Don't forget about the Big Event today and this weekend! I plan on being there tomorrow.
Servicemembers United (formerly Call to Duty) is partnering with the Human Rights Campaign, Log Cabin Republicans, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and the Liberty Education Forum for a three-day tribute on the National Mall to honor the 12,000 Americans who have been discharged under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law since its inception.
One American flag will be placed on the Mall for each discharged service member, which will serve as the backdrop for a series of events honoring their service, their sacrifice, and their fight to serve with dignity.
12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots DisplayFriday November 30 - Sunday December 2, 2007 The National Mall, between 7th and 14th Streets
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Community Happy Hour (w/ light appetizers) Friday November 30 at 6 pm Bar Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Community Conference Saturday December 1 at 9 am HRC's Equality Forum, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC
Army-Navy Game Football Party Saturday December 1 at 12 pm Nellie's Sportsbar, 900 U Street NW, Washington DC
Military Chaplains' Prayer Service Sunday December 2 at 11 am National Mall
Please feel free to direct any other questions you may have about any of these events to info@servicemembersunited.org. We hope you will join us and our partner organizations in celebrating the service of LGBT Americans and in calling for the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
I finally got the oppurtunity to see this movie. I was impressed with the special effects and some of the fight scenes, but overall this movie was terrible. I've come to expect some historical inaccuracies in movies, which is fine as long as they are not too eggregious and the story is good, but this movie had them in spades. Gladiator was flawed but was vastly superior and far more enjoyable than this flick. I was pleased that they got the Spartan training right, yet what was up with this flick? Am I watching the re-telling of a true historical event or a cheap knock-off of the Lord of the Rings? Every bad character was depicted as some kind of demon and there were monsters in this. Say what?!? The real story of the Battle of Thermopylae is one of the greatest from the ancient world, with real characters that still inspire people to this day. I hope someone else will take up this story and do a better job with it because this one stunk -- even though I liked seeing more of David Wenham.
For 364 days of the year I have the highest respect for the US Army, but that 1 exceptional day is close at hand when it comes time to say: GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!
Last night Alexander Nicholson & Jarrod Chlapowski of Servicemembers United were interviewed on the Gay Patriot's America podcast. If you haven't listened to it yet, I highly recommend that you do. These two gents are gay veterans and not your typical activists. I was very impressed with what both of them had to say and how they handled themselves. This is a controversial subject for many and while I am strongly in favor of repealing DADT, I did play the role of "Devil's Advocate" in asking some tough questions. While time constraints limited them fully responding, they both knocked the proverbial ball out of the park with their responses. As I said, I'm very supportive of repealing the ban but even more so of the mission of the military which has to take priority over all other considerations. From what I could tell last night, these two men keep both in mind when approaching this and that is just outstanding. Goodonya & Bravo Zulu, gents!
Servicemembers United has launched their new website with quite a number of blogs that I myself will enjoy reading through. Take a few moments and look through what they have to offer for active duty/reserve members of the military along with anyone interested in this important debate. Don't forget that starting this weekend, SU and other groups will be hosting the "12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots" event in Washington, DC. I plan on joining them in support and will report afterwards on this blog and over on Gay Patriot about what transpired.
Seventy-five years later, Ivan Brovko says the look in the little girl's eyes still comes to him in his dreams. And terrible dreams they are. He was a young teacher, Marika Khailo was a young student – and there is no gentle way to convey the fact that she died before his eyes in the front row of his classroom in the village of Rudka in southeastern Ukraine.
