HRC: On Thursday, Veterans Speak in Favor of Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at Ohio Statehouse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2010

Paul Guequierre | paul.guequierre@hrc.org | 202-423-2860

MEDIA ADVISORY: THURSDAY

Veterans Speak in Favor of Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Human Rights Campaign joins gay and straight veterans to hold public forum at Ohio Statehouse

www.hrc.org/RepealDADT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) will visit Columbus, OH, this Thursday, December 16, for a public forum on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The forum, featuring three Ohio veterans, will highlight the discriminatory law that hurts military readiness and national security while putting American soldiers fighting overseas at risk.

In October Senator John McCain led a successful Republican filibuster of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to which repeal of DADT is attached. A second attempt to proceed on consideration of the bill also failed to garner the necessary 60 votes last Thursday. On Friday, Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a standalone repeal bill (S. 4023) and today Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Rep. Patrick Murphy introduced an identical bill in the House of Representatives.

The President and military leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen have voiced their support for repealing DADT. Nearly 80 percent of the American public believes DADT should be repealed. The Pentagon Comprehensive Working Group made its report public on November 30, 2010 showing servicemembers and their families overwhelmingly support repeal.

COLUMBUS, OH PUBLIC FORUM DETAILS:

WHAT: Veterans Public Forum on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

WHEN: Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Ohio Statehouse, Ladies’ Gallery (1st Floor, SE of the Atrium); 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215

WHO: Public forum to feature remarks from:

-- Joseph Gibbons, a gay Navy veteran who served under DADT and hopes to reenlist;

-- Claudia Mason, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel from Dayton and straight ally who is outspoken about the importance of repeal;

-- William King Finnegan, an Ohio native and gay retired US Army Vietnam veteran;

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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