VoteVets.org Begins Campaign to End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy
By VoteVets.org
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Press Release
PUBLISHED: March 04, 2009
VOTEVETS.ORG BEGINS CAMPAIGN TO
END "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" POLICY
Washington, DC - Fresh off the heels of a successful campaign to end the ban on photos of the returning fallen at Dover Air Force Base, the largest progressive group of veterans today launched a campaign to end the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. That policy, enacted in 1993, discharges service-members who are found to be gay or lesbian.
In an email to its 105,000+ member base, Iraq War Veteran and former Marine Ashwin Madia urged people to begin writing Letters to the Editor of their papers, and provided a link for them to do so. Madia dealt with discrimination in the military firsthand: as a judge advocate in the Marine Corps, he successfully defended a gay Marine from discharge based on discriminatory treatment.
The Letters to the Editor campaign can be found at: http://ga3.org/campaign/asklte2009
"This is just the first step in a long campaign," wrote Madia. "In the coming weeks and months, we'll be giving you even more to do, as overturning the policy is one of VoteVets.org's legislative priorities for this session of Congress - and why we signed on in support of a bill offered by Rep. Ellen Tauscher that would do away with Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
Madia explained that ending the policy, and allowing service-members to openly serve, will help the military alleviate the strain that troops feel from repeated deployments. Additionally, it will help the military retain desperately needed translators who are crucial in military intelligence. Since the policy was enacted, thousands of translators have been discharged.
"Our military is professional and mature. Changing the policy will not affect how service-members do their jobs, or cohesiveness. In fact, it only will make our military stronger," Madia concluded in his email.
VoteVets.org is a pro-military organization of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, dedicated to the destruction of terror networks around the world, with force when necessary. It primarily focuses on education and advocacy on issues of importance to the troops and veterans, and holding politicians accountable for their actions on these issues.
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Paid for VoteVets Political Action Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. VoteVets Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf veterans and their families. VoteVets Political Action Committee is a federal political committee which primarily helps elect Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran candidates and educates about veterans and military issues aimed at influencing the outcome of the next election.