Marika died of hunger. She was among the millions of people who perished – estimates range from 4 to 10 million – in that infamous winter of 1932-33, when the man-made famine known as the Holodomor devastated Ukraine. (Toronto Star)
This is what I think of when I see those 'trendy' Che Guevara t-shirts and listen to apologies for Lenin or Castro who apologists try and distinguish from the atrocities of Stalin. It is pure naivete to make this claim and while they may not have had the bloody success of Stalin, this ignores the wholesale murder both Lenin and Castro and responsible for. No matter how "sexy" Che Guevara may be to some, or how they may admire his "idealism", he too was in the end nothing more than murderous thug. The ideology of Communism differs from Nazism but many of the results in achieving its goals are the same: a loss of freedom and large numbers of deaths. What happened in the Ukraine decades ago was inevitable when a failed ideology is vigorously pursued without any resort to morality or scruples. When the "great good" is put above basic human decency and one fails to treat their opponents with any dignity at all, it is not surprising in the least. This is a lesson that humanity seems to have to keep learning over and over as our history is littered with the graves of millions when we forget.
UPDATE: Remember Chairman Mao and his little Red Book? Well he was a sadistic bastard as well.
On November 27th at 9 PM (Eastern), Gay Patriot's America podcast will be hosting an interview with Alexander Nicholson and Jarrod Chlapowski of Servicemembers United. Both are gay veterans whose organization works for the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law banning homosexuals from openly serving in all branches of the military. Join Bruce, Dan and I as we find out more about their personal stories and talk about the upcoming "tribute on the National Mall to honor the 12,000 Americans who have been discharged under the [DADT] law since its inception". This tribute is currently scheduled Friday November 30 - Sunday December 2, 2007 in Washington, D.C. I will be there giving my own support and will report on the event at this blog and over on Gay Patriot. If you are able to, please join us.
To listen to great past interviews with Nicholson, Chlapowski and others from the Ramble Redhead podcast, along with links to videos and other information click here.
Retired Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, of We Were Soldiers fame, is being honored by Operation Gratitude and has joined their efforts to support our soldiers overseas. Moore is a hero from the Vietnam War and a truly inspirational man. I was privileged to meet him at a veterans event recently and posted a video of some of what he had to say. As for Operation Gratitude, it's a very worthy group that I highly recommend and I'm not surprised to see a man like Moore join them.
Remember the story this past Saturday about wounded British vets being jeered by less-than-savory members of the public? There is a group in the U.K. that is raising money to help with their care. Whatever you can spare, please give to them! Ask your friends, family, co-workers, everybody you know to give something to these guys! If you have a blog, please just post a link and let's show them what the blogosphere can do! Thanks.
My review: Meh. I didn't hate it but I also wasn't very impressed. BSG took the easy route in presenting a gay relationship, and no doubt tittilated it's straight male fanbase, with Cain & Gina. So Cain fits the stereotype about lesbians and is an incompetent military leader to boot. Poor writing. Kudos to them for being blase about it though - except for the ridiculous GLAAD ad and the "It's been confirmed!" ads from Quiznos.
Injured soldiers who lost their limbs fighting for their country have been driven from a swimming pool training session by jeering members of the public.
The men, injured during tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, were taking part in a rehabilitation session at a leisure centre, when two women demanded they be removed from the pool. They claimed that the soldiers "hadn't paid" and might scare the children. (Telegraph)
Oh. My. God. I'm absolutely appalled and outraged. I agree completely with Admiral Lord Boyce:
"These people are beneath contempt and everything should be done to get their names and publish them in the press," he said. "It is contemptible that people who have given up their limbs for their country should be so abused when they are trying to get fit again."
I just finished sending an email to the British Ministry of Defence expressing my support for these men and inquiring if there is an established fund for the care of these vets that people can donate to. I hope they hear from people all over the world and perhaps this ugly episode can turn into something good for these men.
Another of the handful of videos that Texas A&M star Chris Walker made as a freshman and to his embarrassment are still floating around the Net. Well Chris, after watching this it's mighty tempting but I'll refrain from commenting on your shizzle. Thanks for the laugh though.
