Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

Honoring LGBT Military Personnel at the Cathedral of Hope

05-25-07 Comment (1)

Meeting Jason Knight

It was a a privilege and fun to accompany Jason Knight last week on his 2-day trip to the University of Chicago to counter General Peter Pace’s address there! General Pace was invited to address the Graduate School of Business before he made his infamous remarks on gays being “immoral”. After Pace’s comments, 1,400 students and faculty of the University of Chicago then signed a position to un-invite him. They figured that a leader who gravely insults those who serve underneath him should not be held up to business students as a model of outstanding management practices. When it became clear General Pace would indeed appear, three University of Chicago departments joined together to invite Jason Knight in response to Pace’s appearance. They didn’t want to silence General Pace but wanted to broaden the debate to include the views of a gay sailor who served under Pace. When General Pace made his insulting remarks, Jason was serving in Kuwait as an openly gay sailor, out to other members of his unit. He took umbrage at Pace’s remarks, and said so in a brief letter to the Stars and Stripes. When the paper did a full article on him, the Navy began discharge proceedings against him under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Jason’s final discharge papers came through the day after he spoke in Chicago. The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Divinity School, and the Center for Gender Studies at the University of Chicago pooled funds to invite Jason to respond to General Pace. He gave a talk to linguistic students about learning Hebrew at the Defense Language Institute in Monterrey, taking classes seven hours a day, five to six days a week for forty-eight weeks. This intensive training provided him with the skills to carry out simultaneous translation for the Navy. Jason spoke again the next day on campus in “counterpoint” to General Pace’s comments, a few hours before Pace’s speech, describing his experiences as a gay sailor. He was joined by MSgt. Jean Albright who served in the Air Force for twenty years. Then, outside the building where General Pace gave his speech, Jason spoke with nine media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune which originally broke the story of Pace’s remarks on gays. He reiterated his request that Pace apologize for his remarks. It was great to spend time with Jason as he set the record “straight” about the outstanding service our gay, lesbian, and bisexual troops provide to our country despite having to live under the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. The University of Chicago community learned what a waste it is for talented, skilled, highly trained service members to be “fired” by the military. The Navy has lost an outstanding linguist. Jason, however, has the skills and training the military provided him, and his whole life ahead of him. - Julie Kruse

Labels: events, in the news, jason knight, Pace

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05-24-07 Comment (0)

Making History

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05-23-07 Comment (0)

Pace Speaks Out at U of Chicago

At a speaking event last Friday at the University of Chicago, Marine General Peter Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Here's the snippet from the Chicago Maroon, the University of Chicago student newspaper:

“It is important for a nation to give all who want to serve the opportunity to serve.” The policy prohibits anyone who has engaged in homosexual activity from serving in the armed forces and also prohibits homosexuals or bisexuals from disclosing their sexual orientation. “Our armed forces are well served by diversity in many respects,” Pace said.

Now before you start thinking that Gen. Pace has reformed his ways and is now calling for repeal of the gay ban, keep reading:

“But we also have the law of our land. It allows all citizens who want to serve to have the opportunity. But as with many parts of military life, there are issues of conformity. I do support the law of the land because it does allow those who want to serve the opportunity to do so,” he said to applause from conference delegates.

On the one hand, he seems to say that the contributions of lesbian, gay and bisexual troops are important, but, on the other hand, he seems to condone discrimination simply because it's the law of the land... Underneath that carefully crafted language of celebrating diversity is the pervasive bigotry that provides support for discriminatory laws like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And luckily, it's not up to Gen. Pace to repeal the law; it's up to Congress. If, unlike Gen. Pace, you truly believe that our "armed forces are well served by diversity in many respects," then call on your Member of Congress to repeal the ban now! - Rebecca Sawyer

Labels: Congress, in the news, Pace

05-22-07 Comment (1)

It’s Official.

