Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

On Monday May 5th, I'll be in City Hall in NYC again testifying at the second hearing on the NYC Council's second DADT repeal resolution. These "City Resolutions," which ask Congress and the President to repeal the repressive Don't Ask Don't tell policy, are sent to respective Representatives and Senators telling them that their local voters want them to take action on allowing all Americans to be able to choose to volunteer to serve in our armed forces regardless of sexual orientation, regardless of the irrelevance of who or how we happen to love.

This is New York's second such resolution and it's a shoe-in for passage later this year. It was introduced by the openly Lesbian Speaker of the Council, Chris Quinn, at the behest of SLDN under the inspired leadership of Aubry Sarvis. It was co-sponsored, appropriately, by the Chairman of the Council's Committee on Veterans. Monday's hearing is a part of the process of moving the measure out of committee and on to the full council for a final vote. "Process" is everything, as any Process Queen will tell you; and so we participate in the ponderous politicized procedural deliberations, speaking out with the ultimate goal of greater freedom on our minds to fortify our ongoing efforts. New York's first DADT repeal resolution was passed in 2005 at the urging of American Veterans For Equal Rights New York (AVERNY). Probably during Pride Month, in June of this year, Congress will get the message of the current resolution telling them to get moving on The Mil itary Readiness Enhancement Act, a Congressional Bill which would repeal DADT and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in our military. This resolution tells our congressional delegation that their voters are still waiting for action, three years after the first request, or I should say, demand. It follows resolutions from nearly a dozen cities across the country, two resolutions from the California Legislature, Jewish War Veterans and other national prganizations.

The first NYC DADT repeal resolution, that AVERNY officers and I got passed in 2005, wasn't so easy. When we first suggested the resolution in 2004, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act had not yet been introduced in Congress and no other city in America had made such a resolved demand. It took fifteen months of gritty persistent political arm twisting. We honestly had no idea what we were doing. We had no idea what we were up against in trying to get the attention of council members who normally concern themselves with a budget of billions of dollars needed to run a world class city. We were a tiny organization with no money to speak of, just a small group of determined old men. That we succeeded is a demonstration of what a grass-roots effort can accomplish; that every voter counts, that if you shout loud and long enough, you will be heard. Our total expenditure for the entire fifteen month effort was $200, donated by a single individual, to pay Dr . Frank Kameny's train fare from DC to New York so that he could testify at a hearing before the full NYC council. We spent months phoning, faxing, and e-mailing.

Our determination didn't come out of nowhere, of course. I've been an activist for 48 years, since I was hit in the head with a rock, at the age of 13 in 1960, during my first civil rights march on a picket line with the NAACP. I didn't know what I was getting into then either. In the moments before I was hit with that rock, I was filled with a boy's innocent and idealistic hopes for the future. In the moments after, I began a lifetime of bitter struggle for rights. The other AVERNY officers were all veterans of gay activism. We are all Vietnam Era vets. Joe Kennedy was one of the founders of the Gay Activist Alliance back in the early 70s. Jim Reilly was well known for speaking out, quite loudly and effectively, to his subway motorman's union and the City, in demanding partner benefits and other rights. The list goes on. We were a bunch of grizzled activists who just got pissed-off and more determined if we were ignored. On of the group even followed a council member into the council chamber men's room to "discuss" his vote with him while standing at the urinals. We understand the polite negotiations with elected officials, needed these days to achieve progress. But, we all began our activism shouting on the streets long ago.

Frankly, after all these years, we're getting a little tired of having to still demand rights. The point of this story is to inspire the next generation (OK, we're so old it would be the next next generation). In the current era, one does not stand in the street shouting and defiantly ducking thrown rocks. These days require intelligent persistent negotiation and advocacy. There are plenty of people and programs in SLDN, AVER and other groups who are ready to teach you how politely step in front of others waiting to talk to a politician and present your cause in the thirty seconds during which you will have their undivided attention. There's more, such as how to talk to jaded news reporters. Just ask.

by Denny Meyer

PAO AVER Media Dir. TAVA Editor, http://www.thegaymilitarytimes.com/