Yesterday the Young Marine in the family 'dragged' all of us off to see the new National Museum of the Marine Corps. Actually, he didn't have to convince me much to go there as I've seen the 'spire' of this structure for some time now from the highway as I drive to and from work. Just the uniqueness of the design itself, inspired by a famous photograph, was enough to pique my interest even without what and whom the museum pays tribute to. So without the trees lining the highway to obscure the view, we pulled up and were greeted with this sight:
Even before walking in the door of this place my mind went into spasms of "oooooh! aaaaaah!" as it drew upon my own experiences in imagining everything that went into constructing such a unique building. When we stepped inside I of course just had to do what comes natural when faced with such a visual oddity: I looked up with childlike wonder to see if I could somehow divine the secrets of how it was constructed.
No such luck unfortunately, but in the awe-inspiring "Leatherneck Gallery" I was treated to grand sights of Marine history coming at me from both the air and ground such as these:
Indeed, I quickly learned that throughout the museum there are things to see from all sides up, down, left, right, you name it and undoubtedly I missed some in trying to take it all in. I was amazed at the fine job that was done here, a worthy tribute to a noble organization. The attention to detail was remarkable in the displays, including the small things that most people wouldn't notice. For example, the mess of 'bootprints' on the ground in one Vietnam display. I wish I had taken a photo of it, for it was pretty clever in that they made it as if several pairs of boots trampled over the same spot running in different directions just like one would find in real dirt. There was so much detail in fact that one gentleman, not part of our family group and who appeared to be old enough to have served in Vietnam himself, looked over at me, smiled weakly, and said, "This is too realistic", before leaving for another part of the museum. From exhibits showing Marines in the heat of battle...
...to the caring of one's buddies during the fight...
...to finally the human cost of war in making the ultimate sacrifice.
Yet for all the fine work that went into making these displays, perhaps the most moving item for me was this everday object:
The simplicity of this is striking in what it represents: the death of thousands when our vigilance is relaxed and what such men and women as the Marines fight against everyday. The history lessons and tribute at the museum were nice and worht the visit, but in this small computer mouse I left with an immense feeling of gratitude for the Marines and all of those in uniform who defend our freedoms and keep us safe. Semper Fi, Leathernecks!
Jeremy over at Good As You treats this one with too much caution, but frankly I believe this vlogger is spot on in his remarks and I share his frustration.
While comparisons are seldom, if ever, so precise that one can ignore the differences, there are remarkable similiarities between the racial segregation in the military and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on gays openly serving. A reading of the history of racial desegregation in the military is fascinating in and of itself, but one finds the same prejudice, resistance to change, arguments in favor of the status quo, that the military shouldn’t be used as a "social experiment", questions raised about unit cohesion and barracks facilities, etc., that were used against desegregation as are used now against gays openly serving. One such striking example comes from the testimony opposing full desegregation of Kenneth C. Royall, Secretary of the Army, before the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity In The Armed Forces on March 28, 1949:
At the outset I want to make it clear that in my opinion the policies which should be applied to the use of all Army personnel, regardless of race, are those policies which best promote a sound national defense. Our basic mission is to win battles and to establish an organization capable of winning battles.
Specifically the Army is not an instrument for social evolution. It is not the Army’s job either to favor or to impede the social doctrines, no matter how progressive they may be – it is not for us to lead or to lag behind the civilian procession except to the extent that the national defense is affected…
Another – and an important – factor to be considered on the question of segregation is the morale of the troops as a whole – their satisfaction with Army life, and the spirit with which they perform Army tasks. In war, when the chips are down, this morale factor may well be the difference between victory and defeat.
We must remember that soldiers are not mere bodies that can be moved and handled as trucks and guns. They are individuals who came from civilian life and often return thereto. They are subject to all the emotions, prejudices, ideals, ambitions and inhibitions that encumber our civil population throughout the country.
Solders live and work closely together. They are not only on the same drill field also in the same living and eating quarters. From the standpoint both of morale and of efficiency it is important in peace and in war that the barracks and the unit areas be so attractive to them that they will devote not only their duty time but a reasonable part of their optional time at the post – that they will not be watching the clock for a chance to get away.
