Urge Your Legislators To Take a Stand Against Don't Ask, Don't Tell

From: Jim Maloney
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 9:12 PM
Subject: Urge Your Elected Officials To Take a Stand Against Dont Ask, Dont Tell

As a new year unfolds, please take a moment to write your elected officials to urge them to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Only one law in the United States mandates firing someone because of his or her sexual orientation. That law is 10 U.S.C. 654, also known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and it applies to all Americans serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, including active duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel. Over two million Americans serving in uniform today are bound by this discriminatory law; among them, an estimated 65,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans in uniform live with the constant threat of career-ending discharge under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This is no way to treat patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve our nation in its time of need.

Over 10,000 Americans have been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the last twelve years - an average of two people per day. This discrimination comes at a cost of over $15 million per year in tax payer dollars, and results in the discharges of linguists, pilots, doctors, intelligence analysts, military police - many with critical skills we need in this time of conflict.

In March of 2005, the historic Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1059) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would repeal the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" statute, and replace it with a non-discrimination law. There is currently no similar legislation before the United States Senate.

Take ACTION!
1. Urge your Representative to co-sponsor the Military Readiness Enhancement Act!
2. Urge your Senator to support similar legislation in the Senate to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell!"
3. Help SLDN Organize the Grassroots!


1. Urge your Representative to co-sponsor the Military Readiness Enhancement Act!

To find your Representative's name and contact information, click here: http://www.house.gov/

To find out if your Representative is a co-sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, click here: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01059:@@@P

A sample letter to urge your Representative to support the Military Readiness Enhancement Act is available online at http://www.sldn.org/templates/action/record.html?section=52&record=1936

If your Representative is already a co-sponsor, please email or write a letter to thank him or her! If your Representative is not a co-sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, please urge him or her to become a co-sponsor. A sample letter is available online at http://www.sldn.org/templates/action/record.html?section=52&record=2545

2. Urge your Senator to support legislation in the Senate to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Although the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1059) was introduced in the House of Representatives in March of 2005, there is currently no legislation in the Senate to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Write your Senator and urge him or her to support legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

To find out how to contact your U.S. Senator, click here: http://www.senate.gov/

A Sample Letter to urge your Senator to support legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is available online at http://www.sldn.org/templates/action/record.html?section=52&record=2546

3. Help SLDN Organize the Grassroots!

SLDN is looking for a few good activists! SLDN is in the early stages of launching a grassroots organizing campaign to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We are concentrating our initial efforts in the states of Rhode Island and Maine. If you or someone you know lives in or is registered to vote in Rhode Island or Maine, and would like to lend your voice to the thousands of voices around the country calling for an end to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," volunteer to be a grassroots activist with SLDN!

Contact Karen Armagost, 202-328-3244 ext 101 or kaa@sldn.org for more information.

As always, thank you so much for your support!
____________________________________________
Jim Maloney
Director, Military Education Initiative (MEI)
Phone: 415-370-3313
Fax: 415-437-0401
Email: mei@military-education.org
www.military-education.org