Florida Agenda

By BRYAN MOORE

Lt. Dan Choi, one of the nation’s most vocal gay ex-Army soldiers, tells dot429 about his reaction to the repeal of DADT (Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell), the new age of gay activism, his recent hospitalization and his future.

Choi’s face and name have become nearly synonymous with the fight against DADT. Choi emphasizes that the repeal of DADT is not simply a triumph for the LGBT community, but for civil rights. He says, “there are few people who get to put in all this effort and see the benefit from the rewards of their labor. We know that it’s a civil rights historic event, not only for gay civil rights, but for overall civil rights. Our work is not just for us, but as we take down the wall of our oppression, it really lowers the walls of other people’s as well.”

While Choi admits that he will not be invited to the White House bill signing and has never been asked by SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) to speak at a press conference, he explains, “I prefer not to be there at this point. It is not out of bitterness; it is really out of my soldier’s instinct. To seek recognition and fame is counter to the ideals of service.”

There are many opinions surrounding Dan Choi’s role in the repeal of DADT. As a grassroots advocate, Choi believes his role is integral to the cause. “My role has changed a lot and it has confused a lot of people… my activism has turned into something of being a lightning rod for the attention to DADT nationally and internationally. I saw myself and my role as a media whore.” That is not far from what Choi aspires his legacy to be, telling dot429, “I would like to be seen as somebody who made enough trouble and agitated enough that people could not ignore the situation anymore. That would be the feather in my cap.”

Despite being a central public figure in gay activism, Choi, who came out of the closet two years ago, suffers from the same issues that plague many people when they come out. “I’m not fully part of the gay community. I am very new to the gay community. As a military person, it was very difficult for me to embrace the diversity of our entire movement, but I quickly had to because they were embracing me. At the same time, I am not fully there as far as feeling as if I am a solid part of the community. I feel like I am a solid part of the movement, but not the community.”

Last Friday morning, Choi was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with Combat PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). He explains, “I was suicidal and I finally dealt with it. I finally said that it got to be too much.” According to Choi his suicidal thoughts are a composite of coming out to his family and the world, not having people he can trust, and not seeking therapy when he returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. “I am medicated,” Choi says, “I am on a medication to help me sleep and to deal with my anxiety attacks.” He further explains, ” I have a recurring nightmare of Iraqi men with no hands and no heads asking me to help them out.”

“I found a truth throughout this year that I might not have seen when I first started: action and sacrifice speaks much more loudly than the best crafted, eloquent speech.” With that said, Choi offhandedly mentions, “the Libertarian party has asked me to run for Senate, because I am old enough in 2012.” While Choi will not confirm whether he will run, he reiterates his dedication to equal rights, stating, “success for me would be to deeply fall in love again, have a family, and really become something of a professor without portfolio for equal rights.”

video: courtesy of Associated Press

A Letter from President Barack Obama – Commander and Chief.

Moments ago, the Senate voted to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

When that bill reaches my desk, I will sign it, and this discriminatory law will be repealed.

Gay and lesbian service members — brave Americans who enable our freedoms — will no longer have to hide who they are.

The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.

This victory belongs to you. Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that.

Instead, you helped prove again that no one should underestimate this movement. Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit.

This victory also belongs to Senator Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and our many allies in Congress who refused to let politics get in the way of what was right.

Like you, they never gave up, and I want them to know how grateful we are for that commitment.

Will you join me in thanking them by adding your name to Organizing for America’s letter?

I will make sure these messages are delivered — you can also add a comment about what the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” means to you.

As Commander in Chief, I fought to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” because it weakens our national security and military readiness. It violates the fundamental American principles of equality and fairness.

But this victory is also personal.

I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.

But I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me — many I will never meet, and can never thank.

I know this repeal is a crucial step for civil rights, and that it strengthens our military and national security. I know it is the right thing to do.

But the rightness of our cause does not guarantee success, and today, celebration of this historic step forward is tempered by the defeat of another — the DREAM Act. I am incredibly disappointed that a minority of senators refused to move forward on this important, commonsense reform that most Americans understand is the right thing for our country. On this issue, our work must continue.

Today, I’m proud that we took these fights on.

Please join me in thanking those in Congress who helped make “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal possible:

http://my.barackobama.com/Repealed

Thank you,

Barack

WASHINGTON D.C. – After years of campaigning by President Barack Obama, months of testimony and public opinion by the highest ranking members in the Armed Services and thousands of pleas from service members, the road to repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the policy that allows gays and lesbians to be fired from the military for being homosexual, has hit a roadblock.