In war it is even more important that they have confidence both in their leaders and in the men that are to fight by their sides. Effective comradeship in battle calls for a warm and close personal relationship within a unit…
In this connection we must remember that a large part of the volunteers in the Army are Southerners – usually a larger proportion than from any other part of the country. Whether properly or not, it is a well known fact that close personal association with Negroes is distasteful to large percentage of Southern whites.
A total abandonment of – or a substantial and sudden change in – the Army’s partial segregation policy would in my opinion adversely affect enlistments and reenlistments not only in the South but in many other parts of the country, probably making peacetime selective service necessary. And a change in our policy would adversely affect the morale of many Southern soldiers and other soldiers now serving…
[I]n my opinion – and I believe in the opinion of a great majority of the experienced Army men and officers – it would be most difficult – and unwise from the standpoint of national defense – to require any substantial proportion of white soldiers – whether from the South or from other sections of the country – to serve under Negro officers or particularly under Negro non-commissioned officers.
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to attend an outstanding event that featured veterans from just about every conflict from World War II to Iraqi Freedom to speak to an audience of Young Marines, Civil Air Patrol and other interested persons. It was quite a high to be amongst all those heroes, most of whom are in the twilight of their lives, and listen to them speak about what they endured in battle for this country. What made it even more special was attending the event with my father, a veteran of the Vietnam War, along with my nephew who is the next generation of our family and one of whom the defense of our freedom may fall upon one day.
The first panel of veterans we listened to were from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 28th Marines. These men may not look like much now, but don't let the passage of time fool you. It was these men and those like them that took Mt. Suribachi and in that iconic image of World War II raised the American flag at its summit during the harrowing Battle of Iwo Jima. Over 60 years have passed since those bloody days they spent on that tiny island fighting the Imperial Japanese but when they spoke about it, it seemed like for them it was yesterday. The details they recalled and how they felt were amazing. The character of these men still shown through and their personalities were quite apparent. The veteran at the end with the cane was a bit of a cut-up and the spark of mischief in his eyes didn't go unnoticed.
Next up were 3 Tuskegee Airmen. For those of you who may not know, the Tuskegee Airmen not only had to contend with the enemy we fought in World War II but also the racism of their own side. It was interesting to listen to them speak about the war and the bigoted nonsense they faced from their fellow soldiers. Their feats are damn near unparalleled as they were determined to fight for their country even though many of their fellow Americans didn't believe that blacks were capable of doing so let alone whether they even should be allowed to. Perhaps many had forgotten the courage of such units as the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. The Tuskegee Airmen more than showed what feats of valor they were capable of as they tore into the enemy and never lost a plane under their protection and were one of the most highly decorated units ever. I couldn't help thinking about gays serving in the military and the similarities, though differences to be sure. Blacks stubbornly refused to give up and showed the country that they were just as capable as anybody else, I just hope that we are given the same chance. Many of the same arguments used against integration of the military, especially concerning "unit cohesion", are thrown about today to keep gays out. It would seem that we learn very little from our own history and keep having to repeat certain aspects of it.
Unfortunately I missed the panel of Korean War veterans as by this time my nephew was pinging off the walls with hunger. If there was one complaint I had about this event it was the lack of breaks in between presentations. It had to be difficult on the older members of the audience (perhaps the different panels as well) and I know for certain it was on the younger ones. Yet I was a bit hungry myself as was my father, so off we went to re-fuel. I would have liked to listen to what they had to say but I guess I'll have to find a book about it.
This group of veterans from the Vietnam War were probably my favorite. I say that not because their service was any more special than that of the veterans of the other wars our country has been in, but because it meant so much to my father. Growing up he rarely spoke about the time he spent in Vietnam and this event helped him open up a bit afterwards and share some of his experiences. For that I am very grateful to these men even more so than for what they did over there many years ago. Shown in this photo are Lt. Gen. Hal Moore along with some of his lieutenants and soldiers who fought with him during the famous Battle of Ia Drang. Mel Gibson a few years ago turned a book by Moore and Joe Galloway into the movie "We Were Soldiers". I haven't had the chance to read their book or see the movie yet, but you'd better believe I'm going to now.
