UPDATE 12.10.10: Since the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill failed to pass in the Senate yesterday, this rally is more important than ever!
Senator Mitch McConnell set off a firestorm on Sunday’s “Meet The Press” when he lied by stating, “I don’t see how we can possibly finish the defense authorization bill, a two-week bill, wholly aside from these controversial items that are in it … before the end of the year.†Aside from the fact that defense authorization bills rarely take two weeks to debate, Senator McConnell obviously hasn’t seen a calendar. December has twenty-four more days left, and the American people, (to quote the Senator’s favorite phrase,) are quite willing to force the Senate into overtime.
Joe Lieberman was the first to suggest Majority Leader Harry Reid’s date to head home for the Christmas recess, December 17, should change. Then Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a huge “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal advocate, signed on. Then Mark Udall (D-CO), who released a statement saying, “I’m willing to stay through Christmas and New Year’s, if that’s what it takes” to get work done on NDAA and other issues.
Despite Secretary Gates’ pessimism that the Senate will fail to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and he’ll be stuck at some point soon with no “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” wiggle room in the courts, it seems that forces are rallying.
Calling the protest “Mission Incomplete,” Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the group orgainzing Friday’s protest, released the follwing press release:
“We call upon the Senate and the President to remain in session and in Washington until the National Defense Authorization Act is passed – which includes the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask.’ The Senate is scheduled to break for holiday vacation; we can’t let them leave. We must show our rage for repeal and insist the Senate stay in Washington until they have finished the job. We implore all who support repeal to join us outside the Senate this Friday. As Secretary of Defense  Robert Gates said, ‘If not now, when?’
“The lame-duck vote on repeal was set up and dictated by some of the same Senators – like John McCain and Mitch McConnell — who are now delaying to kill the bill. They wanted the Pentagon report – now they have it. They wanted hearings – now they’re done. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he is determined to pass the defense bill with repeal. Senators must not be allowed to hide any longer behind process, procedure, and tax cuts for the wealthy, while the discrimination continues. We’ve lost 14,000 troops to this antiquated law, and by God, we must not lose another on our watch.
“More Americans than ever are with us in this moment. We have the Commander in Chief, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a majority of the service chiefs who support repeal.  We know that 92 percent of service members are just fine working with their gay, lesbian and bisexual colleagues, according to the Pentagon report.  Their attitudes mirror those of nearly 80 percent of Americans.
“With increased pressure – a raised voice – and help from our allies at this key moment, I believe the Senate will stay in session. We will hit 60 votes. We will fight back on attempts to kill repeal. We will send the bill to the President’s desk. The discharges will end. And gays and lesbians will keep serving this nation – but this time with the integrity they so deserve,” said Aubrey Sarvis, U.S. Army veteran and executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
WHEN:
Friday, December 10th
12 p.m.
WHERE:
Constitution Ave. & Delaware Ave. at Upper Senate Park
(Near U.S. Capitol)
Washington, DC
Closest Metro: Union Station (Red Line). Nearby: Capitol South (Blue/Orange), Judiciary Square (Red).
The following is a partial list of groups (I’ll keep updating the list as more are added) are descending upon Washington, D.C. this Friday (which, perhaps appropriately happens to be International Human Rights Day,) to show strength in the face of the GOP’s obvious lack of care for our troops.
UPDATED: 12.08.10 10:45 AM:
AmericaBlog
American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER)
Change.org
Courage Campaign
CREDO Action
DOD FED GLOBE
Echo Magazine
Equality Federation
Fairness West Virginia
Get Equal
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
International Foundation for Gender Education
Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Knights Out
MoveOn PAC
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Stonewall Democrats
Open Left
OutServe
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National
People For the American Way (PFAW)
PROMO
Proud Ally
Seattle Gay News
Service Academy Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
Swish
ThatsSoGayLIVE
VoteVets
Young Democrats of America
Visit SLDN for more info on “Mission Incomplete.”
The New Civil Rights Movement
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