his position on the anti-gay Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. Just four years ago he said he would vote to repeal the policy if military commanders said it was the right thing to do. Now fast track to 2010 and top military leaders are calling for a repeal but McCain is saying he is against it.

Tell Senator McCain to follow the lead of military commanders in repealing DADT by using this HRC form.

Voices of Honor - Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell

The Human Rights Campaign has a national campaign to repeal the anti-gay Don't Ask Don't Tell policy in the U.S. military. Voices of Honor is an effort to ensure that the 66,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members no longer have to hide their identities and risk being taunted or kicked out of the military.

The policy has been in place since 1993 but President Barack Obama has pledged in his State of the Union address to work with congress to repeal the policy this year.

Urge congress to act swiftly to repeal DADT, an archaic and immoral piece of legislation.

Tell Speaker Pelosi to Make Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal a Priority

The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR 1283) which would allow gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers to serve openly has the backing of the majority of citizens and Democrats in power. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has the power to make this issue of ending discrimination in our military a priority.

Join SLDN and the Courage Campaign in urging Speaker Pelosi to act to end DADT.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to Protest at White House

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is organizing 265 veterans, allies and supporters to march on the White House 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and urge President Obama to break his silence on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" repeal.

The 265 marchers represent the number of service members discharged since the President and the new Congress were sworn in. The marchers will be led by five of the plaintiffs in Cook v. Gates, a Supreme Court case that was filed by the plaintiffs and SLDN in December 2004 on behalf of 12 lesbian and gay veterans discharged under DADT.

Lt. Dan Choi Unveils 'Don't Hide' T-shirts Supporting DADT Repeal

Lieutenant Dan Choi, recently famous for being discharged under the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy has come out with new t-shirts. The "Don't Hide" t-shirts are available hand painted or silk screened, and you can get your t-shirt signed by Lt. Choi for an additional cost.

"Don't lie, don't hide, don't discriminate. Don't weaken the military" -Lt. Dan Choi

http://www.donthidetm.com/

PROTEST President Obama's Broken Promises To the Queer Community

Many in the LGBT community are growing increasingly frustrated with Barack Obama's inaction on LGBT issues, and what is being seen as his administrations anti-gay decisions and actions.

The Gay Liberation Network will be protesting President Obama on Monday June 15th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. Protesters are mad that Obama continues to enforce the Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy barring gays from serving openly in the military. They are also outraged that the administration defended the Defense of Marriage Act in courts using some ridiculous claims and marriage equality opposition tactics. Some are also still mad about his giving a platform to anti-gay people like Rick Warren and Donnie McClurkin.

The GLN demands that President Obama:

*Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and come out for marriage equality

* Repeal Don't Ask / Don't Tell

* Legalize readily accessible needle exchanges to reduce HIV / AIDS transmission

* End faith-based initiative funding which allows for religious groups to discriminate against LGBT people

PROTEST President Obama's visit to Chicago:
10:30 AM – 12 noon
Monday, June 15
Hyatt Regency Hotel
151 E. Wacker Drive
(one block east of Michigan Avenue)

Info: LGBTliberation@aol.com

Tell the President to End the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy and not to Fire Lt. Dan Choi

Lt. Dan Choi, from Orange County, California, is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an Iraq War veteran. Last March he went on Rachel Maddow's show and spoke three truthful words: "I am gay."

As a result Lt. Choi received a letter from the Army on April 23 discharging him for violating the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. He told Rachel Maddow the letter was "a slap in the face" to himself and the soldiers he as commanded and served with over the past decade.

Lt. Choi is fighting to stay in the military and ensure that no other soldier is ever again discharged as a result of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile are joining his effort to secure equality in our armed forces.

President Obama did not create this policy. But he now has the opportunity to keep his promise and allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military. It's the right thing to do -- for justice and for national security.

140,860 people (as of Tuesday, May 26) have signed the following petition to President Obama from the Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile. Please add your name now:

DADT Protest In Support of Lt. Dan Choi in Irvine, California

The Orange County chapter of Equality California (OCEC) is organizing a rally in support of Lt. Dan Choi who was ejected from the Army National Guard under the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy for coming out as a gay man on the Rachel Maddow show on March 20th.

You may remember that Mr. Choi and others created an organization called Knights Out to support LGBT alumni of West Point.

The protest will be held today...

May 7, 2009 from 2pm to 3pm
Bridge over Campus Dr. (Irvine, CA)
4255 Campus Drive
Irvine, CA 92612

People are encouraged to bring signs and friends to show support for Mr. Choi and repealing the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.

Tell Congress: Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

A Message From PFLAG:

Please email your Member of Congress and urge them to support repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Lawmakers are now considering The Military Readiness Enhancement Act - a bill that would end the prohibition on service by lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans - and they need to hear from their constituents about why this issue is so important.

By the end of today, two more service members will be dismissed from our armed forces under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

That's right: Two people are fired by our federal government, every day, simply because of who they are, and who they love. Since the law's inception, more than 12,000 men and women - including doctors, linguists, helicopter pilots and others - have been dismissed from the military.

Military families deserve to be treated equally under the law. LGBT Americans deserve an opportunity to serve our country. And our country deserves a fighting force that includes the best and brightest our country has to offer, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops, too.

Join PFLAG in calling on Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The time has come to end this discriminatory law and break down the barriers that prevent our loved ones from proudly defending the country we love.

Through this PFLAG Action Alert you can put another dent into this discriminatory law.

D.C. Freedom to Serve Rally and Lobby Day!

Join Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to build momentum for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and show solidarity for all our service members.

When: Friday, March 13, 2009, noon
Where: Grounds of the U.S. Capitol, Washington DC


RSVP for the Freedom to Serve rally by clicking here or contact Benjamin Mishkin, at bmishkin@sldn.org. To RSVP for Lobby Day, click here or contact Jeremy Wilson-Simerman, Policy Advocate, at jwilson@sldn.org.