Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United blasts the White House on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United, one of the two lead groups fighting to repeal the ban on gays serving in the military, blasted the White House and President Obama today at a protest rally across the street from the White House. What's particularly interesting about this video is that Alex has always been an inside player. He never went public before with criticism of the President, or anyone else. Watch the video. The fact that Alex, someone who has been playing nice with the White House since the election, is now this publicly livid, speaks volumes about what is happening to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and what is happening to the relationship between the gay community and the Democratic party. Read More...

VIDEO: Howard Dean appears/speaks at DADT protest at White House; activists again handcuff selves to White House gates

UPDATE: I just added video of the protesters handcuffed to the White House fence, it's the video right below this one - it starts with Dan Choi speaking.


Howard Dean shows up, spontaneously, at a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" protest in front of the White House. The crowd gladly invited Dean to speak, and he did. Great man. And rather fascinating that a former chair of the DNC joined a protest in the front of the White House.

And here is the video of Dan Choi speaking just as the activists handcuff themselves at the White House. The video then moves across the street to the White House and the activists:




Howard Dean greets Lt. Dan Choi.


Oops they did it again.


Howard Dean and SLDN's Aubrey Sarvis, right before Dean spoke to the crowd.


Lt. Dan Choi, before his speech. Read More...

White House official says Obama has been 'fierce advocate,' then refuses to endorse DADT repeal this year

Just go away.

Panel moderator Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said his organization isn’t a political lobbying group, but noted a growing impatience in the LGBT community for Obama to enact his campaign promises from 2008.

“We are impatient and, I think, a lot of the folks out there who are impatient,” he said. “Whether it was the ‘fierce advocate’ speech, or whether it was the campaign, we heard a little bit more zeal than we feel right now.”

Bond said Obama was working to live up to his “fierce advocate” pledge by taking some steps toward “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

“If you’re going to talk about the president being a ‘fierce advocate,’ I think you have to give the president credit for getting this ball rolling,” Bond said. “It was in the State of the Union address in front of millions of Americans where he started this ball rolling.”

Bond also noted the Obama administration came up with regulations to limit third-party outings under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and to raise the rank of officers conducting inquiries and discharges.

“I think can put many layers on what you want to call a ‘fierce advocate,’ but I think you have a president that’s thinking very smart, very strategically — and he’s out there on this issue — where he stands and where we want to go,” Bond said.

Still, Naff expressed particular displeasure with the Obama’s refusal to call for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal this year.

“I find it deeply troubling that the administration will not say that it supports Congress taking a vote this year on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” Naff said. “That is deeply disappointing.”

Yes, a kinder and gentler DADT. Just like the administration is now writing "nicer" legal briefs to take away our civil rights in court - they're still defending DADT and DOMA in court, but now the language in the briefs isn't as mean. Seriously. That's their defense. Pretty fierce, Brian. Read More...

DADT protest at the White House today at noon

What's particularly interesting about this protest is the involvement of the major gay groups. SLDN will be in attendance, and its head, Aubrey Sarvis, will be speaking. I believe Servicemembers United, the other DADT group, may also be attending and speaking. NGLTF is promoting the protest on their Web site.

And finally, there's HRC. An HRC employee/consultant, Spc. Jarrod Chlapowski, is speaking at the event as well. But I don't believe he's there as an official representative of HRC. (Sarvis is there as an official rep of SLDN.) Jarrod has criticized Dan Choi for his civil disobedience at the White House, so it will be interesting to see what he says today, especially if there's any civil disobedience (none has been announced, but you never know). Though, in classic HRC style, they'll have plausible deniability. You'll notice that in the official press release, there's no mention of Jarrod's job working at HRC. HRC's half-pregnant activism on display yet again.

GetEQUAL/QUEER RISING/TALK ABOUT EQUALITY

Media Advisory

April 29, 2010

Contact: Alan Bounville, 407.484.6671 or alanbounville@gmail.com
Robin McGehee, 559.287.9670 or robin@getequal.org

Discharged and Active Gay Servicemembers to Protest in Front of White House on Sunday

They Demand Obama Show Leadership and Immediately Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell as Promised

WASHINGTON On May 2nd at 12:00 noon (EDT), GetEQUAL, Queer Rising and Talk About Equality will gather outside the White House to demand that President Obama immediately include "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) repeal language in his Defense Authorization transmittals to Congress to ensure repeal of the ban this year. There will also be a solidarity rally in Phoenix across from Sen. McCain's Phoenix office.

WHO: Speakers Include:

Lt. Dan Choi
Capt. Jim Pietrangelo II
Lt. Robin Chaurasiya
Cpl. Evelyn Thomas
Spc. Jarrod Chlapowski
Maj. Mike Almy
Capt. Tanya Domi
Cpl. Brett Edward Stout
Sgt. Brian Fricke
Sgt. Justin Elzie

** Bios for each below**

WHERE: Lafayette Park across from The White House

WHEN: Sunday, May 2, 2010
12:00 noon (EDT) to 3:00 pm (EDT)

In his January State of the Union address, President Obama promised to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy this year. Since that time, a series of statements from the Administration have suggested that the President is no longer committed to repeal this year. Leaders in Congress and organizations leading the fight for repeal have called on the President to clarify his commitment and show leadership‹yet, the President remains AWOL.

