For nearly 15 years the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has tracked and represented U.S. military personnel ousted under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. During that time, the Pentagon has ousted some of the finest of its ranks, during times of war, when the armed forces could hardly lose even one quality recruit.
Well that practice, which many call a form of institutionalized bigotry, may soon be coming to an end. SLDN announced through its email network this weekend that the U.S. House will be holding hearings on DADT. Here's the text of what I received...
>>>>> BEGINNING OF MESSAGE <<<<<
Dear Scott,
Fifteen years.
It
has been almost fifteen years since Congress signed "Don't Ask, Don't
Tell" into law. Fifteen long years later, it is eminently clear that it
is a failed policy.
With your support, Congress could finally admit that too.
Next
Wednesday, the House of Representatives' subcommittee on Military
Personnel will hold the first hearing on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" since
it was enacted.
No other law in the United States mandates an
employer fire someone for being gay. It's time Congress finally
abandons "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allows gay, lesbian, and bisexual
Americans to serve their country openly.
Wednesday's hearing
marks an important turning point in our fight, but it's just the
beginning. There is a long road ahead; and as we approach the historic
elections this fall, it's critical that we use this opportunity to
build momentum within the current SLDN community and far, far beyond.
It's incredibly important that you spread the word to your friends and family right now:
http://action.sldn.org/hearing
At
a time when our military is already stretched thin, it makes no sense
to prohibit qualified individuals from serving simply because of their
sexual orientation.
What's more, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is
depriving our armed forces of critical specialists at a time we need
them most. For example, nearly 60 gay, lesbian, and bisexual Arabic
linguists have been discharged even though there's a military-wide
shortage of service members with these essential skills.
The
American public clearly understands this. Recent polling shows that 79
percent of the country supports allowing openly gay Americans to serve
in the military, up from 57 percent in 1992.
More than 12,500
service members have already been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't
Tell," and there are still an estimated 65,000 gay Americans serving in
our military in secret. For the sake of equality and a stronger
military, they must be allowed to serve openly.
Tell your
friends and family to support the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and
alert them of the important hearing being held on Wednesday in the
House of Representatives:
http://action.sldn.org/hearing
This
is an exciting time for us, but there's still a lot of work to do at
this crucial stage of the journey -- and we need you to step up and do
your part.
With your help, the United States can finally have a military that truly reflects the freedom they're fighting for.
Sincerely,
Aubrey Sarvis
Executive Director
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
>>>>> END OF MESSAGE <<<<<
Let's keep an eye on this one...it could mean a just demise for such an unjust policy.
ScottsBigMouth
