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Loading ...Gay West Point grads come out
03.17.2009 5:21pm EDT
(Washington) Thirty-eight West Point graduates came out of the closet Tuesday, announcing the formation of an organization to fight the ban on gays serving openly in the military.
In a statement, the group said that they are prepared to help the military college make the transition to LGBT equality once the ban is lifted.The organization, called Knights Out, said its members were again answering their call to duty, honor, and country – this time by coming out publicly and declaring their sexuality.
“By publicly outing themselves, the 38 members of Knights Out ended once and for all the anonymity that has obscured from full view their service to the nation as West Point graduates,” the group said in a statement.
“Knights Out seeks to reduce the stigma associated with sexual diversity by providing an open forum for discussion between out LGBT West Point graduates and their fellow alumni.”
The president supports changing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but LGBT advocacy groups say he is not moving quickly enough.
Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher, a California Democrat, earlier this month reintroduced legislation to repeal the military ban. The Military Enhancement Readiness Act (MREA) would replace it with new provisions prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the Armed Forces. Last year, the MREA had 149 bipartisan cosponsors.
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D) has reportedly been working on a Senate version of the bill to be filed this year, but wants a Republican to cosponsor it.
In January, the American Psychoanalytic Association called for the repeal of the law. A long list of retired generals and admirals also support repeal – including two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, John Shalikashvili and Colin Powell.
Even former Sen. Sam Nunn, the Georgia Democrat who sponsored DADT, now says it is time to abolish the ban.
A 1993 study by the RAND corporation as well as a 1989 study by the Defense Personnel Security Research Center and the Navy’s 1957 Crittenden report support allowing gays to serve.
Since DADT was enacted, more than 12,000 servicemembers have been dismissed when it was learned they are gay.
Colonel (Retired) Stewart Bornhoft, a 1969 West Point graduate and Vietnam combat veteran, welcomed the formation of Knights Out and predicted the ban would soon be overturned.
“All West Pointers, regardless of their own sexual orientation, will soon be charged with leading soldiers who freely acknowledge their diverse orientations. Just as we set the example for the successful integration of the races and genders, we will have that same responsibility when our nation joins the family of 26 other militaries that have implemented the freedom to serve openly,” he said in a statement.
“When open service is enacted, the words of the Cadet Prayer – ‘…never to be content with a half truth when the whole truth can be won’ – will once again be our guidepost.”
Now this is living up to your training! I applaud their bravery, strength and willingness to be part of the solution.
Blessed Be! INDEED!!
That is an absolute inspiration to us all. Everyone needs to come out and show our country that they have nothing to fear from us or to hate us for. Until people see us as human beings, their friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, and even their soldiers that bravely fight for our freedom everyday, will they ever begin to accept us. You guys are hero’s in my book. May God be with you in your struggle for equality and freedom.
Hey Einstein (a/k/a “Bob”): Anyone who intentionally killed a fellow soldier for ANY reason would find himself cashiered quicker than he could say “Private Slovik”. Take your terror talk back to Tora Bora where it belongs.
Neil Said: “Of course they would have a choice. But they are not the ones who make those decisions.”
In the middle of two wars, to the point of recruiting felons and other sub-standard soldiers merely to keep up enough numbers to wage these wars? Based on even conservative statistics, out of an army of 1 million that would make approx 100,000 gay & lesbian soldiers. Sure they have no problem with firing a few here and there, but there is no way they could justify dismissing that many at once and still expect to wage an effective campaign. Not to mention that many G&L soldiers seem to specialize in high demand and high tech fields. No way they would discharge them all, tho they might likey ask Congress to temporarily suspend DADT. Either that or wait until the war is over then discharge them, but I don’t see an end to both wars anytime soon.
Bravo!! What courage. Thank you.
You ever hear of friendly fire? I think that if your gay your back could become a big target, good for Canadians since usually it is them that get shot in the back.
Now that’s courageand bravery!!! just the qualities we want in our soldiers.
when i think of how i didnt pursue the congressional nomination i received in 1990to attend the USAF and then left a career in public service while attending school in DC, because i didnt have the courage to pursue a dream i am saddened but i can take pride and joy in the fact that the movement has come such a long way to give these men and women a fighting chance to change their future and the futures of us all… if i knew then what i know now… i wouldnt have waited so long to come out… i can only do what i can do now to continue to make a difference and the courage of these students is something that i can continue to give me strength to fight the good fight!
I too, have the utmost admiration for these people. However, from the tone of this article, it seems like their service is behind them.
“. . . they were again answering their call . . .” and “. . . their service to the nation . . .” says to me that they are now out of the service.
Tiger said, ” . . . the Pentagon would have no choice . . .” Of course they would have a choice. But they are not the ones who make those decisions.
But the bottom line is these men and women are adding to the weight of our argument and that can only turn into a good thing. But lets not too hastily add more weight than is warranted by the story. That will only allow us to wear the egg on our face we have too often worn before.
365gay – let’s have a followup story that reveals a little more of the whole truth.
My hat is off to you. I wish I would have done that at my cadet graduation. Thank you for making that statement. Now if they try to discharge you write to the president let him know what has happened what you did and what they are doing. He will listen to that!!! and again thank you!
I applaud those graduates! To come out in the face of blatant discrimination, now that takes nerves of steel. BRAVO!!!!
This is wonderful news and these folks deserve our respect. The more people who come out after having served the more the rest of society will realize that we gays and lesbians do not pose some sort of threat to the armed forces, and the sooner DADT will be repealed.
My salutations to these Grads, however methinks they’ve cooked their goose or maybe it’s “goose(s)”. lol!
Blessed Be !! The courage it took to step forward is the kind we need in our service. They are already heros no matter what happens next.
Absolutely courageous and brilliant. If every gay or lesbian soldier had the courage to do the same and stand up all at once in defiance, the Pentagon would have no choice but to reconsider DADT.