North County LGBT Coalition

From Courage Campaign 5/28/2010

Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee could make history.

Behind the leadership of Chairman Carl Levin, the Senate committee is on the verge of passing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would remove "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" from federal statute and set the stage for eventual repeal.

That's the good news. The bad news is that this is far, far, far from over.

Roll Call is reporting that Sen. John McCain will "without a doubt" support an unprecedented filibuster of the entire defense budget to stop the repeal of DADT if the bill comes to the floor of the full Senate.

It gets worse. According to the New York Times, McCain also solicited letters from the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines -- that object to the repeal amendment supported by President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen.

McCain's shocking obstructionism is being amplified by the right-wing Family Research Council, which released a video on Wednesday attempting to drive a wedge between the Joint Chiefs and the President, claiming Obama is trying to "force open homosexuality on the military."

This is absolutely outrageous. John McCain and the notorious Family Research Council are declaring war on us. The only way we can stop this Republican filibuster -- and win this war -- is with your support. Please contribute $25, $50, $100 or more now and help us fight back:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/FightBack

We've been organizing against DADT for months -- and we will continue to organize against it for many more months until it's dead and buried. For good.

Fortunately, we've got an equality army ready to go to battle. To date, 280,192 Americans have taken action on DADT through the Courage Campaign. Just this week, thousands more called Congress and more than 15,000 Courage and DFA members committed to hand-delivering Gov. Howard Dean's open letter -- signed by nearly 100,000 Americans -- to Senate offices in all 50 states.

Two weeks ago, the chances of repeal this year looked slim to none. But because of your relentless activism -- and the people power fueled by more than 30 organizations working to repeal DADT -- the Senate Armed Services Committee is on the verge of passing this historic amendment today.

Now John McCain and the extremist Family Research Council are vowing to stop at nothing to crush this movement -- even though a new CNN poll shows 78% of Americans support gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. Only you can help us defeat them. Please make a contribution of whatever amount you can afford now to help us fight back:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/FightBack

Thank you for fighting back today. We can't do this without you.

Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign

Courage Campaign Equality is a part of the Courage Campaign's multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. To get involved in Courage Campaign Equality, visit "Testimony: Equality on Trial" -- our new campaign to bring the Prop 8 trial into the lives of Americans.

June 30, 2009: Soldier believed to be gay murdered at Camp Pendleton

Please make sure that this information from Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is shared so that LGBT service members stationed in Camp Pendleton are aware to contact SLDN prior to talking with anyone. By talking to SLDN first, they know that they are being protected.

Latest News

07-02-09
SLDN Statement on Camp Pendleton Homicide Investigation

On June 30th a sailor was found dead on Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Diego, CA. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is calling the death of 29-year old Seaman August Provost an apparent homicide and that the case is a homicide investigation. A "person of interest" is in custody.

News reports indicate the victim could have been targeted because he was gay. This may, or may not, be true. All the facts in this case are unclear or unknown. But we, as an organization that represents LGBT service members, expect NCIS to thoroughly investigate all leads and to actively pursue a full investigation no matter where the evidence leads.

SLDN encourages all service members who have knowledge helpful to the investigation to come forward - but LGBT service members should contact SLDN's legal department for a free confidential consultation prior to speaking with military authorities, to ensure the safe reporting of any information relevant to the ongoing investigation.

To speak with an attorney, contact SLDN's Legal Department by either calling (202) 328-3244 x 100 or e-mailing us at legal@sldn.org.

Original article:
07-02-09 SLDN Statement on Camp Pendleton Homicide Investigation

On June 30th a sailor was found dead on Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Diego, CA. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is calling the death of 29-year old Seaman August Provost an apparent homicide and that the case is a homicide investigation. A "person of interest" is in custody.

News reports indicate the victim could have been targeted because he was gay. This may, or may not, be true. All the facts in this case are unclear or unknown. But we, as an organization that represents LGBT service members, expect NCIS to thoroughly investigate all leads and to actively pursue a full investigation no matter where the evidence leads.