After their presentation was over, I was able to get just about all of these men to sign the book on the battle, as my father was likewise able to, and I'll treasure that always.
While we missed the final presentation from Iraqi Freedom veterans since my nephew was by this time wiped out (I had dragged his butt up at 0500 hrs. which is mighty early for a ten year old), I was able to witness this moving scene:
The man in the wheelchair is former US Army Specialist Travis Webb, who lost both of his legs in Iraq. Even though there were great differences in their ages and they had fought in different wars, the bond between him and the Ia Drang vets was strong. Galloway and Moore signed his copy of their book and what they along with the other vets said to him made it apparent that they kept in close contact with him before this event and would do so afterwards.
For the final part of this post, I'd like to put up this video of Lt. Gen. Moore responding to a question about what young people can learn from the service of veterans like him and what advice he could give on how they can apply these lessons to their lives whether in the military or civilian life. My apologies for the poor quality of the video, but the sound is clear enough and what Lt. Gen. Moore has to say is truly inspiring. In this youth-obessed culture of ours, we tend to forget about the sacrifices and wisdom of the generations that have come before us. That "old fool" next to you or in your family may have been where you are now and may have knowledge you lack that would do you good in life. Even if the circumstances they went through were different, there still is something we can learn from them. Whether they served in the military or not, many of them have shown the strength of their characters at various times in their lives and regardless of how much their bodies are failing them now, for most of them their minds are still intact. Lord knows I remember my great-grandmother who by the age of 99 had outlived 9 of her 13 children yet even though her body was worn out was still sharp as anything. My own father is getting on years now but there still isn't any man who can hold a candle to him in my eyes.
God keep all of our veterans and my thanks to them for their service.
Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled and adaptive laptop computers to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries at major military medical centers. Operating laptops by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, our wounded heroes are able to send and receive messages from friends and loved ones, surf the 'Net, and communicate with buddies still in the field. The experience of MAJ Charles “Chuck” Ziegenfuss, a partner in the project who suffered serious hand wounds while serving in Iraq, illustrates how important these laptops can be to a wounded service member's recovery. (Soldiers' Angels)
This is a very worthy cause and this drive ends tomorrow! If you are able to, please take a moment and give your support. I personally recommend Team Navy:
I received a nice email from Ben Gomez from the American Veterans for Equal Rights which in part notified me of events his organization is sponsoring this weekend, from a rally for the repeal of DADT to various receptions and get-togethers. If you happen to live in or near San Diego, CA you may wish to check out this page for more information. I wish I was able to go myself as it sounds like fun and I have many fond memories of San Diego during my time at NAS North Island.
On November 27th at 9 PM (Eastern), Gay Patriot's America podcast will be hosting an interview with Alexander Nicholson and Jarrod Chlapowski of Servicemembers United. Both are gay veterans whose organization works for the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law banning homosexuals from openly serving in all branches of the military. Join Bruce, Dan and I as we find out more about their personal stories and talk about the upcoming "tribute on the National Mall to honor the 12,000 Americans who have been discharged under the [DADT] law since its inception". This tribute is currently scheduled Friday November 30 - Sunday December 2, 2007 in Washington, D.C. I will be there giving my own support and will report on the event at this blog and over on Gay Patriot. If you are able to, please join us.
To listen to great past interviews with Nicholson, Chlapowski and others from the Ramble Redhead podcast, along with links to videos and other information click here.
