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Miami Herald: ‘Mr. President, our job is not done,’ says Retired Navy Commander
By: Commander Zoe Dunning, US Navy, Retired
December 22, 2011
It was a year ago today that I stood next to President Barack Obama as he signed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010. It was one of the proudest moments of my life, to bear witness to history as we enacted what I consider the most important civil rights legislation of this generation. I was honored to be asked to stand on stage with the President, the Vice President, Admiral Mike Mullen, Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, and the key leaders of Congress who were instrumental in passing this legislation. I was privileged to represent the thousands of service members who have been impacted by the harmful policy, because I had been working on the issue of gays in the military for more than 18 years. That was when I came out publicly, as a young Navy Lieutenant, at a political rally in 1993. I did so, because I felt strongly that in the debate happening at the time regarding whether gays could or should serve in the military, everyone was allowed to discuss it except for those affected most by it – those silenced by knowing that if they spoke up, they would be fired from the service.
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