OGLPC Reviews Repeal of DADT

September 19, 2011

(OKLAHOMA CITY)  The Oklahoma Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus (OGLPC) joins with other civil rights groups in Oklahoma and across the country in celebrating the repeal of the law known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT).

The law placed severe restrictions on gays and lesbians serving openly in the American military.

Signed into law in November, 1993 by President Bill Clinton, it passed Congress with a veto-proof majority.

In 2009 President Clinton spoke about that event.

"They [Congress] gave test votes out there to send me a message that they were going to reverse any attempt I made by executive order to force them to accept gays into the military.   And let me remind you that the public opinion is now more strongly in our favor than it was sixteen years ago and I have continued supporting it."

Two former Chiefs-of-Staff as well as a number of other high-ranking military brass, have changed their minds concerning the inclusion of gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.

But the repeal of DADT on September 20, 2011 is not the end of the discrimination against gays and lesbians in America's armed forces.

Log Cabin Republicans, a gay/lesbian rights group, began a lawsuit over one year ago to have DADT declared unconstitutional by a Federal court. 

That lawsuit is still going forward and it is Log Cabin's contention that only a Federal judicial ruling declaring DADT or any other kind of discrimination in the military based on sexual orientation as unconstitutional will prevent another form of DADT from returning when a new majority in Congress is elected and proves hostile to gay/lesbian civil rights.

Log Cabin Republicans' attorney Dan Woods noted that, before DADT was passed in 1993, there was a military regulation - not a federal law - that banned "homosexuals" from the military.

"That ban had existed for decades," Woods said. And if the 9th Circuit panel does not affirm a district court decision finding DADT unconstitutional, Woods said, "the government will be completely unconstrained in its ability to again ban gay service in the military."



references:

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=95065

http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=49163

http://themoderatevoice.com/61452/dadt-changes-of-mind-but-not-of-integrity/

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press release for immediate use
August 27, 2011
contact co-chairs:

female co-chair Jeanne Flanigan
ok_glpc@yahoo.com

male co-chair Steven Dubois
stevendubois@cox.net

OGLPC Makes Two New Moves

(OKLAHOMA CITY)  OGLPC (Oklahoma Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus, www.oglpc.com) is making two new moves in the coming months.

Beginning November 14, 2011, and subsequently, the monthly second Monday meetings of OGLPC will come to order at the Cimarron Alliance office located at 729 NW 17th (the corner of NW 17th and Shartel, in the heart of Mesta Park) in OKC.  The 7:00pm beginning time will remain the same. Ample free parking is available.

The September and October meetings will remain at NW 36th and Classen.

This change in location was made necessary due to the other move OGLPC is making from a 501c3 tax status to a registered political action committee or PAC.  The new name will be Oklahoma GLBT PAC and the name describes our more inclusive mission in advocating for GLBT civil rights.

OGLPC will maintain its own historical identity.  We thank the collegiality of Cimarron Alliance executive director, Scott Hamilton, for making meeting space available to OGLPC.

OGLPC also thanks Neighborhood Alliance and its director Georgie Rasco for hosting our past monthly meetings for several years.  We'll miss the dog toys and especially the candy jar.

Visit our facebook page with the name Oklahoma GLBT PAC. 

The website is www.oglpc.com.

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PO Box 61186, OKC, OK 73146-1186