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A New Appreciation for Independence Day…and Those Who Make It So

I suspect I was like many Americans when it comes to the July Fourth holiday. Sure, I've known for as long as I can remember the reason we celebrate the day. I have studied and appreciated the history of our nation throughout my life - including the wars and conflicts that brought us our independence and have secured it through the generations. But this year, I feel differently about it.

My father is a decorated Vietnam War veteran. I'm not sure if it was because he served in such turbulent times, because he lost close friends, or because he came home to a nation divided about whether we should have been there in the first place. But whatever the reason, his service is not something he's talked about a great deal over the years, and frankly, I know only a little about his experiences in the U.S. military.

Not until I came to work at Servicemembers Legal Defense Network this spring did I come to fully appreciate the patriots - like my Dad - who have served our country in order to maintain the independence we celebrate this holiday weekend. I'm proud to work alongside people like Mike Almy, David Hall, and Danny Hernandez, discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," even as they were protecting freedoms for Americans that they could not even fully enjoy themselves. I think about Andrew Wilfahrt, profiled this weekend by CNN, who died in Afghanistan fighting to secure freedom for others - a soldier, an American citizen, and gay. I reflect on the countless others who died in the closet while protecting the independence we enjoy each day.

So this weekend, amid the fireworks, the flag waving, and the fun, I pause in a way I haven't before to say "thank you" to all of the men and women who have served and who continue to serve to ensure that our independence endures. I look forward to the day when all of these men and women can serve openly, and I am humbled to be a part of the fight for full LGBT equality in America's military.

07-04-11 By Zeke Stokes, SLDN Communications Director |