Don’t Ask, Tell Obama

Joan Darrah, Retired Navy Captain and LGBT Activist

As a retired Navy Captain and lesbian American, I know from firsthand experience that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is blatant employment discrimination.

On September 11, 2001, I left a meeting at the Pentagon just minutes before Flight #77 hit and seven of my co-workers were killed. My partner, Lynne, would have been one of the last to know if something had happened to me that day. My livelihood depended on my pretending our relationship didn’t exist – there was no possible way she could have been listed as my emergency contact.

Every day, on average, two dedicated, hard working, and patriotic Americans are thrown out of our military simply for being gay.  President Obama promised to repeal this law, and now is the time for us to hold him to his promise.

As you read this, the president is preparing to send his military budget to Capitol Hill. With a stroke of his pen he could include a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in that must-pass bill.

TAKE ACTION: Please ask President Obama to repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”

The key tests for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve – not the gender of the person you love.

Please contact President Obama and tell him to make good on his campaign promise to replace “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” with a policy of non-discrimination.

Love,

Captain Joan Darrah

Navy, Retired

P.S. I am participating in Valentine’s Day Reimagined by sending in a picture of my family holding a “Standing on the Side of Love” sign. How are you planning to participate?