A superb trailer for an upcoming documentary about the ban against gays serving in the military. I'm not surprised to hear about some military chaplains using a hit-piece video depicting the worst aspects of so-called "gay culture" to tar everybody who is homosexual. I recall being in boot camp, standing at attention with the rest of my company, while the Navy chaplain was yelling at us to shape up and not be like Clayton Hartwig. Does the name sound familiar? Probably not. The Navy tried to cover up an accident on the Battleship Iowa by falsely accusing this sailor who died in the accident of sabotaging his gun turret because supposedly a homosexual affair he was having went bad. It has never even been shown that Hartwig was gay. They lied, flat-out and it took a few years for his family to clear this sailor's name. I remember all of this, along with the anger and fear I had that this is what others thought of people like me. Even at that time in the fall of 1989 there were many questions about the Navy's accusations against Hartwig yet with the flimsiest of evidence they tarnished this sailor's name and this was used against all gays. Though the years have passed and Hartwig had his name cleared, I still remember all of this and what this kind of senseless bigotry has done to my beloved Navy. The reasons for this policy have been shown time and time again to be baseless, leaving nothing but bigotry remaining (fear of change as well no doubt). It's time for this to go and God I hope that day is soon so those who currently are in uniform and those to come, whether they are gay or even perceived to be, can serve openly and honorably.
James T. Kirk: Chris Pine Spock: Zachary Quinto Leonard H. McCoy: Karl Urban Montgomery Scott: Simon Pegg Hikaru Sulu: John Cho Nyota Uhura: Zoe Saldana Pavel A. Chekov: Anton Yelchin
Interesting choices and if the movie has a good script it should do well. Like most Trekkies, I too am curious to see how the original crew met and how their Starfleet Academy days went.
Okay, enough geek stuff. Karl Urban is in this film?!? OMG! He is one of the hottest actors EVAH!
In the lead-up to Veterans Day on Monday, November 12th, The Frontlines is running an interesting series on those military veterans who are gay, lesbian & bisexual. So far they have highlighted the service of former Marine Sgt. Brian Fricke and former US Army Major Jeff McGowan. Take a few moments and read about their stories. I look forward to seeing whom else is highlighted in this series as the week progresses.
There is something I'd like to point out: I don't personally know either Fricke or McGowan. For that matter, I also do not know Eric Alva whom I mentioned on the last Gay Patriot's America podcast. I commend these individuals and all the others who have served this country honorably despite having to do so under the disastrous DADT policy. Having been in the military myself, along with growing up an "Army brat" thanks to my Dad's service, even without knowing these guys I can say that the ranks they earned does say something about how good they were. That isn't the penultimate standard as some boneheads regardless of sexuality make their way up through the ranks, but in general it does say something positive about them. Since I'm more familiar with serving as enlisted, I'll speak on that count. Alva was a Marine Staff Sergeant (E-6) while Fricke was a Marine Sergeant (E-5). Many people forget that the US Marine Corps only has 180,000 active duty personnel which is a very small number. This means that enlisted promotions come much slower than in say the 340,000-strong US Navy or the 500,000+ US Army. In order to rise through the ranks a Marine has to be very good at his job and stand-out in performance to his command, making them worthy of filling the few higher slots as they open up. I do not mean to detract from anyone serving, but an E-5 and E-6 in the Marine Corps is something far more special given the difficulty in achieving such rank than the same rank in the Navy. This is not to say that E-5s and E-6s in the Navy are slouches, but that earning their "crows" is just a tad easier than a Marine seeking to gain more stripes. I say that as former Navy myself, having retained a fondness for this branch over all the others. The point of all of this is that the DADT policy is removing good personnel from all branches for the stupidest of reasons whether the individuals are booted out for being gay or just decide to not reenlist because of undue pressure. Alva, Fricke & McGowan may or may not have decided to make the military a 20-year career but odds are that one or two might have but were barred for reasons having nothing to do with their honorable service. I hope that as this gets more attention Congress will come to see what most of our allies have and that sexual orientation isn't a legitimate bar from military service.
