Another strike against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
A federal judge tonight declared the U.S. military ban on openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members unconstitutional, saying the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy violates First Amendment rights. Read more. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey responded:
It’s long past time to close this shameful chapter in our nation’s history, and finally allow courageous men and women to serve openly, honestly, and to great benefit of our country. Today’s ruling affirms what so many of us already know: ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ should end, and for good reason: It is discriminatory, outdated and unfair. The vast majority of people know that it is wrong to discriminate against patriotic people willing to risk their lives by serving in the military. Thousands of qualified service members have already been drummed out of the military for nothing other than bias and prejudice, and thousands more live in fear of losing their military careers. Our nation’s political leaders must end this unjust law once and for all. The lives and livelihoods of dedicated service members hang in the balance.
Speaking out against a rising tide of intolerance
By the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Faith Work Director
Rev. Rebecca Voelkel
In 1946, while addressing the Confessing Church in Germany about the Holocaust, Pastor Martin Niemoller famously said:
“They came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
Niemoller was addressing the widespread lack of protest by many in Germany against the growing storm of fascism. Now, I realize that some might call me an extremist to make the comparison between what the Nazis did in Germany and across Europe with the reaction of many to the possibility of a Islamic community center being built near the site of the 9/11 tragedy. But I am growing more concerned by the unholy union of several recent events: the reaction to the community center, the plans of a pastor in Florida to burn Qurans on Saturday — the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks — the anti-immigration law in Arizona, the disruption of the health care debates last summer, the questioning of Obama’s country of birth and the Proposition 8 battle in California. Using race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and national origin as benchmarks for who are the “real” Americans gets us dangerously close to a place we dare not go.
As a Christian, I am compelled by Niemoller’s words. And, so, I am speaking up. A community center near Ground Zero (that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf describes as like a YMCA with space for interfaith prayer) will, I pray, add one more place of peace and meditation and prayer — in much the same way the Christian chapel across the street from the site does. And in a world as broken by violence as ours we ought to be grateful such places exist. But more deeply than this, those of us who are religious persons — and in my case those of us who are both religious and LGBT — need to speak to the highest values of both our religious traditions and our country. How many Americans are reacting to the proposed Islamic community center — even to the point of burning Qurans — is, unfortunately, nothing new. We have seen it before with Catholic immigrants — especially those who were Irish, with Jewish immigrants, with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and with untold communities of color. But we have also seen the reality that when people speak up and organize against the tides of fear (whether they be dressed as racism, homophobia or xenophobia) things can change.
And so I speak — and invite those whose vision of this country is one of extravagant welcome, freedom and justice for all — to do the same.
Read more about the LGBT opposition to Fla. church’s plan to burn Qurans here.
The Rev. Rebecca Voelkel is the faith work director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the director of its Institute for Welcoming Resources, which works with the welcoming church movement.
Upcoming faith events include the Believe Out Loud Power Summit, an advanced training for leaders and activists in the welcoming church movement, in Oct. 9─11 in Orlando, Fla. Get more details here.
Join us on Oct. 2 for the ‘One Nation Working Together’ march
Thousands of people are expected to converge on Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 2, to call for a plan to put America back to work. The march, organized by One Nation Working Together, will demand job security, justice and quality education.
When: Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010. 12-4PM
Where: The steps of the Lincoln Memorial, located on the National Mall
in Washington, D.C.
The Task Force, Pride At Work/ AFL-CIO, National Black Justice Coalition and National Stonewall Democrats are co-conveners of the “LGBT Table” for ONWT, and we’re working together to organize national LGBT groups around the Oct. 2 march and labor issues generally. Get full details about the march here.
See you on Oct. 2!
NY governor signs Dignity for All Students Act
New York Gov. David Paterson today signed into law the Dignity for All Students Act, designed to protect students from bullying and harassment in schools. The law includes explicit protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. It is the first law in the Empire State to include gender identity and expression. 
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Empire State Pride Agenda sponsored the New York Power Summit in 2007, training lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates and educating New Yorkers on issues such as preventing harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. The Task Force’s Transgender Civil Rights Project also provided counsel on the issue. Task Force staff was present at today’s bill signing at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City.
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey talks about the importance of the measure:
For some young people, going to school is tantamount to a daily dose of torture. In too many cases, harassment, taunting and abuse are allowed to go on unabated in our nation’s schools. We have repeatedly seen the tragic consequences of this pervasive problem: young people are left emotionally damaged, physically hurt, or feel they have no other option than to take their own lives out of hopelessness and despair. Youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender — or simply perceived to be — are often the targets of this abuse. Today, New York said enough is enough.
We applaud the Dignity for All Students Act Coalition and other advocates who worked so tirelessly on this issue; state lawmakers for passing this legislation; and Gov. David Paterson for signing it into law. Safe schools for our young people should be the rule, not the exception.
