Action Alert: Contact the White House on DADT

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has issued an Action Alert:

Late Friday evening [30APR] when most reporters and bloggers were just starting Happy Hour -- the Obama Administration shot a simultaneous salvo -- from the Pentagon and the White House, against advocates fighting for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" this year.

In a letter to the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Secretary Gates came out against lifting the ban before the Pentagon's Working Group finishes its DADT study in December. Hours later, the White House issued a statement deferring to Gates. In doing so, President Obama appeared to reverse the commitment he made during his State of the Union Address to end this terrible law.

"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It's the right thing to do."

Immediately following release of the Gates-Obama letter, I called on the President to keep his promise and help us get the votes we need to end DADT this year.

"We have the votes in the House and we're close to having the votes in the Senate Armed Services Committee -- the President, however, is not helping us to get the votes we need. Service members around the world took the President at his word; we still do."

Tell President Obama that backsliding on his own promise is not real leadership. There is a path forward to repealing DADT and allowing the Pentagon Working Group to finish its review on how best to implement repeal. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) are working right now on a winning compromise.

They're not giving up. SLDN isn't giving up. Tell President Obama not to give up either.

Call the White House today.

(202) 456-1414 [9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET]

We believed the President when he promised to end DADT in 2010. But now our brave men and women in uniform might not see repeal for another year or even longer.

Our LGBT service members who risk their lives for freedom every day deserve better than more delay and politics-as-usual.

Tell the White House that kicking repeal down the road yet again is not an option.

Call the White House and demand President Obama work with our congressional heroes to end DADT once and for all.

(202) 456-1414 [9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET]

Stand with SLDN and help make 2010 the year we finally kill DADT.

Thank you.

Aubrey Sarvis
SLDN Executive Director

Hat tip to AmericaBlog.