This morning, Brandon Friedman wrote a really good, informative diary about how a gay Iraq war vet - Lt. Dan Choi - was fired from the New York National Guard because he admitted publicy that he's gay. Lt. Dan Choi's story was profiled on Rachel Maddow's show (again) yesterday, May 6th 2009 (he had been on once before). The clip is posted again from Youtube below, if you missed it. But I'd also like to invite your below the fold to get some more information on what we - so all you readers at home - can do to help repeal this ridiculous law of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Since Congress is slow to act - it is up to us. Simply stated, this is a civil rights issue. No if's, and's, or but's. There are no excuses. In a recent survey from July 2008, over 75% of Americans said they believe that gay and lesbian soldiers should be able to serve openly (and not hide their identities). Here's that clip of Lt. Choi (below) ...
As you see, Lt. Choi was fired because he merely stated his identity as a gay soldier. He said he was gay in public, and that's enough to get him fired because a majority of our military's leaders continue to marginalize gay soldiers. It is estimated that over 9,000 soldiers or service-members have been fired from their military jobs because of their identities as gay people. Yes, I said 9,000 people were fired.
Now, people have been saying - "What's Obama doing about this?" And that's a valid question, but we also need to be asking - "What is Congress doing about this?" The truth is - Congress seems to be doing very little. That's why we need to be contacting our representatives repeatedly and working to get a bill passed that repeals the DADT law. Congress really holds the power here.
Right now, there actually is a bill to repeal DADT in the 111th House of Representatives, and it's titled H.R. 1283 (The Military Enhancement Readiness Act, or MREA). The full text of HR 1283 is Here. It was introduced by Representative Ellen Tauscher of California (who has subsequently left her job in Congress to work for Obama's administration). The representative who is currently the lead sponsor of HR 1283 is the Iraq War Veteran Representative Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania's 8th district. He apparently took over this responsibility after Ellen Tauscher left her position in Congress. You can also learn more about the bill that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by going Here to OpenCongress.org.
To make sure our gay military personnel have a future, we have to act and right now, the MREA bill to repeal DADT is literally stuck in the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Because the MREA is stuck (and I don't know why it's stuck - aside of the usual bullshit about "paperwork" and "bureaucracy") We need to be contacting the members of that subcommittee (and our own representatives) and demand action. The members of the subcommittee are -
MILITARY PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
- Chairwoman Susan A. Davis, California (D)
- Loretta Sanchez, California (D)
- Vic Snyder, Arkansas (D)
- Madeleine Bordallo, Guam (D)
- Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania (D)
- David Loebsack, Iowa (D)
- Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts (D)
- Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire (D)
- Hank Johnson, Georgia (D)
- Ranking Member Joe Wilson, South Carolina (R)
- Walter B. Jones, North Carolina (R)
- John Kline, Minnesota (R)
- Tom Rooney, Florida (R)
- Mary Fallin, Oklahoma (R)
- John Fleming, Louisiana (R)
You can reach the representatives above by going Here, which is House of Representatives site where you can look up the Representatives' e-mail webform. I'll also include a brief sample letter that you can cut and paste into the Congressperson's webform (below). The issue is - of course - that most of these congressmembers won't accept e-mail from people unless you're a resident of their district. If you'd like to fax a message to the Armed Services Committee (the committee overseeing Miltary Personnel, the fax number is - 202-225-9077 and the phone number is - 202-225-4151).
But we can't stop there.
We have to keep writing and contacting The White House, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, the Subcommittee Members above and more. This is a civil rights issue, and if the United States indeed values equality and freedom like it says it does - then we need to repeal DADT. Here's a brief sample letter that you can use to tell the congress members above - to repeaL DADT. Here's the sample...
Dear Representative _So-and-So___,
Good afternoon. I'm writing today because I have learned that the subcommittee on Military Personnel is currently reviewing an important piece of legislation - H.R. 1283, The Military Enhancement Readiness Act (MREA). This bill is important because it would repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that allows the military to discriminate against gay and lesbian soldiers and military personnel. I am asking you to do whatever is necessary to bring this important piece of legislation (HR 1283) to the House floor for a vote. I wholeheartedly support the MREA, and the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell because it allows the Military to fire its hard-working soldiers simply because of who they love. The discrimination inscribed in that law is ethically wrong and unfair. The hate inscribed in that law is not American or patriotic in any way. Such discrimination does not fit with the United States' commitment to equality and civil rights. I ask you and your fellow committee members to work on repealing the unjust Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Also, I am asking you to co-sponsor the legislation so that we can have more consensus on this matter. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
__________