Photos: Inga Sarda-Sorensen
Fighting for jobs, justice and equality
On Oct. 2, thousands of people are expected to converge on the nation’s capital to call for a plan to put America back to work. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is an endorser of the march, which is being organized by One Nation Working Together (ONWT), a new progressive movement demanding secure jobs, justice and quality education. Says ONWT:
We all deserve a just and fair chance to achieve the American Dream. Our national identity is rooted in the ideal that all people — regardless of race, class, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, heritage or ability — should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. One Nation Working Together will chart a bold, pragmatic path toward a more unified, sustainable, prosperous future by building support for these core principles and policy ideals.
The Task Force, Pride At Work/ AFL-CIO, National Black Justice Coalition and National Stonewall Democrats are co-conveners of the “LGBT Table” for ONWT, and we’re working together to organize national LGBT groups around the Oct. 2 march and labor issues generally. Get full march details.
On this Labor Day, we’re also continuing to demand Congress pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban.
ENDA prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban will help ensure courageous and qualified military personnel do not lose their jobs due to discrimination.
In essence, these are jobs bills providing workplace protections to the LGBT community. This is simply an issue of basic fairness and equal opportunity. It’s about ensuring that the American Dream can be dreamed and lived by all.
Deadline to submit Creating Change workshop proposal is Sept. 30
If you’re interested in presenting a workshop at Creating Change 2011, the Sept. 30 deadline to submit a workshop proposal is fast approaching. Proposals are currently being accepted at the conference Web site, www.creatingchange.org.
The 23rd National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, the premier annual organizing and skills-building event for the nation’s LGBT community and its allies, is coming to Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 2–6, 2011. Read all about it here.
Creating Change attracts more than 2,000 activists from across the country and its five-day program features more than 250 workshops and training sessions, four plenary sessions and a multitude of networking opportunities.
For more information and to register, visit www.creatingchange.org.
‘For My Wife…’ now available on DVD
Award-winning documentary “For My Wife…” is now available on DVD. “For My Wife…” tells the powerful and inspirational story of Charlene Strong, who after losing her partner of 10 years in 2006, became an outspoken and influential voice in the struggle for LGBT equality.
Check out the new DVD trailer, featuring Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey:
You can purchase the DVD here or look for it on Netflix. A free screening will be held in Santa Monica, Calif., this Saturday, Sept. 4. Click here to RSVP. Strong was recently interviewed by the Santa Monica Daily Press on why marriage matters, read that interview here.
This summer, Strong attended the White House’s LGBT Pride celebration, where her story was acknowledged by President Obama during his remarks, read all about that event here.
Task Force speaks out against anti-LGBT crimes in Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights, a Queens, N.Y., neighborhood known for its growing LGBT community, has seen an increase in alleged crimes against LGBT people and some are worried the hatred could get worse. NY1 Reporter CeFaan Kim investigates this story and interviews NYC Councilmember Danny Dromm and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force spokesperson Pedro Julio Serrano.
Highlights from the ‘Reclaim the Dream’ rally
The Task Force joined other progressive organizations on Saturday, Aug. 28, for the “Reclaim the Dream” rally in Washington, D.C. The rally was held on the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.
Below are photo highlights from the rally:
Donna Payne, associate director of diversity of HRC, Rev. Al Sharpton, executive director of the National Action Network, and Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director of the Task Force.
National Urban League President Marc Morial and Task Force Deputy Executive Director Darlene Nipper.
Community members join with Rev. Al Sharpton to "Reclaim the Dream."
Check out more photos from the rally at our Facebook page.
Task Force and others join forces for “Reclaim the Dream” rally
The Task Force has a long history of fighting for LGBT equality and racial and economic justice for all. In the spirit of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, join us, the National Action Network (NAN), the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Leadership Conference to fight for: Jobs and opportunity, high quality education for every child, a fair immigration system and stronger rights for all workers.
Forty-seven years after the historic March on Washington, Reverend Al Sharpton, president of NAN and leaders from over 47 NAN chapters across the country, along with heads of progressive organizations, unions and clergy, will lead a mass rally and march in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Aug. 28, to Reclaim the Dream.
The rally will start at 11:00 a.m. at Dunbar High School, followed by a march to the King Memorial. Joining NAN and the Task Force will be a cross-section of organizations and principals including, but not limited to: United States Education Secretary Arne Duncan; Martin Luther King, III, president, Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc.; Ed Schultz, Television and radio show host; Tom Joyner, The Tom Joyner Morning Show & Reach Media; Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League; Benjamin Todd Jealous, President of NAACP; Melanie L. Campbell, President of National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable; representatives from Media Matters, and many other religious groups, labor unions, and organizations.
For more information, please click here.
