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Gay American war hero with Purple Heart did not tell unless asked
Major Alan G Rogers, 40, was an American patriot, committed to the US Army in which he had served for 18 years. His death, from a roadside bomb robbed the service of an extraordinary military intelligence officer and deprived his friends of someone they described as a great listener and a profoundly religious man.
Major Rogers was also gay and the story of his struggle to balance two allegedly competing aspects of his life has moved to the centre of the debate about gay military service in the US.
Read the article to find out more about Major Alan G Rogers, whose story seems to prove that you can, in fact, be gay and excel at military service. Major Alan G Rogers, 40, was an American patriot, committed to the US Army in which he had served for 18 years. His death, from a road... more -
House reconsiders 'don't ask, don't tell'
A House panel weighed overturning the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy Wednesday, the first time Congress has considered the rule since it was implemented 15 years ago.
Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Miltary Readiness said having gays in the military would be disruptive.
The policy, adopted in 1993, allows gay and lesbian individuals to serve in the armed forces as long as they do not publicly engage in homosexual behavior. The law also prevents military leaders from asking a service member about his or her sexual orientation.
Congress implemented the "don't ask, don't tell" law after President Clinton backed away from a plan to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the military. The armed forces' most senior officers resisted the plan, saying they feared that homosexuals would disrupt unit cohesion and morale.
The House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee was considering a bill by Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-California, that would repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law.
A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 75 percent of respondents supported allowing gays to serve openly in the military, up from 62 percent in 2001 and 44 percent in 1993. A House panel weighed overturning the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy Wednesday, the first time Con... more -
Sorry We Asked, Sorry You Told
Don't ask, don't tell. And, whatever you do, don't ask Elaine Donnelly to tell you what she thinks about gays in the military.
The House Armed Services personnel subcommittee made just such a miscalculation yesterday. Holding the first hearing in 15 years on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, lawmakers invited a quartet of veterans to testify on the subject and also extended an invitation to Donnelly, who has been working for years to protect our fighting forces from the malign influence of women.
Donnelly treated the panel to an extraordinary exhibition of rage. She warned of "transgenders in the military." She warned that lesbians would take pictures of people in the shower. She spoke ominously of gays spreading "HIV positivity" through the ranks.
"We're talking about real consequences for real people," Donnelly proclaimed. Her written statement added warnings about "inappropriate passive/aggressive actions common in the homosexual community," the prospects of "forcible sodomy" and "exotic forms of sexual expression," and the case of "a group of black lesbians who decided to gang-assault" a fellow soldier.
At the witness table with Donnelly, retired Navy Capt. Joan Darrah, a lesbian, rolled her eyes in disbelief. Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, a gay man who was wounded in Iraq, looked as if he would explode.
Inadvertently, Donnelly achieved the opposite of her intended effect. Though there's no expectation that Congress will repeal "don't ask, don't tell" and allow gays to serve openly in the military, the display had the effect of increasing bipartisan sympathy for the cause.
Rep. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) labeled her statement "just bonkers" and "dumb," and he called her claims about an HIV menace "inappropriate." Said Snyder: "By this analysis . . . we ought to recruit only lesbians for the military, because they have the lowest incidence of HIV in the country."
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), a veteran of the war in Iraq, called Donnelly's words "an insult to me and many of the soldiers" by saying they "aren't professional enough to serve openly with gay troops while successfully completing their military mission." Don't ask, don't tell. And, whatever you do, don't ask Elaine Donnelly to tell you what she thinks about gays in the mi... more -
Gay Pride 2008
Sights and sounds from the 2008 Gay Pride Weekend in Los Angeles, where the recent Supreme Court ruling extending the right to marry to gay couples was on everyone's mind.
Produced By: Billy Burgess Sights and sounds from the 2008 Gay Pride Weekend in Los Angeles, where the recent Supreme Court ruling extending the right to marry t... more -
75% of Americans say gays should serve openly in military
Seventy-five percent of Americans believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve in the US military, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The Washington Post reported that the number of Americans who support gays in the military is up from 62% in 2001 and 44% in 1993.
Eighty percent of registered Democrats support the repeal of "don’t ask, don’t tell," a policy barring gay service men and women from serving openly in the military. Enacted 15 years ago under the Clinton administration, the push for the repeal of DADT is gaining momentum. The Post reported that support from Republicans has doubled from 32% to 64 percent since DADT was enacted.
The Post-ABC poll, conducted between July 10 and July 13, also showed that more than 80% of women support gays in the military, compared with approximately 67% of men.
(The Advocate) Seventy-five percent of Americans believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve in the US military, according to a new Was... more -
"Don't Ask" policy hits female soldiers hardest
As a lesbian serving in the U.S. Navy, Cmdr. Zoe Dunning routinely accepted dates from men simply to avoid accusations that she was homosexual. That was more than 16 years ago. Yet a recent report indicates that the atmosphere in which women in the military operate has worsened.
