Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

Crane, Poole & Schimdt Take on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

I love Boston Legal. ABC's Tuesday night drama series is one of the smartest, freshest shows on television. The writing, which takes a liberal look at hot-topic issues in the news, is some of the best in series TV. And who can pass up an opportunity to see Candace Bergen (I was also a Murphy Brown maniac during that show's run) spar with William Shatner? So I was thrilled (to say the least) to hear this morning that Shatner's character - the conservative, pro-war, pro-gun, anti-Nancy Grace GOP'er Denny Crane - will be tackling "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during the upcoming season. The military's gay ban is coming to the law offices of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. According to After Elton, "David E. Kelly's award-winning lawyer dramedy Boston Legal will feature a gay storyline in episode four of this season. In the episode, a military general friend of Denny Crane (William Shatner) comes out of the closet and, of course, is not welcomed by his superiors with a ticker-tape parade, leading him to come for legal counsel in the face of being discharged. Denny is apparently troubled by his old friend's admission and turns to his colleagues for advice." Will the gay general inspire a change of heart in Denny? Will they bond over God, guns & gays? And will Denny (or maybe Bergen??) be moved to bring a legal challenge over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" Stay tuned . . . the episode airs Tuesday, October 16th on ABC. - Steve Ralls

Labels: arts, in the news

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10-03-07 Comment (0)

Hecht on Yale

As Congressional debate on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) heats up, and as support continues to mount for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the fight against blatant employment discrimination in the LGBT community took another blow last week. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Yale University, rejecting its argument that the Solomon Amendment infringes on its right to academic freedom, because it requires universities to give the military the same access as other job recruiters or forfeit federal money. The ruling by the court in the Yale Law School case follows the US Supreme Court ruling in Fair v. Rumsfeld, effectively requiring academic institutions to compromise their own non-discrimination policies or risk jeopardizing millions of dollars. In Yale’s case, rather than lose $300 million in federal funds each year, the school will now allow military recruiters access to its campus. Harold Koh, Dean of Yale Law School, has, however, pledged to “ameliorate the impact” of this decision and of the discriminatory hiring practices of the US military. SLDN has always been in favor of the US military having access to the best and brightest this country has to offer. And while the Courts have determined that the Solomon Amendment is Constitutional, it is simply bad policy. It forces academic institutions to compromise their own non-discrimination policies, effectively harming the students whom they serve. The bright side to this madness is that this latest decision has again rallied students to advocate on behalf of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Like Yale, schools all over the country participate in amelioration by funding student participation in various activities – conferences, guest speakers, advocacy programs and other events – to counter-balance the impact of the military’s direct and unabashed discrimination. Students are one of the most valuable assets in the fight for repeal. Your representatives in Washington WANT to hear from you. And when you speak, they listen. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is currently the only federal law requiring someone to be fired simply because of their sexual orientation, and only 20 states and the District of Columbia have employment non-discrimination statutes on their books specifically prohibiting workers from being fired simply for being gay. The fact that we are almost in 2008 and are still trying to convince those in Congress that sexual orientation has nothing to do with how one performs at work, is a sad state of affairs. Hopefully with this recent defeat in the courts and with the debate in Congress over ENDA heating up, we will have the opportunity to educate some of those who still just don’t get it. -Emily Hecht

Labels: don't ask don't tell, in the news, law, Solomon, Yale

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10-03-07 Comment (0)

Openly Lesbian Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

For the first time, we have information that an openly gay soldier has died in Afghanistan. Massachusetts National Guard Spc. Ciara Durkin, 30, was found with a single gunshot wound to her head behind a building at Bagram Airbase on Sept. 27, the Boston Herald reports this morning. Durkin (pictured) was "mysteriously slain by a bullet to the head on a secure Afghanistan airbase," the paper reports, and had earlier "feared something might happen to her after discovering 'something she didn’t like,' her devastated family revealed." "The last time she was home she said she had seen things that she didn’t like and she had raised concerns that had annoyed some people," said Durkin’s sister Fiona Canavan. "She said, and I thought she was joking, that if anything happened to her we had to investigate." Canavan said she did not believe her sister was murdered because of her sexual orientation, though she was openly lesbian. Durkin was deployed to Afghanistan in February and was due to return home in January. Her funeral is Saturday at St. John’s Parish Church on School Street, Quincy. SLDN extends our heartfelt condolences to Ciara's family. Her story is a clear reminder that, in the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, LGBT Americans are making tremendous sacrifices for our nation, including the ultimate sacrifice. - Steve Ralls

Labels: afghanistan, in the news

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10-03-07 Comment (0)

Aubrey’s October 1st Message

Dear SLDN Supporter, Today, I officially begin my work as SLDN’s new executive director. I am incredibly proud and excited to be joining this organization’s terrific staff in their work to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I am also grateful to each of you for continuing to support SLDN’s critical work to repeal this law. SLDN has already made historic progress in its work to allow LGBT Americans the opportunity to serve in our armed forces. Legislation repealing the ban is before Congress; editorial boards across the country are calling for an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”; and a growing community of grassroot supporters is rallying the public to support open service. Yet, in spite of all the progress we have made, there is still work to be done and we need your support, now more than ever. In the next few months we will face new opportunities and new challenges, but together we will continue to fight and move closer to the day when every American patriot can serve our country regardless of sexual identity. Since it first opened its doors, SLDN has received more than 8,300 requests for assistance. Our legal services have always been free, and we have never turned away a service member who is being impacted by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Similarly, we have never stopped working – in Congress, at the Pentagon and in our communities – to build support for repealing this law. But those efforts all depend on your continued support and commitment to our cause. We will make history together. Yes, it is a challenge . . . but it is an important one. It is about civil rights . . . simple fairness . . . ending job discrimination . . . and repealing our country’s most visible anti-gay law! Join me as I begin my work here at SLDN, in building the strong foundation our amazing staff needs in order to succeed. I am writing my check today, and I ask that you do the same. I count on you, your encouragement and your continued support, as we chart a new course and seize the new opportunities before us. Join Me. Sincerely, Aubrey Sarvis Executive Director -----

10-01-07 Comment (0)