Needing 60 votes, the United States Senate fell three votes short of moving to stop debate on the Defense Authorization Bill, which includes the DADT repeal.

“Despite having the bipartisan support of a clear majority of senators, a minority of senators are standing in the way of the funding upon which our troops, veterans and military families depend,” Obama said in a statement. “This annual bill has been enacted each of the past 48 years, and our armed forces deserve nothing less this year.”

The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Gay rights groups are livid, and some even protested in front of the Senate chambers shortly after the defeated vote.

“History will hold these senators accountable and so will many of their constituents,” said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a group pushing for repeal of the law. “There will be no place for these Senators to hide. The Senate and the president must remain in session and in Washington to find another path for repeal to get done in the lame-duck.”

Joe Manchin of West Virginia was one of the Senators who voted against cloture, which would have brought the bill to a full Senate vote. Manchin stated that he did not support cloture because he had not yet consulted constituents on the issue, but said that the policy “probably should be repealed in the near future.”

According to reports, however, Lieberman sent out a tweet saying he and Collins are immediately introducing a freestanding bill to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has agreed to bring it to the floor in the lame-duck session.

Nearly 13,400 service members have lost their job since 1994 because they were outed for being gay or lesbian.

Click On Image to View Fullscale.

All I want for  Christmas….

WASHINGTON D.C. – Thanks to a change in rules on Oct. 21 by United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, no U.S. military members have lost their jobs under the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. Gates said that all service members who were ‘outed’ would have to be dismissed only by the four service secretaries. Since that rule change, none of the secretaries have dismissed anyone for DADT from the Navy, Marines, Army or Air Force.

A study commissioned by President Barack Obama showed that repealing DADT would have no effect on the readiness of the Armed Services.

DENVER, CO

On November 1, a Federal Appeals Court indefinitely extended its freeze on a judge’s order halting enforcement of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the U.S. government’s request for a stay while it challenges the trials court’s ruling that the ban on openly gay service members is unconstitutional

By DMITRY RASHNITSOV

On October 12, gay and lesbian military personnel serving in the United States Armed Services all over the world were finally able to breath a sigh of relief that they wouldn’t lose their job if they were outed. However, the past week and a half has been more stressful in the fight to repeal, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ than the previous 17 years of the policies existence.

The Log Cabin Republicans, a group that works within the Republican Party to advocate equal rights for all Americans filed suit in federal district court against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2004. The case went to trial in Riverside, California in July of 2010, and Judge Virginia Phillips ruled on September 9, 2010 that the policy violated the First and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution. On October 12, Judge Phillips granted a world-wide injunction against enforcement of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“After finding in Log Cabin Republicans v. United States that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ violates service members’ First and Fifth Amendment rights, a world-wide injunction was the only reasonable solution,” said Christian Berle, Deputy Executive Director of Log Cabin Republicans. “These soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen sacrifice so much in defense of our nation and our Constitution. It is imperative that their constitutional freedoms be protected as well. This decision is also a victory for all who support a strong national defense. No longer will our military be compelled to discharge service members with valuable skills and experience because of an archaic policy mandating irrational discrimination. The United States is stronger because of this injunction, and the Log Cabin Republicans is proud to have brought the case that made it possible.”

President Barack Obama had long campaigned for the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and continues to say that he wants the law overturned by congress, but his administration has decided to appeal Judge Phillip’s injunction to a higher court.

“First of all, I haven’t ‘mentioned’ that I’m against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ I have said very clearly, including in a State of the Union address, that I’m against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and that we’re going to end this policy. That’s point number one,” President Obama stated during the MTV-BET “Youth Town Hall” meeting October 14 at BET Networks studio in Washington, D.C. “Point number two, the difference between my position right now and Harry Truman’s was that Congress explicitly passed a law that took away the power of the executive branch to end this policy unilaterally. So this is not a situation in which, with a stroke of a pen, I can simply end the policy.”

While President Obama’s pen seems to have run out of ink, lawyers at the Justice department have had time to type up responses to Judge Phillips and continue to fight her decision. They plan on taking the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco and, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The farther the decision gets from the presentation of evidence in the trial court, the more likely it is that courts will assume the military must have some critically important interest at stake,” said Diane Mazur, a law professor who opposes the policy.

