Freedom to Serve Rally

David Stalling, who submitted this piece, blogs at outintothewilds.

As you know, the LGBT community has faced gut-wrenching setbacks – Proposition 8 in California being the most recent. But a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law looks unusually promising under the new White House and Congress. This is the only federal law on the books that forces employers – in this case military commanders - to fire their employees – our service members – for being openly gay.

President Obama has repeatedly called for getting rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The Democratic Party, through its party platform adopted last August, has made it clear it wants to repeal the law. One hundred forty-nine members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have co-sponsored a bill that aims to repeal the law. And 75 percent of Americans, according to a 2008 Washington Post poll, think gays and lesbians should be able to serve their country openly.

So we might finally be close to a major victory for the LGBT movement – but it’s not going to happen overnight. Washington is and will be consumed with economic and foreign policy challenges. And although Obama has now moved to town, we still need you – and your straight and gay friends – to come shake things up even more in Washington.

Join the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) for a Freedom to Serve rally in Washington DC, at noon Friday, March 13, 2009, on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. And bring your friends!

For more information about the Freedom to Serve Rally, and sign up, go to: http://www.sldn.org/freedomtoserverally

P.S. SLDN's 17th Annual National Dinner and Silent Auction will take place the following day at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14 at the National Building Museum. Go to http://www.sldn.org/events/ to learn more and sign up!