"We are One"
A cornerstone has been achieved.
A major cornerstone has been achieved with the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - DADT. The compromise that President Clinton settled for after negotiations to halt expulsion and criminalizing gay and lesbian members of the armed forces in the military in December 21, 1993, has come to an end.
Before Clinton’s compromise, gay and lesbian soldiers were criminally prosecuted, sentenced, jailed and expelled from all the branches in of the military, just because they were homosexual. Many served long jail sentences and all were discharged with dishonorable records that made for them impossible to pursue a career as officers of law enforcement and as well, to collect the benefits they worked for during their years in the military. But DADT was far from being the right measure. The result forced gay and lesbian troops to hide their “sexual preference”, or rather, who they really are. However, for the first time in history, gay and lesbian people were able to apply to service without having to face criminal charges for joining the military. That is, as long as the kept their sexual preference secret. Nevertheless, they still were stigmatized if discovered and it wasn't uncommon to learn that soldiers against homosexuality denounced them in exchange for benefits and favors. As well, victimization of homosexual soldiers was a fact of life in the forces. Many criminal acts against gay were ignored.
Many Americans considered DADT unjust, unfair and illegal. President Obama during his presidential campaign promised members of the military, their family members, friends and supporters to repeal this compromise and allow all gay and lesbian soldiers to serve the military without having to conceal their personal and intimate sexual preference.
The fight to repeal DADT wasn't an easy task to undertake. There was antagonism from all venues, particularly from the House of Representatives. Congressmen were concerned about losing their seats in the house because a large number of their constituents manifested opposition towards repealing this measure. It required a massive lobbying on the part of the average citizens who made thousands of calls and sent thousands of letters to the legislative body, The White House and the military authorities. As well, all advocacy entities invested millions of dollars to lobby at all levels for the repeal of this unjust compromise. I am extremely satisfied of being to be one of the millions of people that invested time in making this change to take place.
On the side of the White House, President Obama gathered the military brass to get involved in the making this change. The White House placed all their weight to the military members to make this possible. Prior to the repeal, the military went through a series of considerations to study the possibility and consequences of this change.
DADT never reached a plateau to be considered by the Supreme Court but a number of times it came quite close. Then, advocacy institutions and mainstream people at large, placed a lot of pressure to on the Congress. The Congress just did what they know how to do best: Promise to consider it and possibly vote in favor when the bill would reach the Congress. Personally, I witnessed during a HRC (Human Rights Campaign) visit to my local Congressman (I was one of the HRC advocates) promising to vote in favor of the repeal. But as well, he claimed being realistic, stating that if support from the brass wasn't there, the bill would never pass. However, my Congressmen never hid his support for the repeal. Perhaps, one of the reasons he never reached reelection. How sad is that?
Don't Ask, Don't Tell now is a thing of the past. It is history and passing this repeal is not just a mere political maneuver. The brass, at the insistence of President Obama, considered the situation, studied it and passed surveys among the troops to assess their sentiment about the possible repeal. The surveys revealed 80% of the troops supported the repeal. As a result, the top brass opted for training the entire armed forces in regards of to how to deal with any possible scenario that could contradict the passing of the repeal. 96% of the troops passed through this training. Then, top military presented their results to the White House and the repeal was announced.
Leadership in all the military branches, were quite clear to the troops stating that any action against the repeal or gay and lesbian soldiers would not be tolerated. It became a top order and soldiers are to obey orders regardless of anything.
DADT now is history to be celebrated. One battle has been won and many others still are on the burner. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) fights the exclusion of Federal recognition of same-gender marriage. A constitutional right denied to gay and lesbian people. At some point, DOMA will be brought to before the Supreme Court, where it hopefully will be declared unconstitutional. Federally-recognized marriage between persons of the same gender will become another gain in the realm of obsolete civil rights infringements against the people of the United States and gay and lesbian people. Until this happens, however, this is a sad panorama as is. For instance, many Post-operative transgendered people, have to remain legally under their born marker, otherwise their marriage becomes illegal and invalid.
Hopefully, we will reach this needed change soon but it is extremely difficult to predict it due to the actual political situation between Republicans and Democrats. More specifically, those Republicans who are campaigning against President Obama. Opposition to same-gender marriage has become a matter of propaganda against the President. Barring same-sex marriage recognition is based on an erroneous argument denying the validity such marriages as a constitutional civil right. Despite this fallacy, it is has been used as propaganda to stir the conservative population against this right. All based on obsolete and ankylosed beliefs that are no less than a pure reflection of ignorance and fear. Nevertheless, republicans use fear and fundamentalists' beliefs to catapult their candidacy among the American people. This sad reality not only presents the poor panorama of the integrity of the patriotic obligations of any member in government, but as well, their manipulation of the facts to represent themselves as the best next president. It is evident, people at times tend to become blind and these campaigns, loaded with lack of intolerance and defamation, are clearly a sign of the breakdown of basic initiatives, politics, and policies that supposedly are for the best of the nation and represent the will of all the people of the United States of America. Nevertheless, just like in the era of segregation, they only serve a sector of the population and ignore the one that has been actively seeking for the right change.