Today, more than 12,000 service members have lost their jobs because of the so-called don't ask, don't tell law. A disproportionate number of those discharges are women, according to statistics gathered by the Washington-based Servicemembers' Legal Defense Network from the government under the Freedom of Information Act, and released to the public June 23.
"'Don't ask, don't tell' is clearly a women's issue," said Dunning, who is on the board of the Servicemembers' Legal Defense Network. Upon her retirement in 2007 from the Naval Reserves, she was the only openly gay person to serve in the military.
This vast difference between the numbers of women discharged from the military may add impetus to those calling for an end to the "don't ask" law.
The problem for women has worsened in recent years, the data gathered by the service members' network indicate. In fiscal 2006, women made up 17 percent of the Army but 35 percent of discharges under the "don't ask" law. One year later, women were 15 percent of Army members, yet discharges of women increased to 45 percent of the total.
Dunning, who stated publicly in 1993 that she was a lesbian, stayed in the military despite the passage later that year of the "don't ask, don't tell" law requiring members of the military to hide their sexual orientation. The law was characterized by then-president Bill Clinton as a "compromise" from his promise to end the ban on gays serving in the military.
"Don't ask" wasn't a compromise at all, says Cathy Westcott of the service members' network. Before the law, the status of gays in the military was left to the discretion of the commander in chief; after the law, there was a mandate to discharge them. And by singling out homosexuality as a reason for discharge, the law has actually increased discrimination against gays in the military, especially women, Dunning added. As a lesbian serving in the U.S. Navy, Cmdr. Zoe Dunning routinely accepted dates from men simply to avoid accusations that she was ho... more -
Secretly Gay
The actor, model, gay rights activist and winner of "The Amazing Race" has written a book on being secretly gay in the Air Force Academy. Here he shares his opinion on the Air Force's policies on gays in the military. The actor, model, gay rights activist and winner of "The Amazing Race" has written a book on being secretly gay in the Air F... more
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NYC: The Impact of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 6/13
One of the most hotly debated and divisive social issues of the past few decades has been whether to allow openly gay men and lesbians to serve in the U.S. military. See the New York premiere of "Ask Not," a new documentary that explores the impact of 1993’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring filmmaker Johnny Symons, military analysts and several former soldiers, like Alex Nicholson, who have been discharged for speaking out about their sexual orientation. Moderated by Andrew Jacobs, New York Times Metro reporter. One of the most hotly debated and divisive social issues of the past few decades has been whether to allow openly gay men and lesbians... more
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US Congress to keep gay military ban
A conservative lobby group is urging Congress to reject legislation that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don' Tell", the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.
The Military Readiness Enhancement Act which would repeal the decade old DADT has bipartisan support and hearings are expected to be held this year.
Americans For The Military, part of the conservative Center for Military Readiness, is circulating a petition online to pressure members of Congress to maintain the ban.
"Our nation's military should not be used as a tool to advance the goals of gay activist groups," the petition to members of Congress says.
"Forcing a sexual agenda on the armed forces would hurt discipline and moral ... As an American I ask that you uphold this law to help to protect and preserve our military."
In an online video, Center President Elaine Donnelly called for an "online army to support the troops".
Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays calls the campaign "misleading, offensive" and said that it is disrespectful to America’s military personnel.
"It is outrageous that some in our country would answer the service and sacrifice of their fellow citizens by calling for them to be fired simply because of who they are," said PFLAG executive director Jody M. Huckaby. A conservative lobby group is urging Congress to reject legislation that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don' Tell", the ... more -
'Don't ask' repeal campaign in San Diego
A San Diego reception marks the beginning of a six city whistle-stop tour of communities in the Western U.S organized by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) to highlight efforts to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The tour, which takes SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis from San Diego to Palm Springs before making stops in Las Vegas, Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, is an initiative aimed at educating Americans on efforts to lift the ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel.
"We are here to engage San Diegans in the effort to lift the ban on gays in the military. 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' results in the loss of thousands of talented, skilled service members our military needs," said Sarvis. "Change doesn't come from Washington, it begins with the American people -- it starts right here in San Diego. Poll after poll show Americans favor lifting the ban, so we need to turn that support into a call for action that Congress cannot ignore."
According to Gary Gates at UCLA's Williams Institute, San Diego is home to over 21,000 lesbian and gay military veterans; another 115,000 call California home. An estimated 65,000 lesbian and gay service members serve on active duty and in the reserves of the United States armed forces.
