Dear Mr. President,
As June comes to a close and San Franciscans finish celebrating Pride, I want to thank you for officially declaring June LGBT Pride month. I also want to thank you for celebrating the 40th anniversary of Stonewall yesterday with a commemorative reception today, June 29, 2009. I now hope that on the morning of Lieutenant Dan Choi’s trial for "moral and professional dereliction" under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” you will make good on your campaign promise to repeal this policy. While it is too late to make a difference to the 265 servicemembers who have been discharged since you took office, it is not too late for Lt. Choi.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) has been harmful not only to patriotic LGBT servicemen and women like Lietenant Choi, but to the United States. By the start of 2009, U.S. armed forces had lost over 13,000 troops to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” more than the equivalent of an Army division. Of these, like Lt. Choi who is an Arabic translator, over 700 possessed mission critical skills. As you stated during your campaign in an interview with The Advocate, “….we’re spending large sums of money to kick highly qualified gays or lesbians out of our military... That doesn’t make us more safe, and what I want are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who are making decisions based on what strengthens our military and what is going to make us safer, not ideology.”
Why, when you confirmed the harm that DADT does to our country’s military readiness during your campaign, are you “stonewalling” now? While, as you argue, it is up to Congress to repeal DADT, researchers at the Michael D. Palm Center have already provided you with a framework for moving towards repeal. As President you have "the authority to issue an executive order halting the operation of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.’” In other words, you you could stop these losses with the stroke of a pen! Congress would have no choice but to finally follow suit.
Despite your words yesterday, your administration recently expressed concern that repealing DADT might impact military readiness. You are already familiar with the extensive body of research conducted on this issue. Why don’t the following findings allay your concerns?
- In his book, “UNFRIENDLY FIRE: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America” (2009, St. Martins Press), researcher Nathaniel Frank clearly documents that the policy was “created out of prejudice, not cause.”
- As early as 1993, a report by the conservative Rand Corporation determined that allowing LGBT military personnel to serve openly will not compromise unit cohesion, recruiting, retention or morale.
- Israel allows LGBT citizens to serve openly in the military, as do all 23 of our NATO allies with the exception of Turkey. None of these countries’ armed forces have been compromised by allowing LGBT soldiers to serve openly.
Certainly, you already have a great deal on your plate. I understand why you might not want to derail an ambitious agenda regarding the economy, health care, and the environment by taking on controversial issues so early in your first term in office. However, a majority of U.S. citizens already supports an end to the DADT, as does a significant proportion of the U.S. military:
- In a 2007 Washington Post-ABC News poll, 75% of Americans stated openly gay people should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military, including 64% of Republican respondents.
- A 2006 Zogby International poll of military members found that 72% of respondents who had experience with gays or lesbians in their unit said that the presence of gay or lesbian unit members had either no impact or a positive impact on their personal morale, while 67% said as much for overall unit morale.
- In 2008, 104 retired Generals and Admirals, including General John M. Shalikashvili, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for an end to DADT.
Mr. President, as someone who came of age during the silencing days of the pre-Stonewall era, I thrilled when you spoke so directly to LGBT concerns during your Presidential campaign. You stated that you would seek an end to DOMA. You committed yourself to repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” You came out unequivocally in support of broad domestic partnership rights.
Like many other LGBT Californians, rather than to campaign against Proposition 8, I gave up my weekends and used my own funds to canvass for you in Nevada. I did this because I believed that we could not risk eight more years of Republican political hegemony and that you would right the wrongs of the previous eight years of Bush Administration abuses. I put country over personal/group interest in full faith that you were the staunch ally of our community that you claimed to be.
Now, along with so many others in my community, I ask that you show the same faith in the U.S. military and the American people. Make good on your promise to repeal DADT now, before Lt. Choi and others like him are discharged. Allow those estimated 65,000 patriotic LGBT servicewomen and men to remain in uniform openly and without fear, not only for their own good, but for the good of our country.
To quote, Lt. Choi, “Love is worth fighting for.”
UPDATE, 7/1/09 @ 4:15PM PDT: 
The results of the verdict are in. Lt. Choi is being fired from the military for refusing to lie about who he loves. However, the fight continues - we need to take this to congress, which has the ability to repeal the policy. How to do this? Here are three actions:
1. Sign the Courage Campaign petition to Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, urging the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
2. Contact your congressional representatives and urge them to pass H.R. 1283, the 2009 Military Readiness Act sponsored by Rep. Ellen Tauscher [D-CA10]. (Feel free to use any elements of the above letter, no credit necessary!) To learn more about political advocacy, read wakingupslowly's very excellent recent "how to" post on how to influence the health care debate.
3. Contact the White House (again, feel free to use any or all elements of the above letter) and thank them for supporting the repeal of DADT. Public pressure is having an affect - according to a new press release from the Palm Center, Gates Plan May be Beginning of the End of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, "In the wake of yesterday’s unexpected Pentagon announcement about gays in the military, experts say the 'don’t ask, don’t tell' policy may be on the brink of irreversible change that would speed up its demise. After speaking with President Obama last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked military lawyers to explore how to modify enforcement of the policy in ways that are 'more flexible until the law is changed.' " Click here to read the full press release.
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To send a copy of Nathaniel Frank’s book “Unfriendly Fire” to Congress, click here.
