Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

The Power of 65,000

The Boston Globe is reporting that the United States military is launching a $15 billion campaign to boost recruiting in the Army. The expansive effort - which includes a home mortgage fund and a military prep school for high school dropouts - is designed to "help draw in a shrinking pool of eligible volunteers," the paper reports. The goal? "[S]igning up enough young men and women to add 65,000 soldiers to its ranks over the next three years." Which just happens to be the number of lesbian and gay troops who are estimated to now be serving in the armed forces. Those troops, of course, are officially silenced by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." There's no word in The Globe article about whether anyone in the Army recruiting command has also considered a much simpler - and more affordable - plan to recruit new troops: Welcoming LGBT Americans who want to serve, but have felt unwelcome because of the ban. According to statistician Gary Gates at The Williams Institute, an estimate 41,000 lesbian and gay Americans would enter military service, if "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" weren't in place. That's enough troops to staff 6 aircraft carriers. And all Congress has to do to get the ball rolling is repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." That's not to say, of course, that the Army shouldn't have good plans, with good benefits, to attract new recruits. They should. But they should also make those plans and benefits available to every American who wants to serve. By doing so, the Army can boost its recruitment by 41,000 (new LGBT recruits) + 65,000 (new recruits now being targeted) and make the other 65,000 gay Americans already on duty feel a little more welcome and appreciated for the stellar job that they do. Along the way, the Army can not only realize the power of 65,000, but also live up to the idea behind an Army of One, where every soldier counts, and every service member has something important to bring to the fight. - Steve Ralls

Labels: in the news, recruiting

02-13-08 Comment (2)

Remembering Tom Lantos

Congressman Tom Lantos of California, who was a staunch champion of human rights and LGBT issues in the House of Representatives, has passed away shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, his spokeswoman confirmed this morning. He was 80. Congressman Lantos, a Holocaust survivor serving his 14th term in the House, was an outspoken support on LGBT rights during his time in Congress, and was a co-sponsor of legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He will be missed by all of us at SLDN, and by so many Americans who knew Lantos to be a passionate, and compassionate, voice for human rights and dignity around the world. From the Associated Press: Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, has died, his spokeswoman said Monday. Lynne Weill said that Lantos, 80, passed away at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in suburban Maryland. Lantos, a Democrat who chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee, disclosed last month that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. He said at the time that he would serve out his 14th term but would not seek re-election in his Northern California district, which takes in the southwest portion of San Francisco and suburbs to the south including Lantos' home of San Mateo. The timing of the diagnosis was a particular blow because Lantos had assumed his committee chairmanship just a year earlier, when Democrats retook control of Congress. He said then that in a sense his whole life had been a preparation for the job — and it was. Lantos, who referred to himself as "an American by choice," was born to Jewish parents in Budapest, Hungary, and was 16 when Adolf Hitler occupied Hungary in 1944. He survived by escaping twice from a forced labor camp and coming under the protection of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who used his official status and visa-issuing powers to save thousands of Hungarian Jews. Lantos' mother and much of his family perished in the Holocaust. - Steve Ralls

Labels: california, Congress, in the news

-----

02-11-08 Comment (0)