Given the email notice about an upcoming DADT event in Washington, DC, this is a good time to 'resurrect' one of the few posts which survived the unfortunate deletion of my blog earlier this year. Regrettably, the individual posts I had made for each listed interview did not survive. On 4/2/06 I posted the following about some great interviews from one of my favorite podcasts, Ramble Redhead:
Someone was good enough to bring to my attention that some members of the Call to Duty Tour [note - now Servicemembers United] along with other gay former military servicemembers can be heard on podcast through the Ramble Redhead weblog. I haven't listened to these yet myself but they should be enjoyable and I look forward to hearing them on my iPod during the week. [note - I've listened to all of these since then and they are excellent] For direct links, here's a list of the interviews:
Call to Duty Tour speakers:
Alexander Nicholson, US Army: "Hear Alexander's story about growing up with a military family and his decision to join the military. Listen to his amazing story about his life and how he was affected by Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. You will see why the Call to Duty Tour was started and what you can do to help!" [note - check out Alex's great You Tube channel]
Fred Fox, US Army: "Listen to an amazing interview with a hero who proudly serves our country! His name is Fred Fox and he is one of the many speakers for the Call to Duty Tour and once you hear this amazing three part interview you are going to see why the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy is full of crap!" Part I, Part II, Part III. [note - also check out the 2007 interview with Fred.]
Heather Sarver, USAF: "...another presenter of the Call to Duty Tour. She decided to enlist into the Air Force and had to deal with some things she should not had to deal with..." Part I, Part II.
Jarrod Chlapowski, US Army: "Meet Jarrod - the Asst Director of the Call to Duty Tour - listen to his life growing up in Georgia and what made him want to join the military. Hear his story about coming out to his friends and their reaction. Hear what motivated him to be part of this program." [note - check out this excellent speech given by Jarrod at Harvard & this video question for 2008 presidential candidates]
Tim Smith, USMC: "Hear this amazing story from Tim and about his choices that he made in his life. He made the choice to be in the military and listen to how it all began and how life decided to throw him a few curve balls. He is one of the speakers for the Call to Duty Tour and they are currently all over the country right now." Part I, Part II.
Other gay veterans:
John: "76 and gay - hear about his life - his childhood, first time with a male partner, his military service and how he met his love of his life Bill and how they have been together for 34 years!" Part I, Part II.
Jose: "...great interview with Jose and his story of being gay and in the military. Hear about his struggles and how he survived this tough time and how he is today." Part I, Part II.
Tim & Gene, USN: "...a great couple Tim and Gene. They have been together for 24 years and after listening to the show you will see why - they are truly there for each other the way any couple would want to be." Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI.
Servicemembers United (formerly Call to Duty) is partnering with the Human Rights Campaign, Log Cabin Republicans, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and the Liberty Education Forum for a three-day tribute on the National Mall to honor the 12,000 Americans who have been discharged under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law since its inception.
One American flag will be placed on the Mall for each discharged service member. These flags will stand as a testament to the waste caused by this discriminatory law, and will serve as the backdrop for a series of events honoring LGBT Americans' service, their sacrifice, and their fight to serve with dignity.
12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots Display Friday November 30 - Sunday December 2, 2007 The National Mall, between 7th and 14th Streets
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Community Happy Hour (w/ light appetizers) Friday November 30 at 6 pm Bar Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Community Conference Saturday December 1 at 9 am HRC's Equality Forum, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC
Army-Navy Game Football Party Saturday December 1 at 12 pm Nellie's Sportsbar, 900 U Street NW, Washington DC
Military Chaplains' Prayer Service Sunday December 2 at 11 am National Mall
We will need volunteers throughout the weekend. If you're interested in supporting these events as a volunteer, please contact HRC staffer Antonio Agnone at antonio.agnone@hrc.org. Please feel free to direct any other questions you may have about any of these events to info@servicemembersunited.org.
We hope you will join us and our partner organizations in celebrating the service of LGBT Americans and in calling for the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
Sincerely, J. Alexander Nicholson III Executive Director Veteran, U.S. Army
I will be there giving my own support and will report on the event at this blog and over on Gay Patriot. If you are able to, please join us.
Well if I gave one to Tennessee, I reckon I'd best give an even bigger and fonder hat tip to the Great State of Texas!!! I still miss living in San Antonio...
Thanks to the Young Eagles, my nephew got to experience his first flight in a small aircraft this past weekend. Think he looks excited? He was nervous but had a lot of fun and I enjoyed spending the time with him.