SLDN encourages all service members who have knowledge helpful to the investigation to come forward - but LGBT service members should contact SLDN's legal department for a free confidential consultation prior to speaking with military authorities, to ensure the safe reporting of any information relevant to the ongoing investigation.

To speak with an attorney, contact SLDN's Legal Department by either calling (202) 328-3244 x 100 or e-mailing us at legal@sldn.org.

http://www.sldn.org/

Dear All,

In the article below it describes what we know at this point pertaining to Seaman August Provost's murder. It is our intent to honor this young man whose life was needlessly taken. This will be a very somber occasion with chanting, preferably signs with his picture and the words "In the loving memory of Seaman August Provost" or "one life taken is too many." Candles will be lit.

No matter what the actual charge will be from the investigation; all know that Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) does cause a stereotyping and dehumanizing of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) people within the Department of Defense. Had it not been for DADT Seaman Provost and others could have felt safe enough to complain about harassment without fear of job loss. DADT creates for all LGBT employees of the Dept of Defense a hostile work environment.

More details on the specific location to come.
We are anticipating being outside the front part of the base.

Gay US sailor found dead after alleged harassment

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • July 2, 2009 - 18:59
August Provost was found dead early on Tuesday morning

A gay US Navy sailor who was found dead had been harassed by another person, his family said this week.

Seaman August Provost, 29, of Houston, was found dead early on Tuesday morning at Camp Pendleton in Southern California. He joined the Navy in March 2008.

A suspect is currently being held in connection with his death but no information has been released regarding a motive.

Gay activists have suggested he was killed in a homophobic attack. Ben Gomez, head of the San Diego chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights, cited unnamed sources suggesting Provost had died during an argument with another sailor over his sexuality.

Provost's family told the San Diego Herald-Tribune he had been openly about his sexuality with those he trusted but mostly kept his private life to himself.

His sister Akalia said he had been harassed by someone else and his family had urged him to report it to a supervisor.

However, it has been noted that the sailor may have been unable to report the bullying if it was motivated by homophobia, as the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' rule prohibits openly gay personnel from serving in the US military.

It has also been reported that Provost's partner Kaether Cordero found out about his death from a journalist.

Nicole Murray-Ramirez, chairman of San Diego's Human Rights Commission, has called for an inquiry into whether Provost was killed because of his sexual orientation.

He said: "We respect the military, but we want to ensure that there is full disclosure, to see if this was a hate crime. A member of our community has been killed."

A post-mortem examination has been performed but authorities are awaiting the outcome of toxicology reports to determine how the sailor died.

http://dodfedglobe.ning.com/

OPEN LETTER TO Mr. GIBSON
FROM THE NORTH COUNTY LGBT COALITION.

ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH, TOLERANCE AND MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Click Here for full articl

Open Letter to the LGBT People

I find it suspect that the Federal Government is considering the Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

I suspect that “Gay Blood” is needed for the current wars. LGBT Blood spilled on the battlefield is now to be deemed acceptable? However, the granting of basic rights for the LGBT people is not deemed acceptable!

LGBT people cannot be expected to fight on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan if their families are not legally recognized and provided housing, medical, and death benefits equal to the heterosexual soldiers.

Where is the outcry of Rick Warren and other to-the-right groups? Where is “The Prediction” of the end to the heterosexual society? I can only opine that our religious “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin” friends find no objection to “Gay Blood”.

I request that the LGBT people begin an open discourse. Write me your thoughts on this subject. I will answer.

Stand Up, Speak Up, And Be Heard.

Linda Sanders

*************************************

About: boycott supporters of prop 8

Letter: With a new year I hope supporters of gay marriage will remember to boycott the supporters of prop 8. Some of the biggest contributions in San Diego county came from the Caster family ($693,000) who owns A-1 Self Storage and Doug Manchester ($125,000) whose holdings include the Manchester Grand Hyatt and the Grand del Mar Hotel. Also, Robert Hoehn ($25,000) who owns Hoehn Motors in Carlsbad. My source for these figures is www.californiansagainsthate.com which provides information on contributions that supported prop 8. Please think about where you spend your money because it could be used to take away civil rights.

Curtis Fitzgerald, North County LGBT Coalition Board Member

*************************************