Log Cabin Republicans of Minnesota

(Washington, DC) – Earlier this week, the White House and legislative leadership agreed on a plan for repealing the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, which would allow for a path for repeal while guaranteeing the ability of the Pentagon to complete its study on how such repeal will affect the Armed Forces and a regime for implementation.

R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director of Log Cabin Republicans commented that “It is high time that the White House put some political muscle behind the effort to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ All parties agree that there is a need for a thorough process to properly implement the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and this compromise will allow the Pentagon study to continue, which is an important component to securing the votes needed for repealing this arcane law.”

While the top leadership at the Pentagon has indicated that it favors a repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, it is clear that legislators are hinging their decision upon the military’s own analysis of the impact of the repeal, necessitating that the Pentagon study be completed.

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), a member of on the Senate Armed Services Committee who is the first Republican Senator to publicly favor repeal of the policy, supports the compromise, commenting that: “Society has changed a great deal since President Clinton signed the current law, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ back in 1993.   I agree with Admiral Michael Mullen, our nation’s highest ranking military official, that this law should be changed, but we should do so with care, taking into account the demands on our military forces, the challenges of instituting major policy changes during wartime, and the input provided by military leaders and personnel.  The compromise proposal announced this week is contingent upon the results of a thorough review currently being conducted by the Pentagon, and would not go into effect until the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, and the President certify that the new policy would not have an adverse effect on military readiness, recruitment, and retention.  This is a reasonable compromise, and I will support it when it is considered by the Senate Armed Services Committee this week.”

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Log Cabin Republicans promotes legislation to provide basic fairness for gay and lesbian Americans and works to build a more inclusive GOP. The 30-year old organization has state and local chapters nationwide, a full-time office in Washington, DC, a federal political action committee and state political action committees.

Speaking before the libertarian Cato Institute, British Conservative Party Leader Nick Herbert laid out a case for the role that gay men and lesbians have in the conservative movement:

So can promoting equality for gay people be compatible with conservatism?

In discussing this I’m going to take three things as given.  And if they’re contentious, they shouldn’t be.

First, since – on the most conservative estimates – around 5 per cent of the population are attracted to the same sex, there are more than 3 million gay people in the UK and 15 million in the United States.

People often speak of gays as though we are a society apart from the rest, living in our own quarter.

And a few choose to be apart. But most of us don’t. We live in every city and town. We are businessmen and women. We run shops and stack shelves. We labour on farms and in factories. We are fire fighters and police officers. We save lives in hospitals. We fight for our countries and sometimes we die for our countries. Some of us are extraordinary, but mostly we are quietly ordinary. We are not different.  And we don’t want to be different. We’re not asking for special treatment. We are United States or British citizens. Proud of our countries. Wanting to play our part in society. And across the world there are millions of us. Millions of ordinary people. Millions of voters.

Second, we can’t be uninvented.  Being gay is not a lifestyle choice.  Our sexuality is a fact.  It may be repressed, but it cannot be changed.

Doctors don’t try to change a person’s colour. And healers or politicians shouldn’t try to change anyone’s sexuality. Whether it is given by god, or set by nature, homosexuality isn’t nurtured by doting mothers or weak fathers.

It isn’t a condition to be cured and it can’t be willed away through prayer.

Third, democracies should subscribe to a fundamental principle: that ‘all men are created equal’.

Some claim that the promotion of gay equality has no place in conservatism.  In fact, many deny that conservatives should be interested in the equality agenda at all.

It is argued that equality is incompatible with liberty … that if men are free, they are bound to become unequal.

But conservatives who want people to become better through their own efforts can never stand by while others are denied that chance.

Conservatives should always believe that everyone should have an equal chance in life, regardless of any other factors, and that they should not be discriminated against.

Herbert, who serves as the Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, went on to talk about how the Conservative Party under the leadership of David Cameron has reshaped the party and made support for gay men and lesbians a part of its success.

At the last election, of our 193 MPs elected, just 17 were women, only two black or minority ethnic and two were openly gay.

If we were truly representative of the country we would have 99 women, 16 black or minority ethnic and 10 gay MPs.

So our party leadership recognised the need to change.

Change because we are a national party which needs to be able to speak to, and speak up for, all sections of society in all parts of the country.

As David Cameron said on Monday, “Unless you can represent everyone in our country you cannot be a one nation party.”

Change because we need to reconnect politics with a public who are increasingly disillusioned with a political class.

And change because it was the right thing to do – to promote an environment where people can succeed and live without fear, regardless of their gender, colour or sexuality.