It isn't like the nation is not facing more important and detrimental problems that threaten the well being of all Americans. In fact, one item that seems to be missed in this political arena of today, is the fact that rich people have paid much lower taxes for many years and republicans use President Obama's initiative to increase their tax quota to attack him as an unpatriotic American or President. Looking back into our recent history, we can’t overlook the fact that the previous administration made a few vital and drastic mistakes during their administration. Mistakes such as poor planning post invasion of Iraq, the removal of Hussein and the placement of a legitimate regime that will conform to the will of the Iraqi people. These terrible mistakes have cost trillions of US dollars and the loss of thousands of lives. American and Iraqi lives. It is one of the main reasons we have a high deficit today. More importantly, the war in Iraq brought a lack of stability in the Persian region due to the presence of the American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. As if all of these are not enough to concern any politician and American citizen, we are passing through the worst global financial crisis, the same that started right here, in our own land, under the watch of the previous administration.
So what will the presidential candidates do about that, instead of making charges against and throwing dirt on the current administration? It is time for every single conscious adult American to take the gavel in hand and let the presidential candidates know that it is enough of false rhetorical garbage and promises and it is about time to pitch into getting our nation out the hole we already are in. If they claim they can only do that once they are in the White House and cannot do anything before, why would we vote for them? These times demand contributing what we can - as we can, instead of invalidating what others do about it. However, the example from the competing republicans is clear and good enough to invalidate them as a possible next ruler. The bottom fact is that we are - where we are - and we need to change it.
But this is not just about the politicians and their politics. This is about every single individual because after all, we all are involved. Just like the soldiers that offer their own lives for the sake of us. I am glad for them since now, they have the right to be who they are as they are. 60 thousand gay and lesbian soldiers now can relax or better, feel being appreciated by all Americans. Today, we are a better America.
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Comment by Traci O'Gara on September 24, 2011 at 4:12pm -
nice!! (smile)
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Comment by Rachel King on September 25, 2011 at 7:11am -
Ahh, Isis, I've so missed your shortened blogs.
This very topic has surfaced so often of late, as the factions show their rigidity in their beliefs, regardless that one faction is scared witless in making decisions and the other is ruled by the vocal minority with all that their brand of hatred involves.
That even one Tg woman could vote for this type of hate mongering shows that the golden dollar rules their lives.
Protect what they have at all costs is their mantra and bugger those who have less.
If you've got less, you should be used to it by now, what do you need more for, seems to be the populist theory..
Obama, for all his indifferences, has made a difference to transwomen, which is likely to be repealed if his opposition is elected.
There will be many here who will cheer loudly that victory, because their priveliged little worlds have been protected, never mind those in the majority who will end up perhaps worse off than they were in previous years.
Again we wil be divided in improving a TG's life.
But do we really want, let alone deserve, greed ruling over humanity.
Thank you for this post Isis.
Once again you have, " cut to the chase" and shown all a common sense answer to some of our problems.
How many will listen, I wonder.
Oh, nearly forgot, we have the exact same problem here. The world has only shame in it's treatment of each other.
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Comment by Marsha M. Marsha on September 25, 2011 at 1:45pm -
Rachel, (hehe) her emails are only slightly shorter...
Isis, my dear friend of the Dominican State, don't get too happy, the next president will be a publican ( not a typo, for my Biblical friends) who will reinstate DADT and send those embarrasing trannies to concentration camps to protect the general population. Can you possibly convince your pal Michael Sheen to REALLY run for the West Wing?
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Comment by Holly N Colorado on September 25, 2011 at 5:12pm -
Repeal of DADT is a very good first step, but only a first step. It represented institutionalized discrimination. There is still other institutionalized discrimination in the services (towards TGs being an obvious one) including dependent status for even those of the same sex that are legally married. This dichotomy within the ranks will be a stimulus to deal with DOMA sooner rather than later.
I live in a town with 5 military bases. The town's culture reflects the military. It will be very interesting to see how things change now. Then all we'll have to do is to get rid of those religious bigots on the North end of town (Focus on the Family & New Life Church) who are trying to ADD MORE institutionalized discrimination.