Individuals using jammers express some guilt about their sabotage, but some clearly have a prankster side, along with some mean-spirited cellphone schadenfreude. “Just watching those dumb teens at the mall get their calls dropped is worth it. Can you hear me now? NO! Good,” the purchaser of a jammer wrote last month in a review on a Web site called DealExtreme. (New York Times)
I can understand the temptation in buying one of these devices. Lord knows how many times some rude idgit has pestered myself and others because of their inane LOUD phone conversation.
I enjoyed last night's discussion and may join Dan and Bruce again on the podcast when I'm able to. If you haven't listened to Gay Patriot's America, please do. I thought I'd post some brief thoughts about what was talked about and provide some useful links as well:
1. I for one really enjoyed Dan's postings about his Cross Country Odyssey, but was also a bit disappointed too. I mean, he makes this great trek and stops to see rest areas but did what about sharing some culture, Dan, eh? I mean nothing says "America" like the World's Largest Twine Ball, Truckhenge, or even stopping off to fill 'er up at the Petrified Wood Gas Station. And what gay man wouldn't stop at Dorothy's Home? But noooooooo, Dan had to spend time with family. Sheesh, where are the man's priorities?!? 2. Sauron in a bikini-brief? Yeah that might have been a bit over-the-top but c'mon, there are a few in LOTR I wouldn't have minded seeing in their undergarments. 3. Is it Ja-KO-bee or JA-ko-bee? Beats me, but Sir Derek Jacobi is indeed an accomplished actor well worth seeing or listening to. His narration of The Illiad is superb and brings the story alive. Other audiobooks I mentioned in the podcast include Pyramid and 1000 Years of English Royalty. Also check out Sir Ian McKellen's narration of The Odyssey, The Lord of the Rings, Anthony Everitt's Augustus, Beowulf and Joseph Ellis' Patriots. 4. Bruce & Dan tried to keep me out until after the awards (my Preciousssssss!), but I picked the lock with just a strand of hair and some chewing gum. Who knew that all those years of watching MacGyver would come in handy like this one day? I wonder if posting nude photos of Hillary would go too far? MU-HA-HA-HA! 5. Pretty cool that Dan got to meet Gateway Pundit, I've enjoyed his blog for quite awhile now. I'm a bit curious who the "reader in Columbus, Ohio" was he ate lunch with. Hmm...need better tracking software methinks. 6. I enjoyed Dan's tale about the time he spent with his niece, it made me think of my nephew. I wanted to mention that I had just purchased The Dangerous Book for Boys and we are having fun with the ideas on stuff to do. It really is a good book for boys, I may just have to keep it awhile to read through it myself! 7. I'm pretty envious that Dan met Mary Cheney. I would enjoy a long conversation with her and to hear her perspective on important matters. 8. I was surprised to hear about the event on November 30th in Washington, DC to "honor the 12,000 Americans who have been discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law since its inception". I'll have to go and give my support not only for those who have served, but for the repeal of this law that prevents those willing and able to do so from serving. I'm glad that both Bruce and Dan caught LCR's omission of the fact that this disgraceful act was passed by the Democrat-controlled Congress in 1993 and signed into law by Bill Clinton, who had lied to gay Americans in the campaign by promising to overturn the ban only to codify it with the stroke of a pen. Btw, former Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Alva I mentioned works with the Human Rights Campaign to get the ban lifted. As I said in the podcast, I have serious disagreements with HRC but though our politics differ I'll put that aside in this one case. Alva himself is an impressive fellow whose service exemplifies honor, courage, sacrifice and what it means to be a Marine. 9. In case you missed it, watch Hillary try and spin her way out of a gaffe on illegal immigration. Chris Dodd, of all people, came across as quite reasonable while Hillary looked like an idiot.
They actually got me to listen to Color Me Badd so I'd say it was good. The boys at VAW-113 have a lot of free time on their hands I suppose but I do enjoy these videos they make!
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