Since 1993, more than 12,000 men and women have been dismissed under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), which would repeal the law mandating that the U.S. military fire lesbian and gay employees, currently has 142 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, including San Diego Representatives Susan Davis and Bob Filner. A San Diego reception marks the beginning of a six city whistle-stop tour of communities in the Western U.S organized by Servicemember... more -
Obama Talks All Things LGBT with The Advocate
In an exclusive Chicago sit-down with The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld, Democratic front-runner Barack Obama discusses "don't ask, don't tell," Rev. Wright, and what he would do for LGBT Americans if he becomes president.
By Kerry Eleveld
[Via Advocate.com] In an exclusive Chicago sit-down with The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld, Democratic front-runner Barack Obama discusses "don'... more -
Pentagon edits Wikipedia entry of gay soldier
A Wikipedia article about Maj. Alan Rogers, a gay soldier who was killed in January in Iraq, was apparently edited by someone in the Pentagon, who removed any mention that Rogers was gay.
The user on Monday redacted details about Rogers that appeared on the online encyclopedia site. Information that was deleted included Rogers’ sexual orientation; the soldier’s participation in American Veterans for Equal Rights, a group that works to change military policy toward gays; and the fact that Rogers’ death helped bring the U.S. military’s casualty toll in Iraq to 4,000.
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Since the Don't Ask Don't tell policy of 93' started, over 10,000 soldiers have been discharged for being Gay. Many more have left voluntarily. A Wikipedia article about Maj. Alan Rogers, a gay soldier who was killed in January in Iraq, was apparently edited by someone in the P... more -
NATO commander: 'gays unfit for service'
"Gays in the army are unsuitable". That is according to General Mauro Del Vecchio, interviewed online by Klaus Davi for "KlausCondicio". "I respect any legitimate and lawful choice by a person - says Del Vecchio first of all - but I believe that in a structure like the army, where activities are always carried out together, it is advisable not to declare or reveal one's homosexuality. Also in my career I have encountered homosexual incidents and I acted in such a way that these situations would not happen again and those involved were relocated and employed in other areas". "In any case - he assures - I have never dismissed anybody from the army for being gay".
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Anyone who is gay in the military gives up their life to their country in more ways then one. If General Del Vecchio thinks that is unsuitable then he has misunderstood what a true call to duty means. "Gays in the army are unsuitable". That is according to General Mauro Del Vecchio, interviewed online by Klaus Davi for ... more -
Law Would Benefit Gays Discharged Under DADT
Military veterans discharged under the Pentagon's ban on openly gay and lesbian service members may receive benefits through the state under a bill being considered by the Massachusetts state senate.
Carl Sciortino is sponsoring the bill, which would require the Executive Office of Veterans Affairs to provide soldiers discharged under "don't ask, don't tell" tax breaks and other benefits offered to heterosexual veterans, according to the Somerville Journal, a local newspaper. Federal benefits would not apply under this proposed legislation.
Senators Scott Brown and Thomas McGee, cochair of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, are wary of the legislation, however. They cautioned that the bill may put federal funds at risk by going against strict policies. (The Advocate) Military veterans discharged under the Pentagon's ban on openly gay and lesbian service members may receive benefits through the ... more -
Congress Returns With Gay Rights On The Agenda
Members of Congress began returning to Washington today with three LGBT rights bill still in play - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
Whether any of them advance will be up to the will of the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate. The Democratic-led House reconvenes Tuesday. The Senate returns Jan. 22. Members of Congress began returning to Washington today with three LGBT rights bill still in play - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act... more -
'60 Minutes' "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" story asks and ...
'60 minutes' aired an incredible journalistic piece on what could be called the US' most unnecessary policy; "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Now a few days after, they are being hailed for the piece by most but drawing fire from some.
What do you guys think? Some would say "Who cares!? These people are willing to put their lives on the line like any other American solider, why not let them fight!?", while others would say "It's bad for the morale of the squad or the unit when they are having to worry about something like that and there is just no place for it!"
Thoughts? '60 minutes' aired an incredible journalistic piece on what could be called the US' most unnecessary policy; "Don&... more -
Boy Scouts Lose Lease in Gay-Rights Fight
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 4 ? For three years the Philadelphia council of the Boy Scouts of America held its ground. It resisted the city?s request to change its discriminatory policy toward gay people despite threats that if it did not do so, the city would evict the group from a municipal building where the Scouts have resided practically rent free since 1928.
Hailed as the birthplace of the Boy Scouts, the Beaux Arts building is the seat of the seventh-largest chapter of the organization and the first of the more than 300 council service centers built by the Scouts around the country over the past century. PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 4 ? For three years the Philadelphia council of the Boy Scouts of America held its ground. It resisted the city?s r... more -
Call to Duty
Until November 2005, Harvard University had banned on campus military recruitment due to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy" which prohibits disclosing ones sexual orientation. Kaj Larsen investigates both
sides of the issue. Until November 2005, Harvard University had banned on campus military recruitment due to the military's "Don't Ask, Don... more
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Don't Ask Don't Tell