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Comment by Isis Win on September 25, 2011 at 7:09pm -
Thank you everyone for reading my long winded blog and leaving your testimony. indeed, although this is a major cornerstone in the gaings towards non discrimination and only allowing tolerance, there is a long path in front of us to remove many other unfair issues from our list. However, little by little gains had been achieved nationaly and in many states. I don't concur whit the notion that any gain wil/can be reversed. Can imagine going back to segregation? Not even reversing the right to abortion. So, lets focus on the true left issues and more importantly, get involved! There are many ways and levels of involvement and as the skeptics and cynics can see, changes happen! Today, women's rights are a reality, segregation is a thing of the past, gay and lesbians are protected under a federal law, in many states transgendered people enjoy protection as well and all that only was possible through the participation of LARGE numbers. So lets abandom negativism, forget about the on-going harsh and vitriolic issues that we see in the media. If we don't do anything about them, nothing is going to happen.
If you are interestred in my blogs, you can read me at my new blog: http://educateyourthought.wordpress.com/
As well, I am a blogger for xQsi a latino LGBT magazine: http://xqsimagazine.com/
Again, thanks for your comments and support. I'll try to come more often and do smaller blogs! LOL Perhaps one or two in italian!
Be well, be happy and be loving!
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Comment by Kahana on September 26, 2011 at 1:50am -
Thank you to every person who took action, large, or small, to help reverse this institutionalized oppression. There are more things to be undertaken, at the Federal, State, and Local government levels, whether supporting Federal Gender/Sex Identity-inclusive ENDA, or advocating for changes in how to change one's gender marker on her/his driver's license. Most importantly, we need to bridge the gap of ignorance, fear, and hatred that separates us from full civil justice and equality. That requires that we reach out, in courage and respect, to build bridges of understanding.
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Comment by Caroline Grace on September 26, 2011 at 8:33am
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We should celebrate this monumental moment like we would celebrate the good fortune of any of our friends. I have heard many in our community trying to take away from the moment by saying we aren't included and we were left out again, so nobody should have gotten anything. That kind of attitude is so hard to believe. Major societal change often happens incrementally as people share the stories that attack people's sense of fairness to all
Remember, too, that despite the current and past rules hundreds of us have served. let us now let others know that they, too, served in silence and in fear. The general public will know that is not right. Let us also enlist our brothers and sisters to now stand up for us, too.
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Comment by Dianne Miller on September 26, 2011 at 6:10pm -
When I was in the military I had several friends who were gay and tended to socialize among themselves when off duty. Ironically, Uncle Sam spent a great deal of time and money on our specialized training and had their status been revealed it would have been wasted as they would have been drummed out of the service immediately due to the thinking at the time. Today there may come a time when we will need all the military manpower and womanpower we can get, especially in a time of crisis.
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Comment by Isis Win on September 26, 2011 at 6:53pm
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Cerise: Human and civil rights had always moved very slowly through history. Tradition, ignorance and fear had been the largest obstacle. That followed by compulsive/obsessive minds mostly in the religious and moral realm. However, exposure to what they've feared brings education. A slow one but when human touch is added and broadcast at large, many closed minds have a small chance to open a little crack in their mind. Then, it is a matter of time and keeping the issue at the table.
Conservative minds will fight everything that is out the mold but as well, there is democracy and that's where they can lose terrain. And that's where we enter into the picture. For some strange reason people tend to believe that advocacy exclusively is to battle in the political realm or to demonstrate in the streets. The reality is far from that, although those two serve their purpose as well. Everyone will make their choice and many will chose no choice at all. So, we are ourselves and the others. No political agenda involved, really. Nevertheless, I am a living witness about: things can be changed and they had been changed where I've been involved. There's nothing that provides more satisfaction than learning our effort and investment wasn't vain. Albermale County, where I live, had added it's self to local TG rights and joined several other counties that are pushing state legislation. You may know Virginia has a tradition of extreme conservativism. My own county always seemed as an impossible to achieve goal. And now we have the results. However, I must say that many of the opponents against our effort joined us because they experienced in their own skin that there was nothing to judge, nothing to fear. They were sure of the opposite and I saw in my own eyes how they simply Ohhhh! Aaah! when they saw me and heard me. They joined my cause, our cause. And you and everyone here can do that as well. It takes the very same effort than just talking about it and being concerned that the opposition is overwhelming. If it would be easy, then we could just sit and relax but because it is not, we should get involved. I believe you and many others here will do. Thank you and good luck on your end!
Dianne: If we consider the fact that it is estimated 60 thousand troops are gay and lesbian, losing them would be a disaster. In fact, the same statistics show that a large group of those are high rank officers and many in charge of delicate departments and professions. Although this was the logical move as you state, the reason for the repeal has been the double standard that DADT was providing. Thanks for your comment.Thank you all for reading and double thanks for leaving your testimony.
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