Brothers and Sisters in Arms...

By Dan Kirk on 05/21/2009 @ 01:26 PM

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On behalf of everyone at Yes on Gay Marriage, I would like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. This Memorial Day is yet another poignant reminder that every day millions of our fellow citizens put their lives on the line in the defense of our nation. It doesn’t matter if they are straight or gay, we honor everyone who serves, or has served in uniform.

Many members of Yes on Gay Marriage are veterans, including myself. We were all honored to serve in our nation’s military forces, and remember those we lost along the way. Also, we remember the thousands of gay and lesbian soldiers, sailors, and air forces that are discharged every year simply because of their sexual orientation.

Let us all remember that as we fight for marriage freedom, we should not forget there are many other issues out there that deserve our attention, like the status of our brothers and sisters serving in today’s Armed Forces. The continuation of the outdated Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy is as great a travesty as the continuation of the Defense of Marriage Act, the failure to pass the Hate Crimes Bill and Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and the efforts to take away rights of gay and lesbian citizens in several of our states. We should not grow complacent with a more-friendly administration in place, nor should we forget that it is up to us to continue the struggle for freedom and equality.

Last week our National Director, Kelley Moran, was in Washington D.C. talking about gay marriage, and Yes on Gay Marriage with several Senators, congressional staff, and White House staff. The bottom line of those meetings is that while Washington is much more supportive of repealing DOMA as well as Hate Crimes, DADT, and in getting ENDA passed, it is we, the LGBT community that is going to have to make sure our issues stay ‘on the table’. If we let our voice get distracted, if we do not keep pushing our issues, they will be pushed to the back of a very long agenda.

That is why Yes on Gay Marriage will continue to work hard on getting DOMA repealed. Now, not next year or the year after, is the time to get this vile law repealed. We can’t do it without your help, though. Help us by volunteering or donating today!

Dan Kirk has been active in the LGBT rights movement for sixteen years, starting with the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” debates in the early 90s. Helping to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act has become one of his highest priorities.