With the possibility of losses in the House and Senate for Democrats this Fall, waiting for a review of DADT may very likely delay repeal for years. The LGBT community and allied communities will continue to put pressure on the President and members of Congress to follow through with their pledge to repeal DADT this year.

PHOENIX SOLIDARITY RALLY: There will be a coordinated rally across from Senator McCain's Phoenix office at Desert Storm Park. The Phoenix Rally will feature the 'McCain Five' (Petty Officer Lonnie Allen Howard-Stidham, Jimmy Gruender, Meg Sneed, Luisa Valdez and Lee Waters), the activists arrested on Monday after refusing to leave Sen. McCain's Phoenix office after being denied a meeting with their Senator. The rally is sponsored by H.E.R.O. (Human & Equal Rights Organizers), for more information on the Phoenix rally contact Rev. Brad Wishon at 623.570.6166 or revwishon@aol.com.

Biographies for Servicemembers:

Lieutenant Dan Choi served as an infantry officer with the United States Army in Iraq in 2006-2007. Choi graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and is fluent in Arabic. In June 2008, he transferred from active duty Army to the New York National Guard. After coming out on The Rachel Maddow Show in March 2009, he was notified that the Army had begun discharge proceedings against him. Choi is a founding member of KnightsOut, an organization of West Point alumni that advocates for the rights of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, and he speaks frequently in support of rights for LGBT members of the military.

Captain Jim Pietrangelo II is a a former infantryman and lawyer originally from Ohio, who served in the United States Army until he was discharged in 2004 under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Pietrangelo fought in Iraq in 1991 as an infantryman and returned as a JAG officer for the second Iraq War. As he was readying for a third combat tour, he was honorably discharged for declaring he is gay. Pietrangelo sued the government, charging that the policy is unconstitutional. He appealed to the Supreme Court, but in June 2009, the Supreme Court rejected the case and refused to intervene, at the request of the Obama Administration.

Corporal Evelyn Thomas was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Texas, joined the Army National Guard and then the United States Marine Corps. She served at Camp Pendleton for four years until another Marine found a letter in her locker about her relationship with a woman. She was then honorably discharged in 1991. In October 2009, Thomas founded a ministry for gays in the military who fear they may be discharged for speaking openly to base chaplains about their sexuality. The Sanctuary Project Veterans is a ministry of Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, CA, and it provides a safe haven, support, legal advice, and services for soldiers harassed due to the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.

Captain Tanya Domi is a former United States Army Captain who served 15 years. She was a paratrooper, drill instructor, and company commander of 140 MPs. Over her 15 years of service, she survived being investigated as a lesbian twice enlisting as a Private before leaving the Army honorably as a Captain in 1990. She currently works and lives in New York City.

Lieutenant Robin Chaurasiya is an active duty United States Air Force officer currently facing disharge under DADT after entering into a civil union with her partner. Lt Chaurasiya is a communications officer who graduated with honors from Illinois Institute of Technology with degrees in Psychology and political science. She has received widespread support from her unit as she continues to serve openly and truthfully. Specialist Jarrod Chlapowski - He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2000 and trained as a Korean linguist and cryptologic voice interceptor. After witnessing the discharges of quite a few fellow service members, Chlapowski chose not to re-enlist because of DADT. In November 2005, Chlapowski teamed up with Alex Nicholson to develop the aggressive Call to Duty Tour, a seven-week public education initiative geared toward putting a human face on the DADT issue. He would later co-found Servicemembers United.

Specialist Jarrod Chlapowski enlisted in the United States Army in 2000 and trained as a Korean linguist and cryptologic voice interceptor. After witnessing the discharges of quite a few fellow service members, Chlapowski chose not to re-enlist because of DADT. In November 2005, Chlapowski teamed up with Alex Nicholson to develop the aggressive Call to Duty Tour, a seven-week public education initiative geared toward putting a human face on the DADT issue. He would later co-found Servicemembers United.

Major Mike Almy was an Air Force Major who was named one of the top officers in his career field in the United States Air Force, and was in charge of leading 200 airmen in Iraq. He was discharged in 2006 when his emails were illegally read and he was relieved of his duties after he refused to make a statement about his sexuality without the presence of his lawyers. After a lengthy 16 month legal battle he was discharged from the military and would be escorted off base by military police. He was just one of many service members discharged in a combat zone under DADT.

Corporal Brett Edward Stout was a Russian cryptologic-linguist and weapons marksmanship instructor and was in school for Marine Recon before being pulled out due to the suspicion he was gay. After going through an investigation he decided not to re-enlist due to the ³Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy² and was honorably discharged in 2002. He currently works and lives in New York City.

Sergeant Brian Fricke enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000 and was trained to work on Marine Helicopters. He was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and decided not to re-enlist due to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy." He was honorably discharged in 2005. He currently works and lives in Washington DC.

Sergeant Justin Elzie was in Supply and did a tour as an Embassy Guard. He had two meritorious promotions and was named "Marine of the Year" for his battalion in Japan. He came out on ABC Evening News in 1993 in order to challenge the ban on gays in the military. He went on to serve four years openly gay. During the time he served openly gay he was recommended for promotion, received unit awards and served on a ship and in the field as a platoon sergeant. He was honorably discharged in 1997. He currently works and lives in New York City.

Read More...