Nearly 14,000 troops have been fired since the policy’s enactment. The Pentagon has come out and stated that they will have difficulty with complying with the DADT injunction. “Requiring the Department to cease all enforcement of DADT, immediately and worldwide, will cause significant disruptions to the force in the short term,” a statement from the Pentagon said. The Pentagon also suggested that it has not provided the troops with any training to prepare for the suspension of the ban.

Since the Judge’s ruling there have been no incidents filed relating to Unit cohesion problems, disciplinary problems, resignations, or privacy problems relating to openly-gay troops. A recent survey of armed services personal said that 2/3 of them believed that someone in their unit is gay, so training troops is probably more of an excuse than an actual problem that the army will realistically have to deal with.

For those banking on DADT being repealed during the lame-duck Congress session after the elections where the Democrats are expected to have their last chance at a majority Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) has already come out and publicly stated that he will filibuster any attempt to repeal DADT.

“I will filibuster or stop it from being brought up until we have a thorough and complete study of the effect on morale and battle effectiveness,” McCain said.

The former presidential candidate said in 2006 that he would support a repeal of DADT. Is it old age or his maverick ways that have caused McCain to forget what he once stood for?

While congressmen, the president, judges, attorneys and civil rights groups continue the DADT fight in a courtroom and through paperwork, real closeted gay and lesbian troops all over the world must sit and wait to see what the outcome of all of this legal wrangling will be, while living in fear that someone with a vendetta against them may out them for no reason and cause a good person to needlessly lose their job.

By (Former YN3) Stephen R. Lang

When the issue of repealing the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell United States military policy was discussed in our office it brought up a lot of ghosts from my past.  I had served honorably for 87.5% of my time and when they say in Boot Camp that 1 in 4 will make it to their discharge date–I would have guaranteed I would be the one.  I grew up to respect authority, love America, and come from generations of proud military personnel.  After a much consideration I joined the US Navy after a short failed stint with college and from Day 1 I wanted to go back.  On Day 2 of boot camp we joined for America.

While in the Recruiter’s office finalizing Signing Up he asked me point blank, “Are you gay?  Do you like sucking (penis)?” In January of 1993 they could ask you outright and only later President Clinton modified it.  I remember arriving at Boot Camp and falling for my Company Commander.  I not only idolized him as a man, a leader, and an experienced seaman but that is when I realized that my life was in jeopardy.  What I mean is that you are conditioned to believe and act as they want you to and basically be like them.  It is important especially for naval survival to think and act like a unified team and without it you could be flopping around in the ocean while the ship sails away.

My ship (the former) USS SUPPLY AOE 6 was the first in a class of ships and had a lot of problems with design and had many delays and setbacks.  Within my term onboard, I knew well over 2,000 people personally. You grow to know and appreciate each crew member because you might actually depend on them for survival.  When you are out to sea, there is no fire department or ambulance to call.  Commodore is a natural progression but when confined to something like a boat out to sea, it is intensified.

I officially realized I was gay in August of 1994 and it was during the height of Anne Rice’s Vampire novels and totally identified with the spiritually wounded and existentialist Louis.  This feeling of loneliness only intensified when faced with the fact that your job and your life as you know it would be over if they found out.  In the midst of coming to terms with everything my friend was discharged.  As he was walking down the pier for the last time I discovered a couple of friends who took me under their wings and made me realize I am ok, I am not alone, this is not horrible, and no matter what they had my back.  Seniority (within the lower ranks) was loosely based on Time Spent at the command and by this time there were less than 100 Plank Owners onboard.  We were special and I was sparkly.

I officially came out to a Sicilian Neanderthal worker of mine while we were scrubbing the wax off our office floor (only to put a new coat down.)  He was going off on a tirade about gays and lesbians and how they do not deserve to live and have rights and I ended up screaming “You don’t know what we go through!” He fell over cut his head and had to get three stitches.  It’s kind of funny to think that there is someone out there with a scar from me coming out to them.

My friends and I were actually called The Three Queens of The Supply and were The Fab Three a decade before Queer Eye. As we traveled all over the Caribbean in 1996 everyone knew, including the Captain.  Things came to a screeching halt when my Captain, Executive Officer, Administrative, and Legal Officers all left within four months and were replaced with very odd Right Wingers.  My direct boss was a Minister and even he thought they were strange.

What eventually led me to leaving was when the Legal Officer strategically pulled my workers aside and asked them that if they had any problems with me, my personal life affecting them, or had issues against me (wink-wink) I would be off the ship in 24 hours.  I had witnessed the aftermath of my best friend getting stomped in the face in his (bed), an attempted suicide in the (bathroom) at 3 AM, but also the sad stoic faces of the Old Dogs at The Garage in Norfolk who thought they had too much to lose to ever Came Out (at work).  The Navy was your life and these were the signs I saw.  Four of my five direct bosses left and I didn’t want to live under a microscope so I voluntarily left.

