Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network — an organization that assists those affected by “don’t ask, don’t tell” — released a rather lukewarm statement in response to President Obama’s speech Saturday night at a Human Rights Campaign event.
We were heartened to hear the President say, “I will end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.'” But an opportunity was missed tonight. SLDN was disappointed the President did not lay out a timeline and specifics for repeal. The 65,000 gay and lesbian service members — who put their lives on the line and who remain impatient with the pace of progress — deserve to know when their commander in chief and Congress plan on getting rid of this law.
We received a similar statement from Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out — a nonprofit that seeks to defend “the GLBT community against anti-gay misinformation campaigns through media advocacy and university outreach.”
Besen called Obama’s speech “powerful and eloquent.”
“He is a Nobel prize winning, worldwide figure who gave his imprimatur to gay relationships. This should not be underestimated or easily dismissed,” Besen said.
I hope these moving and stirring words spur Congress to action — as soon as possible. We must continue pressuring the President and Congress until we are no longer second-class citizens. It is crucial that we push forward and voice our dissatisfaction with the status quo until all state sanctioned discrimination is abolished as expeditiously as possible.
