It takes fortitude to defy your government. It takes an acute level of frustration and determination that most of us don't have to travel to Washington D.C. with the intent of participating in civil disobedience, no matter how righteous the cause. It takes courage to stand off against police and potential jail time.
And that is exactly what at least one Kossack (who prefers anonymity) is doing this very moment. Along with Lt. Daniel Choi, other former servicemen and servicewomen, and a contingent of GetEqual members, this person and the rest are trying, one more time, to call attention to the injustice, insanity and indecency that is the United States' Government's Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy.
Ltdanchoi tweet, Nov. 13th: If you're a veteran ready to go to jail for justice, this is your chance. Now is the time.
Courage: Autumn Sandeen, Lt. Choi and others protesting DADT at the White House earlier this year:
Week Of Anti-DADT Protests Begins With A Vigil -- LezGetReal
After a morning memorial at the grave of Leonard Maltovich (the first gay service member to fight (circa 1975) the ban on gays in the military, he died of AIDS 13 years later and is buried in Arlington Cemetery) the group went to Harry Reid's office on Capitol Hill and requested a meeting. They then plan to proceed to the White House.
Courage: The grave of Leonard Maltovich:
What's going to happen at the White House? We don't know. But here are tweets about the encounters on Capitol Hill and otherwise from some of those participating in the event:
AMERICAblog 2:55 PM: RT @GetEQUAL: Those on the fence are chanting "President Obama, do the right thing!" while Secret Service give multiple warnings #getequal
Photos at AMERICAblog: photos
Pam Spaulding 2:30 PM: BREAKING at #PHB: 3 generations of advocates, vets fighting for repeal of DADT facing arrest at WH. http://goo.gl/...
GetEqual 2:30 PM: GetEQUAL Activists shout out their names as police watch from sidelines. No backing down until DAB is passed with repeal language #getequal #DC
metroweekly 2:30 PM: James Pietrangelo is not on the fence, calling back & forth from Lafayette Park to those chained to the fence. #lgbt #dadt
metroweekly 2:25 PM: Among the 13 on the fence are @speechadvice @clarknt67 and @ltdanchoi. #DADT
Pam Spaulding 2:20 PM:
1. RT @joesudbay: Dan Choi just led protesters in pledge of allegiance from WH fence. #DADT #LGBT 1 minute ago via HootSuite
2. RT @worldojeff: group includes Choi, McGehee and Father Geoff Farrow. 1 minute ago via HootSuite
3. RT @joesudbay: Vets from original #DADT protests 17 yrs ago have joined recently discharged vets at WH protest. 2 minutes ago via HootSuite
4. RT @chrisjohnson82: 13 activists handcuffed to White House gates over #DADT 6 minutes ago via HootSuite
Blabbeando 2:10 PM: Deja Vu all over again RT @chrisjohnson82: 12 13 activists including @ltdanchoi chained to the White House fence now over #DADT
Chris Geidner 2:00 PM: OutServe's JD Smith clarifies: "Nowhere do we call for repeal to be stripped from the NDAA."
LtChoi 1:00 PM: We honor the uniform when we fight for freedom and justice. We dishonor it when we hide from the fight.
LtChoi 1:00 PM: I no longer support or claim membership in @KnightsOut or @OutServe.
GetEqual 12:20: RT @robsmithonline Standing in solidarity with @GetEQUAL in #DC right now. Living history... / SO GLAD to have you with us #DADT #LGBT
More pictures and info: Pam's House Blend 1, Pam's House Blend 2
Photos from today's events: Talk About Equality
11:30 AM: Thank you. Voinovich is a maybe RT @passeos: I voiced my support of repeal of #DADT to Senator #Voinovich
11:30 AM: Call your Senator. Tell them you want "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repealed: Switchboard: 202 224-3121.
Choi 11:15 AM: Told by @HarryReid staff "@BarackObama not engaged on #DADT." Rally @WhiteHouse 2pm.
10:40 AM: Hearing reports that two gay groups are going to support dropping the #DADT repeal. Who do they really support?!
GetEqual 10:25 AM: Leaving Sen Reid's office with no answers - LGBT servicemembers are asking for their jobs back and the Senator has no response.
GetEqual 10:20 AM: Reid's staffer has no answers about the timing of defense bill - says #DADT repeal is still on the table
GetEqual 10:15 AM: Being told that the White House hasn't engaged with Senator Reid's office on #DADT repeal.
10:10 AM: Levin Reid staffer Josh Campbell tells @LtDanChoi NDAA will be passed, doesn't know if #DADT repeal will be included.
10:05 AM: Levin staffer Josh Campbell tells @LtDanChoi NDAA will be passed, doesn't know if #DADT repeal will be included.
10:00 AM: @LtDanChoi ask Deputy Chief of Staff if @HarryReid will commit to repealing #DADT in lame duck: "I don't know."