To join the 130,000+ people who have signed a letter in support of Lt. Dan Choi as he faces his military trail for "moral and professional dereliction" under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on Tuesday, please visit http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/SupportDan
Obama said, "...what I want are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who are making decisions based on what strengthens our military and what is going to make us safer, not ideology.”
One thing that too many seem to be avoiding addressing in this debate is that it is a largely religious ideology that is the problem here. As long as we continue to dance around that elephant in the room, this kind of backwardness will reign.
From your essay, "Israel allows LGBT citizens to serve openly in the military, as do all 23 of our NATO allies with the exception of Turkey."
How many times are we going to hear our nation placed into the same category with Turkey before we wake up as a people and start marginalizing that particular type of ideology?
I fully expect Obama to waffle on this matter just as he has on every other matter so far. He's doing it with everything, including healthcare. But Choi has my full support.
RATED
Colin, if only the "stonewalling" was mind (it was Colbert's - forgot to credit him) but I did come up with "stop these losses with the stroke of a pen". ;)
Rick, I think that you are right on the religious aspect of this. Most of the 1000 officers who signed that March letter to Obama have admitted that they see this as a religious moral issue. Interesting that - haven't been able to gather all of the proof yet, but apparently, a number of the "1000" who presumably signed the letter were already dead when they did so, and many others who were credited with signing it say that they never leant their names to the cause - now how's that for radical religious right morality?
I ... a Republican who supported Obama ... did so because I felt he was the first real breath of truth to hit Washington in my lifetime; one who could accomplish so much. I still have total faith in him. But I know he can't do it all at once, nor can he do it alone. He has to pick his fights and pick his time, and he has to at least attempt to maintain harmony, if not in fact do it, while he is doing everything else.
Trust me on this: Those of us who put our faith in him will stand with you in your cause. But we also have to trust him when it comes to timing. It's your cause, but it is his battle. He's the one who has to swing the sword. It is important that he succeed in all his efforts.
Keep marching!
I just went in and signed the support letter. Thanks for the link.
By the way, I just saw the one-man play/documentary about the Marine who resigned becasue he was gay ... I believe it's called Semper Fi ... and it was very moving, direct to this point. It was on one of the movie channels, written & presented by the marine, Jeff Key. You probably know it. But if you don't, you can google it.
I am with you. I am signing the letter, too.
You need to see the movie, "Semper Fi." Hear Jeff Keys' story. The military didn't try to fire him. He resigned. He stood by his beliefs. But if you watch it ... and are willing to listen ... listen closely to what his hetero buddies who were in Iraq with him say about him. He was their guidepost, their friend, their defender, and a man of honor in the truest sense of the word. Only a fool would not want him as their alley in combat ... and in life.
Prejudice in a paralysis, my friend. Let it go.
Rod, you answered Citizen Justice so beautifully! Thank you!
Citizen Justice, many of your same arguments (e.g., who would want to take a shower with them?) were used against racial integration of the military back in 1949. And yet, the recent Zogby poll found that the majority of military people who had knowinglyserved with someone who was gay or lesbian support repeal of DADT. As a Texan, born and bred, I would only add that you sell our part of the country short - I know many people in the south who are not bigoted.
wakingupslowly, thank you for signing the petition - am about to post a link to your recent advocacy post in my update.
In neutralizing CJ's brand of ignorance and bigotry, actions like Lieutenant Dan Choi’s will be invaluable.
"In a 2007 Washington Post-ABC News poll, 75% of Americans stated openly gay people should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military, including 64% of Republican respondents. "
I think that's a huge change in the past decade. The gov't is actually about 3 steps behind the population on gay issues, IMO.
I hate to say I told you so, but I TOLD YOU SO.
The world seemed to think Obama was our next savior, the second coming of jesus h christ himself.
Now, I'll be the first to admit, he's a far cry from King George II, but that's a little like saying Ted Bundy's a far cry from Richard Ramirez.
Obama's a politician, a politician who will say ANYTHING to get elected. Hell, the guy's still on the campaign trail, in fact that seems to be all he knows how to do. It's what got him elected, his ability to bullshit.
Where's the beef, Obama. I know a lot of people who are growing tired of thies jesus H christ crap of yours.
Thank you, Athena, for joining the fight.
Rick, we are in total agreement here.
Silkstone, Bob - I think that's the way of it - even with Obama in office, we still have to fight. Thank you!
I'm also a native Texan who went to college in Virginia. I've spent most of my life in the South. I really detest that someone of his calibur feels he can speak for the rest of us.
Thank you for writing this. Gays and Lesbians need an intelligent, educated voice who is pushing to stop the bigotry.
RATED
You wrote, “I really detest that someone of his calibur feels he can speak for the rest of us.”
For what it is worth, many of us realize your frustration from afar.
;~)
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Thank you again, Shivaun, for your excellent post.
Peacebeing, thank you.
Kind of Blue, yes, let us hope! You know, when I was living in Japan, among the military's task was to create the ice sculptures for ice festivals in Hokkaido!
You think there would be no problems serving and breaking down all those barriers? Great, then make your call for true freedom and equality in the militiary, not just for your own little piece that you want, while ignoring other injustices. Call for equal standards across the board. Call for everyone to live together no matter what. Wait, actually having to be equal is too much to ask.