Christopher Rice’s Gay Marine

There aren't many topics the authors in the Rice family won't dare to tackle. Pretty much every gay man has fallen prey to Anne Rice's seductive tales of sexually ambiguous vampires in New Orleans . . . the seductive and powerful Mayfair witches . . . and even (my favorite Anne Rice novel) the sexual exploits of the Italian castrati. But Anne's son, the openly gay Christopher Rice, has proven himself a stand-alone literary talent, too. His recent novel Light Before Day was a brilliantly penned thriller that lifted the veil on a silent epidemic within the gay community, and his earlier novel, The Snow Garden, was set in what Publishers Weekly deemed a "pansexual pharmacopoeia" of freshman year college rituals. Now, Rice is returning with another gay-themed novel, Blind Fall. And this time, his story is centered around a closeted gay Marine who finds himself caught up in a murder. From the review at Amazon.com: John Houck became a Marine to become a hero. But his life changed when he failed to notice an explosive device that ended up maiming the captain of his Force Recon Company, a respected Marine who nearly sacrificed himself to save John's life. Home from Iraq, John pays a visit to his former captain, only to discover the captain has been gruesomely murdered. John pursues a strange man he sees running from the scene, but he discovers that Alex Martin is not the murderer. Alex is, in fact, the former captain's secret male lover and the killer's intended next victim. When it becomes clear that local law enforcement has direct connections to the murder itself, John realizes that to repay his debt of honor, he must teach Alex Martin how to protect himself, even if that means teaching Alex to kill. In the process, John confronts the painful truth about the younger brother he was unable to protect and the older sister he always felt he failed. Blind Fall is a story of honor and integrity, of turning failure into victory. It is a stunning departure for Christopher Rice: the story of two men, one a Marine, one gay, who must unite to avenge the death of the man they both loved -- one as a brother-in-arms, one as a lover -- and to survive. __________________ It's a long way - (or maybe not for at all?) - from his mother's dark tales of 18th century operatic torture, but Blind Fall seems to also be another Rice family story of secret love . . . dark betrayal . . . and what hides in the shadows. Rice's new novel will be relased on March 11, and is available now for pre-order from Amazon.com. - Steve Ralls

Labels: books

02-08-08 Comment (2)

Fly Naked With Your Valentine – And Support SLDN!

Say “Be Mine” with a great piece of jewelry for Valentine’s Day. The Fly Naked with Reichen Collection from Love and Pride is a perfect choice. This aviation-inspired titanium jewelry collection features rings, bracelets, pendants, cuff links and money clips. And you can make a purchase that makes a difference as 10 percent of net proceeds is donated to SLDN. Click here to shop the entire collection. Surprise your loved one this Valentine's Day by Flying Naked for SLDN! Reichen wears the grey titanium Propeller Pendant from the Fly Naked Collection. -----

02-07-08 Comment (0)

Tipper Gore to Join SLDN for UNITE on March 8

SLDN is excited to announce that Tipper Gore will join us in Washington for UNITE: SLDN's 16th annual national dinner & silent auction. We're honored to have Tipper as our special guest for this important night, and invite you to join us on Saturday, March 8 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Tipper has a long history of supporting the LGBT community, and has been a strong voice on issues of fairness, liberty and justice for all. She is the author, along with former Vice President Al Gore, of Joined at the Heart: The Transformation of the American Family, which includes profiles of LGBT couples. In 2002, Tipper told reporters that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" wasn't working. "I have a better solution," she said. "Let's rip it up." To join SLDN, Tipper and our other special invited guest - Army Sergeant Darren Manzella - RSVP now. Then join us on March 8 as we "rip it up" in Washington and move closer to the day when we lift the ban. - Steve Ralls

Labels: events, UNITE

-----

02-06-08 Comment (0)

HRC and BHO on DADT

Labels: barack obama, Hillary Clinton, MREA

02-04-08 Comment (3)

A Force Divided

When an Air Force Chief Master Sergeant has something he wants to say, you had better watch out because he is going to say it! This fact is doubly true when you are dealing with David Lee Gainer. As an SLDN board member, Gainer has been an active and vocal proponent of lifting the ban on lesbian and gay service members. So when he set his sights on publishing an op-ed calling for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the Air Force Times, Gainer spoke and people listened. The result is this terrific article that draws attention to the true costs of bigotry and reminds Airmen stationed around the world that, "to wear the chevrons of a leader, you must motivate, inspire and lead dedicated men and women of every kind." Thank you David, for speaking so honestly, and so passionately, to such an important audience. Because men like you are willing to lead by example, readers of the Air Force Times now have the chance to witness the qualities of integrity and service in action. -Victor Maldonado

Labels: Board, Guy-Gainer

-----

02-01-08 Comment (0)