Courage: DADT protesters today at White House Fence:
Courage: A DADT protest in front of the White House circa 1993:
Courage: A GetEqual protest against DADT in Las Vegas before Netroots Nation:
Courage: Judge Virginia Phillips, the only judge in the United States with the courage to halt Don't Ask, Don't Tell:
Other Reports::
LezGetReal
GetEQUAL has begun a week of protests against the continuation of the law known colloquially as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. They began with a vigil at the grave site of Sergeant Leonard Matlovich. The protests begin amid growing signs that the White House is not exactly getting out and pushing for the repeal of DADT vigorously.
Maltovitch grave ceremony:
Statement by LGBT groups: Via Pam's House Blend
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Servicemember Legal Defense Network (SLDN), Servicemembers United (SU) and the Center for American Progress (CAP), today united to send one strong and consistent message to senators as they return for the lame duck session: repeal the unjust and discriminatory law known as "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this year. Under no conditions should DADT repeal be stripped from the underlying Defense Authorization bill; that is simply a non-starter.
Press Release:
Washington, DC - This afternoon, three generations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender veterans and advocates went back to the White House fence to call for the U.S. Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, and President Obama to make good on their promises to secure the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during the abbreviated, lame-duck session of Congress that started today.
During the direct action organized by GetEQUAL - a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization - and local activists, 13 veterans and advocates handcuffed themselves to the White House fence in an act of non-violent, civil disobedience protesting the un-American, discriminatory law yet to be repealed by Congress -- regardless of the numerous promises by President Obama, Congressional leaders and national LGBT leaders that they would do so by the end of this year.
Photos and video of the three generations of veterans and repeal advocates taking part in an act of civil disobedience today at the White House will soon be available online at www.getequal.org. Also, you can visit GetEQUAL's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/getequal) to stay up-to-date regarding the well-being and release of the 13 veterans and advocates arrested today.
The 13 veterans and repeal advocates arrested today include:
* Five veterans (Lt. Dan Choi, Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen, Cpl. Evelyn Thomas, and Cadet Mara Boyd) who were arrested back in March during the GetEQUAL organized "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" act of civil disobedience at the White House fence demanding President Obama show leadership on repeal.
* Robin McGehee, co-founder and director of GetEQUAL, and Dan Fotou, action strategist for GetEQUAL.
* Former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Miriam Ben-Shalom, who was discharged in 1976 for declaring and admitting she was a lesbian. She became the first-ever LGBT servicemember reinstated to her position in the U.S. Military, by a U.S. Federal District Court. On July 30th, 1993, Miriam and 26 other protesters were arrested at the White House fence for protesting then-President Bill Clinton's broken promise to repeal the gay ban - instead signing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" bill into law.
* Former U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Justin Elzie who, in 1993, became the first Marine ever investigated and discharged under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. Elzie was also the first soldier to be discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to fight his discharge and win - resulting in his service as a Marine for four years as an openly gay man.
* Former U.S. Army Arabic Linguist Ian Finkenbinder, who was discharged from the Army in December 2004 after announcing to his superiors that he was gay. Finkenbinder is an Iraq war veteran and was about to return for a second tour of duty when he was discharged.
* U.S. Army Veteran and Repeal Advocate Rob Smith, who was deployed to both Iraq and Kuwait before being honorably discharged after deciding not to re-enlist in the U.S. Army due to the added pressure of living under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.
* Father Geoff Farrow, a Catholic priest who spoke out against the church's official stance in support of California's Proposition 8, removing the rights of same-sex couples to marry. Because of his courageous stance against Prop 8, Father Geoff Farrow was removed as pastor of St. Paul's by his bishop and suspended as a priest.
* Scott Wooledge, a New York-based LGBT civil rights advocate and blogger who has written extensively on the movement to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" at Daily Kos and Pam's House Blend.
* Michael Bedwell, long-time LGBT civil rights advocate, close friend of Leonard Matlovich, and administrator of the site www.leonardmatlovich.com.
"On the White House fence today, and in a jail cell this evening, are thirteen American patriots," said Robin McGehee, co-founder and director of GetEQUAL. "Included in the thirteen arrested are veterans and advocates spanning three generations of brave and courageous Americans, who sacrificed their careers and lives to see the day this discriminatory ban on openly gay and lesbian service in the military finally goes into the history books. Today, we have sent a loud and clear message to the U.S. Senate and President Obama that we expect them to make good on their promises to end this inhumane law this year, during the lame-duck session of Congress."
"Today, I stand again at the White House fence - 17 years later - still protesting the injustice and hypocrisy of a failed law," said former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Miriam Ben-Shalom. "And with us today is not only the spirit of Lieutenant Enslin, the first to be discharged from the U.S. Military for being gay, but also standing here in spirit are every young woman and man awaiting discharge under the shameful 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law. They are here and we are here, all together still America's daughters and sons, still willing to serve and protect this country. I sincerely pray our country's elected leaders in Congress and the White House will have the courage to repeal this law and make this the last time I have to come back to this fence and be arrested in protest of a law in direct contrast with our values and beliefs as Americans.