Not every command is perfect but I honestly feel that it will be at least 10 years before gays and lesbians can comfortably serve in the military.  This is a big move for the future but please do not think this will be an overnight acceptance by any means.  I also do not want gay people to be outted either.  Onboard ships 1/3 of the crew are allowed to constantly wear knives as part of their uniform and ¼ carry around a long steel nail called a marlinespike.  I have overheard the God awful and gut wrenching intentional conversations, told outright I should die, been physical abused, and socially ostracized.

When a Plank Owner officially leaves the Navy or changes duty stations, they are announced over the loud speaker and a bell is rung in their honor.  When I left, having earned The National Defense Medal, Navy “E” Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, and a Navy Achievement Medal as well as countless other commendations the new Captain denied me that honor.  When that one thing you struggled and longed for is taken away pettily–it feels worse than being punched in the face.  I want to finish by saying that I never stopped loving America or realizing how important the military’s role is in bringing and maintaining freedom.  A certain few individuals never once spoiled my views against The Navy or my military experience.  Actually, up to about five years ago, had I been given a Second Chance and allowed back, I would have gone.

A clip from the Rachel Maddow Show exposing Rep Ike Skelton’s concern with repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell because it may cause a national discussion on homosexuality.   “What do mommies and daddies say to their 7 year old children?”

Congress on verge of eradicating anti-GLBT policy from the military

By DMITRY RASHNITSOV

Petty Officer Larry Whitt of Fort Lauderdale traveled to Washington DC two months ago and got arrested after chaining himself to the White House. Now Officer Whitt and the thousands of other United States military personnel who have been fighting the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy know their work has not been in vain. By a 234-194 vote last week, The United States House of Representatives approved an amendment to repeal the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. Miami representative Ileana Ros Lehtinen was one of the few republicans to vote for the repeal.The Senate Armed Service Committee, by a 16-12, approved a similar amendment repealing DADT. Florida Senator Bill Nelson did vote for the repeal in the committee. The full Senate must still vote on the measure, expected sometime this week.

If the amendment is passed in the Senate, the actual repeal would take place 60 days after a Pentagon report about the affects of letting gays and lesbians serve openly is completed. The report is due by December 1.

“I am pleased that both the House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee took important bipartisan steps toward repeal tonight… Our military is made up of the best and bravest men and women in our nation, and my greatest honor is leading them as Commander-in-Chief. This legislation will help make our Armed Forces even stronger and more inclusive by allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve honestly and with integrity,” President Obama said in a statement after making it a campaign pledge of his to repeal the ban.

The American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) and other LGBT groups are not exactly jumping in the air in excitement about having to wait for the actual repeal to happen after the December 1 report is returned, but they are pleased that this step towards LGBT equality was a long time coming.

“AVER is cautiously optimistic that the actions taken by Congress this week towards repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will eventually accomplish an end to discrimination against gay and lesbian service members and halt the discharge of trained military professionals who possess critical skills necessary for our nation’s defense against terrorist attack,” said AVER National President Danny Ingram. “The bottom line of this week’s actions, however, is that today openly gay and lesbian troops are still being discharged from the military, which means that critical support services are still being denied to troops on the battlefield. And crucial members of America’s intelligence operations, including highly trained military linguists, are still being ejected from service.”

Support for the repeal among the general U.S. population is the strongest it has ever been. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey taken last week announced that 78 percent of the public favor allowing openly gay people to serve in the military.

Still, some right wing Christian groups are vehemently fighting to keep the ban intact.

According to a research paper published by the Family Research Council, an anti-GLBT group, “The military already has a serious problem with sexual assault by homosexuals. If the current law against homosexuality in the military is overturned, the problem of same-sex sexual assault in the military is sure to increase. If the law is overturned and open homosexuals are welcomed into the military, the number of homosexuals in the armed forces can only increase-leading to a corresponding increase in same-sex sexual assaults.”

The Family Research Council findings conclude that. “Allowing open homosexuality in the military would do nothing to enhance the readiness or effectiveness of our armed forces. On the contrary, it would clearly damage them-in part because it would increase the already serious problem of homosexual assault in the military.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid believes he has the 60 votes needed to get the legislation passed as part of the annual Pentagon budget.