Today, September 30, is the final day of the third fundraising quarter of 2009. You should know this by now based on the increased influx into your inbox of email solicitations for your money, and if you're like me you're deleting most of them given your frustration with Congress.
Be frustrated. But don't stop supporting those who are fighting for us.
In particular, the fight for gay equality needs your support today. In America's easternmost state, gays and lesbians have secured full marriage equality -- but conservative activists have forced a ballot measure this fall that will strip away their rights. No On 1 - Protect Maine Equality needs your help keeping this and other ads on the air:
In the House and the Senate, leaders like Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are spearheading the fight each day to ending the military's discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Since taking over the efforts from Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Murphy has gathered more than 170 co-sponsors for the House bill ending DADT. In the Senate, Gillibrand has convinced the Armed Services Committee to hold its first hearings in 15 years on the harms this discriminatory policy has caused.
Murphy:
‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ clearly isn’t working for our military, and it hinders national security and military readiness at a time when America is fighting in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. My time in Iraq taught me that our military needs and deserves the best and the brightest who are willing to serve- and that means all Americans, regardless of their orientation. Discharging brave and talented servicemembers from our armed forces is contrary to the values that our military fights for and that our nation holds dear.
Gillibrand:
This policy is wrong for our national security and wrong for the moral foundation upon which our country was founded. I thank Chairman Levin for agreeing to hold this important hearing. Numerous military leaders are telling us that the times have changed. ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is an unfair, outdated measure that violates the civil rights of some of our bravest, most heroic men and women. By repealing this policy, we will increase America's strength - both militarily and morally.
These efforts need your support every day, and will be particularly noticed today.
Please contribute at my ActBlue Equality Appeal page today to support these crucial efforts. Whether it's $10, $25, $50 or more, every dollar helps the fight.