We now have more female candidates, more black and minority ethnic candidates and more gay candidates.

In fact, if we secure a majority in the House of Commons of just one seat, we are likely to have more openly gay MPs on our benches than the Labour Party.

The panel also held a heated debate between prominent blogger and columnist Andrew Sullivan and Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage.

Appearing on ABC’s This Week, former Vice President Dick Cheney backed repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy which prohibits gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military. Cheney, who served as Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush, has been a consitent critic of the policy terming the ban as ‘a bit of an old chestnut.’

Cheney said that the support of military leaders had convinced him that it was time for a change.

“Twenty years ago the military were strong advocates of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ I think things have change significantly since then,” Cheney said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I think that society has moved on. It’s partly a generational question,” he continued. “When the [Joint] Chiefs come forward and say ‘we think we can do it,’ is strikes me that it’s time to reconsider the policy.”

Cheney was referring to the testimony of Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month that it was “personal view” that repealing the law would be “the right thing to do.”

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Two notable architects of the original DADT policy–retired Gens. Colin Powell and John Shalikashvili–also now support a repeal.

“In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed,” Powell said in a statement following Mullen’s testimony. “I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.”

Shaliksashvili penned an op-ed for the NY Times announcing his shift in position.

“I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces,” he wrote. “Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job.

Read more about Cheney’s call for the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in The Hill.

from blogcabin.net

A Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that seventy-five percent of Americans back repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy which provents gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military. This echoes a 2009 poll released by the Washington Post and one released by Gallup, which showed sixty-nine percent of Americans supported repeal.

The support comes as the Pentagon, led by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, both of whom were orginally appointed by President George W. Bush, have been advocating for study and repeal of the policy.  At a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services Committee, Gates announced that he was appointing General Carter Ham, comander of Army forces in Europe, and  Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon’s general counsel, to study a possible repeal and logistics for implementation. Johnson and Ham have indicated that they would deliver its first recommendations by mid-March.

The percentage of Americans who say they support gays openly serving is the same as a Post-ABC News poll found in July 2008; both are far above the 44 percent who said so in May 1993. In the new poll, majorities across party lines favor such a policy, with support among Democrats (82 percent) and independents (77 percent) higher than among Republicans (64 percent).

The poll also reveals several sharp demographic divides. Men (65 percent) and seniors (69 percent) are far less likely than are women (84 percent) and young adults (81 percent under age 30) to say that gays should be allowed to serve if they have disclosed their sexual orientation. Knowing a gay person makes a big difference: Among those who say they have a gay friend or family member, 81 percent support allowing gay people to serve openly, compared with 66 percent who say they do not know someone who is gay.

With significant support among Republicans and self-identified conservatives, opportunities to repeal the legislation before the end of the calendar year remain strong.

from blogcabin.net

What: LCR-MN 2010 Kick-Off Event Social event and Business update

When: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 7pm-10pm

Where: The Independent – 3001 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis

Please join us for a recap of our 2009 activities and progress (including our meetings with Governor Pawlenty) and learn about our exciting plans for 2010. Victor Gomez, Republican Party of Minnesota Director of Outreach and Coalitions, is our guest speaker for the evening. Food will be served. Cocktails will be consumed. Everyone is welcome. Come learn what we are all about!

(WASHINGTON, DC) – In response to the testimony by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen before the United States Senate Armed Services Committee, Log Cabin Republicans issued the flowing statement:

“The sentiment and personal conviction displayed by Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen show the finest commitment to honor and duty to our country’s armed forces and the purpose it serves to protect. Log Cabin Republicans is grateful to these men for providing such committed and dedicated testimony that the military is truly ready to take a stand against the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy – one of last forms of state-sanctioned discrimination,” stated Log Cabin Republicans Board of Directors Chairman Terry Hamilton. “To any Republicans who are sitting on the side-lines waiting for the military command to weigh-in – you now have your answer,” concluded Hamilton.

In response to Republican criticism of testimony provided by Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen, and a proposed repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, Log Cabin Republicans National Spokesperson Charles T. Moran comments:

“Since this policy was instituted, roughly 13,500 gay and lesbian servicemembers have been discharged, and nearly 800 were in critical positions. This policy has cost US taxpayers over $350 million. Anybody who thinks this policy has worked ‘just fine’ clearly needs to get his or her head checked. Recent polls have shown that Seventy-five percent of servicemembers would have no problem serving alongside a fellow soldier that is gay,” stated Moran. “True conservatives understand that the defense of our nation and ensuring our freedom and liberty comes before any kind of personal hang-ups over sexual orientation. Our men and women in uniform understand that, hopefully so will Congressional Republicans after hearing Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen’s testimony.”

