Sixty-five years ago, Five-star General, Nobel Peace Laureate, and VMI graduate George Marshall stated that "our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on one side and of overwhelming force on the other."
Four years later, President Harry Truman boldly ended racial segregation in the world's most powerful military, fulfilling General Marshall's prediction.
Today, the United States Armed Forces remains the largest employer in the country without a full anti-discrimination policy.
Pennsylvania Congressman and Iraq War Veteran Patrick Murphy is leading the charge to again make our military as strong a symbol of freedom and Democracy as it is a symbol of power. He urges you to join him in convincing his colleagues in Congress to make the next brave leap towards equality in this country.
Congressman Murphy writes:
"Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” more than 13,000 qualified men and women have been dismissed from service to our country. This count includes over 800 medics, fighter pilots, and others deemed to be “mission critical.” Most baffling may be the 57 Arabic linguists who have been discharged under this law – linguists who, had they remained in the military, would today be translating vital information critical to our national security during this time of war.
...The long-term economic costs of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” have been incredibly wasteful, with a 2005 GAO study estimating that American taxpayers have paid between $250 million and $1.2 billion to investigate, eliminate and replace servicemembers under the law.
...There are approximately one million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States today, as well as 65,000 gay and lesbian servicemembers currently serving in our Armed Forces. These brave men and women are now fighting and dying for our country in two wars. They're making the ultimate sacrifice to keep our families and our nation safe, just like their straight counterparts."
Sign the petition, call your member of Congress and our Democratic allies in Washington. Make it clear that young voters believe that our Democracy is only as strong as our moral convictions, including our inherent duty to respect the awesome sacrifice of our troops and our imperative to strive for equal rights for all.