Labels: jason knight

05-21-07 Comment (1)

Be Real, with Cholene Espinoza

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05-19-07 Comment (0)

Across the Pond

So this is what the future looks like. The International Herald Tribune has an article out today on the state of the British military since they lifted the ban on open service in 2000. One Royal Air Force officer tells his story of coming out to his squad:

"I said, 'Right, I've got something to tell you. I believe that for us to be able to work closely together and have faith in each other, we have to be honest and open and frank. 'And it has to be a two-way process, and it starts with me baring my soul. You may have heard some rumors, and, yes, I have a long-term partner who is a he, not a she.'"

And the conclusion? It wasn't a big deal. In fact, he says "he found that coming out to his troops actually increased the unit's strength and cohesion." The article also, inevitably, compares and contrasts the status of gay military personnel in the British and American armed forces. There was this interesting snippet about one British military officer who served alongside American service members in Iraq:

One major, an openly gay liaison officer in the British Territorial Army, told of an exchange he had in the southern Iraqi city of Basra with an American staff sergeant, far from home and anxious to confide. "He privately let me know he was gay," the major said in an interview. "Not in a romantic way, but in a matter-of-fact way. He found it difficult, because he clearly had a whole part of his private life that he had to keep separate and distinct and couldn't discuss with people. He was in his mid-30s, with no girlfriend and no wife, and he had to use all these white lies."

Another, who served in Afghanistan, had this to say about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:"

"I find it strange, coming from the land of the free and freedom of speech and democracy, given the changes in the world attitude," said a gay squadron leader in the Royal Air Force who recently returned from Afghanistan. "It's just not the issue it used to be."

Indeed. Check out the rest of the story online at the International Herald Tribune. - Rebecca Sawyer

Labels: foreign militaries, in the news, Iraq, UK

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05-17-07 Comment (0)

Dorr’s About Face

Robert Dorr, an Air Force veteran, and a frequent contributor to the opinion section of the Military Times, has done a stunning about face. In a 2003 opinion column in the Air Force Times about the National Security Agency's decision to mark June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month for the agency, Dorr said this about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:"

In my opinion, homosexuality is incompatible with military service. Gay Americans always have served in the armed forces. They fought battles and suffered sacrifices. They deserve to be honored for their service. But private behavior should remain private.

Contrast that opinion with today's. In a column in a May 2007 issue of the Air Force Times, Dorr talks about those lesbian, gay and bisexual service members he knows, and highlights the story of TSgt Leonard Matlovich. He then salutes the service of all Americans by saying this:

I was wrong.

America has changed and become more tolerant. But even before America changed, I was wrong.

If I can change, so can you: It’s time to lift a ban that was never needed and welcome qualified gay Americans who wish to serve.

We salute you, Mr. Dorr, for standing up for equality and fairness for all Americans. Thank you for standing up for what's right. Take the time to thank Mr. Dorr for his service and his courage. Email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and let him know your thoughts. Better yet, send a letter to the editor (along with your name, address, daytime phone, and rank) in support of Mr. Dorr's about face at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). As more leaders -- civilian and military alike -- stand up in support of lifting the ban, the closer we are to the day when all Americans can serve, regardless of sexual orientation. - Rebecca Sawyer

Labels: in the news, veterans

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05-16-07 Comment (0)

A Response to General Pace

This Friday, the University of Chicago Center for Gender Studies, NELC and the Divinity School will be hosting A Response to General Pace: Former Officers Expose Queer Life in the Military, at 9am in Room 122 of the University's Social Sciences Building. Former Navy Petty Officer Jason Knight and Retired Air Force MSgt Jean Albright (pictured) will provide a counter-point to General Peter Pace's mid-day address to the Graduate School of Business, and his recent denunciation of homosexuality as 'immoral.' You can also catch Jason on Thursday, from 3-4pm, speaking to language students about his work as a military translator and his interest in Modern Hebrew. That discussion will take place in Cobb 302. - Steve Ralls

Labels: jason knight, Pace

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05-16-07 Comment (0)