While Log Cabin Republicans applauds and honors the sentiment and dedication that both Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen – both originally appointed by Republican administrations – have towards dismantling discrimination against gays and lesbians in the military, the final decision will clearly be political one determined by Congress. To that end, Log Cabin Republicans will still continue to press forward with its legal challenge to the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.

Currently, Log Cabin Republicans vs. The United States of America, is the only direct challenge to the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. It is also the only contemporary legal challenge to this policy to succeed at the district court level. One of the injured parties named in the case, Alexander Nicholson, is a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector who fluent in multiple languages, including Arabic, and who was discharged under the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law just six months after 9/11. Another injured party in the case, listed simply as ‘John Doe,’ currently serves in the Armed Forces and would face a discharge if his identity were revealed.

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February 1, 2010

(Washington, DC) – In advance of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing tomorrow on the legislative efforts to repeal the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy with expected testimony from U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Log Cabin Republicans issued the following statement:

“As this country remains committed to a strong national defense, now is the time for the President and Congress to act swiftly and decisively to repeal the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” stated Log Cabin Republicans National Chairman Terry Hamilton. “This policy has reduced the strength of our military forces, by disqualifying and dismissing soldiers with valuable skill sets that are critically needed. It is time for the United States military to join the ranks of our allies such as Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Israel, Australia and Canada and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military,” continued Hamilton.

A survey conducted by Gallup showed that fifty-eight percent of self-identified conservatives and Republicans support repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. According to numerous sources, since the policy was enacted over 13,000 servicemembers have been discharged, including at least 500 under the Obama Administration.

“Log Cabin Republicans remains committed to working with allies in the House and Senate to ensure repeal of this policy legislatively,” said Hamilton. “As this process works through Congress, President Obama must use his full executive authority to suspend prosecutions and instruct Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department to suspend its defense of the policy in the Courts. The President cannot have it both ways; he must be in favor of using every avenue to overturn this policy, not just the one that gives him the most credit,” concluded Hamilton.

Currently, Log Cabin Republicans vs. The United States of America, is the only direct challenge to the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, filed in the wake the Supreme Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas. It is also the only contemporary legal challenge to this policy to succeed at the district court level. One of the injured parties named in the case, Alexander Nicholson, is a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector who speaks multiple languages, including Arabic, and who was fired because of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law just six months after 9/11. Another injured party in the case, listed simply as ‘John Doe,’ currently serves in the Armed Forces and would face a discharge if his identity were revealed.

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February 1, 2010

“In his State of the Union address last week, President Obama claimed that he was going to be an agent of fiscal restraint and would reduce this nation’s debt. But his latest budget does exactly the opposite: it will increase the national debt by at least $5 trillion over the next five years,” stated Log Cabin Republicans National Chairman Terry Hamilton.

“Americans are gravely concerned about the consequences of runaway government spending and the actions taken by the Obama Administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress,” added Hamilton. “While tackling efforts to reduce the budget deficit, Congress must not pass another ‘stimulus’ bill, and a health care reform bill that would balloon the national debt. We praise Senator John McCain for his leadership in calling for an immediate freeze in all non-terrorism related government spending and work to cut the pork-barrel special projects that have allowed the deficit to grow so tremendously,” concluded Hamilton.

January 20, 2010

(Washington, D.C.) Log Cabin Republicans issued the following statement after yesterday’s historic election of Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown to the United States Senate:

“The voters of Massachusetts have sent a clear message to the Democrats in Washington that has been echoed across the country. Americans want bipartisan consensus and commonsense approaches to the critical issues facing our nation today,” said Log Cabin Republicans National Chairman Terry Hamilton. “The election of Scott Brown to the US Senate gives the GOP the crucial forty-first vote to stand up for market-based reform and fiscal restraint, especially in the healthcare debate.”

“Brown’s victory was delivered by a growing dissatisfaction among independent-minded voters, who have been turned off by the Democrats’ big government agenda. We saw it in New Jersey and in Virginia recently, and now in Massachusetts. Scott Brown’s campaign was run on mainstream issues, championed by the GOP, that are important to all voters: creating jobs and helping the American economy rebound,” continued Hamilton.

“We look forward to working with Senator Brown on many critical issues, including market-based healthcare reform, tax relief, supporting the war on terror, workplace non-discrimination, commonsense education reform, and ending the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” concluded Hamilton.