Frontlines, the SLDN Blog
A Huge Success
After serving four years in the Navy and seeing the negative impact "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" had not only on my own career, but on that of many of my friends, I can no longer sit back and watch as more and more service members are kicked out unjustly.
So I volunteered at the SLDN booth for the first time at Denver Pride on June 28. We received the most amazing response from the Pride-goers. In fact, I have never seen so many people lined up to sign a petition before! The Denver community really stepped up, and before my 4-hour shift ended, we had every petition signed, and had to send someone to get copies made at a nearby Kinko's! I've never felt more pride than knowing what a difference my time at the booth made in the quest for equal rights.
Thank you SLDN for giving me and the amazing community of Denver the opportunity to stand up for the many gays, lesbians, and bisexuals currently serving in the military who cannot stand up for themselves on this issue.
06-29-09 By Shae Alexis Addison | Comment (0)
Brotherly Love for SLDN
This year's Philly Pride festival was the largest in 10 years and it showed. The crowds came in droves and all were more than happy to put their name on the line for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". For the better part of a 7 hour day, we were met with overwhelming support.
Many would express their disgust with the policy. Some even began to describe personal stories of family members impacted. There were also a surprising number of active duty members who proudly signed. Veterans for Peace made an appearance and, after signing, shook the hands of all involved. One Veteran spoke of his pride for our efforts and described his own 30 year career as a Navy physician living under a much harsher policy. Even a young ROTC member walked up to me and asked how he could become involved in the fight. I handed him a pad and an hour later he returned with every sheet signed. As a flight mechanic with the Coast Guard discharged under the policy after 10 years of service, I was touched by the vast support from the City of Brotherly Love.
I also have to salute all the volunteers who gave their time for such a great cause, especially a prior coworker of mine who is a straight, active duty ally experiencing Pride for the first time. He was blown away by the reality of the gay community and already offered his services for future endeavors. He is a model servicemember that all others questioning their stance in this fight should take notice of. I have been to many Unity events with SLDN and met many wonderful people. However, this is by far the most amazing experience I've ever encountered. I look forward to many other opportunities with SLDN.
06-24-09 By David Keener | Comment (1)
1500 More Signatures
During Long Beach Pride on May 16&17, I volunteered at the SLDN booth for the first time. I also learned just how many people continue to be impacted by the DADT law. ...Read More
05-20-09 By Tracey Cooper-Harris | Comment (1)
The Groundswell is Building
If you ever doubted that we're making progress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," you should have attended Phoenix Pride on April 18. ...Read More
04-23-09 By Linda Thomas | Comment (0)
