Help End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Dear VoteVets.org Supporter,

Last week, we asked for your help to overturn the ban on photos at Dover Air Force Base, and you responded! In just a couple of hours, you had sent thousands of letters to the Pentagon, demanding change. And, later in the day, the Pentagon announced that the policy would be reversed! Thanks so much for your help. Now, we need you again.

As the President sends more troops to Afghanistan, and focuses our energies on the danger in the region, we at VoteVets.org are reminded that our military is seriously hamstrung by the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. That policy discharges those in the military who are found to be gay or lesbian. I have dealt with discrimination in the military firsthand: as a judge advocate in the Marine Corps, I successfully defended a gay Marine from discharge based on discriminatory treatment.

CLICK HERE TO SEND LETTERS TO YOUR NEWSPAPER, CALLING FOR A REPEAL OF “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL”

President Obama, during the campaign, said he would overturn the policy, and allow gays and lesbians to openly serve, as they do in a number of militaries around the world – including those who serve side by side with us in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s time that the United States started the process of allowing troops to serve openly. To begin that change, we need your help.

By clicking above, you’ll get to send a Letter to the Editor of your paper, to make the case. To help, we’ll be linking to articles and blogs that will help you learn about the current policy and how it negatively affects America’s military and security. This is just the first step in a long campaign. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be giving you even more to do, as overturning the policy is one of VoteVets.org’s legislative priorities for this session of Congress – and why we signed on in support of a bill offered by Rep. Ellen Tauscher that would do away with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

There’s good reason to reverse this policy. First and foremost, fighting the danger that we are, we cannot afford to dismiss any qualified, honorable, and able members of our military. For instance, military intelligence is constantly short-handed when it comes to translators. And yet, hundreds of translators have been dismissed since the policy was enacted, including many who speak Arabic, Persian, Pashto, and other languages that will help our military intelligence protect our troops and America. Additionally, at a time when our military is so overextended, allowing members of the military to serve openly, without being discharged, will alleviate the strain so many of our service members feel from repeated deployments.

CLICK HERE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, IT’S TIME TO LET PEOPLE SERVE OPENLY IN OUR ARMED FORCES

Our military is professional and mature. Changing the policy will not affect how service-members do their jobs, or cohesiveness. In fact, it only will make our military stronger. Help us make it a reality, by clicking above.

Thanks for your support.

Sincerely,
J. Ashwin Madia
Iraq War Veteran
VoteVets.org

And Jon, Brandon, Brian, Peter and the Entire VoteVets.org Team