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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Grassroots activists with Charlotte Rainbow Action Network for Equality (CRANE) and the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, will hold a press conference and rally, Friday, Feb. 26, at 4:30 p.m., on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), the discriminatory law which bans openly gay, lesbian and bisexual service members in the U.S. military.
Community members and gay veterans will speak on the issue at a press conference preceding the rally and kick-off CRANE’s “March on Myrick” campaign to raise local awareness on the issue and ask U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick (NC-6) to support the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” currently under debate in the U.S. House.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” - the law prohibiting lesbians and gays from serving openly in the U.S. Armed Forces - is a failed law. Military leaders, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, recognize that DADT is failed law and support its repeal.
Americans recognize that on the battlefield, it does not matter whether a soldier is lesbian, gay or straight; what matters is that a soldier gets the job done. This discriminatory law hurts military readiness and national security while putting American soldiers fighting overseas at risk.
The vast majority of Americans - including majorities of Republicans, Independents and Democrats - support repealing DADT.
Since the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1994, more than 13,500 men and women have been dismissed from the military because of the sexual orientation, including 60 Arabic linguists and nearly 800 other service members in critical occupations fields.
For more information on CRANE, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the March on Myrick campaign, visit: www.rainbowaction.org
HRC recently announced a national campaign to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to learn more visit:www.hrc.org/VoicesOfHonor.
The Charlotte Rainbow Action Network for Equality (CRANE is a grassroots coalition of activists and community members working toward civil and social equality for Charlotte’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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