|
|||||
 Out4Immigration is an all grassroots organization and our letter writing campaign is now in its 64th week. Recently, we saw Congressman John Sarbanes co-sponsor UAFA and a few weeks ago, the Democrats in the Senate leadership unveiled a framework for comprehensive immigration reform, and UAFA’s language was included. We must continue to keep this issue out front and make sure UAFA’s language is included in any bill that moves forward. Our efforts have gained us a LOT of co-sponsors in both the House (23) and Senate (5), and This week, we are focusing on five more members of the House – Let’s finally hit our goal of 500 signatures! Click the link below to send an e-mail to all of these members of Congress, and please also forward this on to as many family and friends, and share on Facebook, Twitter, etc… We need as many people to sign this each week as possible, and the change.org link makes doing this quick and easy! We are also working on getting UAFA-supportive resolutions passed by city councils all around the country, and getting State, County and City elected officials to send letters to members of Congress urging them to support UAFA. Please contact Tom at [email protected] – if you can help (it’s very easy!!). http://www.change.org/petitions/view/ask_rep_boccieri_braley_kaptur_markey_nye_to_support_inclusive_comprehensive_immigration_reform http://tinyurl.com/UAFA-Week64 If you have not participated in our campaign before, please do so. Once you are done with that, you can also take part in previous week’s campaign here: http://www.change.org/my_change/search?content_type=Actions&global_keyword=lgbt+immigration+Rights Thank you! The five representative that we are writing to this week are: Congressman John Boccieri (D-OH-16) Congressman Bruce Braley (D-IA-1) Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) Congresswoman Betsy Markey (D-CO-4) Congressman Glenn Nye (D-VA-2) http://www.change.org/my_change/search?content_type=Actions&global_keyword=lgbt+immigration+Rights
-by Tommy News Key votes are expected this week in Congress on the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. We must act now with a strong grassroots effort to turn these votes in favor of repeal of the failed and discriminatory Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Lawmakers are deeply divided on this issue, and we must help to sway and whip these votes in favor of repeal by letting our Congressmen, Senators, and President Obama know that we want repeal of DADT now. If they fail to act now and wait until after the November Elections, when seats may be lost to the Republican obstructionists, passing repeal will be much more difficult. The time to act is now. The time for repeal is now. According to The Washington Post, The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote by the end of the week on an amendment to the annual defense spending bill that would end “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” which Congress passed in 1993. The House is expected to vote on a similar measure this week, and Nancy Pelosi has told gay advocacy groups that she will allow a floor vote if there is enough support in favor of a repeal. We must make that support happen. Those on the other side of the debate are pressing Congress to maintain the status quo. Read the article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/23/AR2010052303880.html For repeal to succeed, it is critical that we make our collective voices heard, now. I urge you to call, fax, email, and send postal mail to your Congress member, two US Senators, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and President Obama today. Contact information: Call The White House 202-456-1111 and email President Obama using the contact form at www.whitehouse.gov Information from The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network: The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283, S. 3065) The Military Readiness Enhancement Act would repeal the federal law banning military service by openly lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The bill would replace this ban with new provisions prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the armed forces. Current regulations regarding the personal conduct of military members would remain unchanged as long as they are written and enforced in a sexual orientation neutral manner. Persons previously discharged on the basis of sexual orientation would be eligible to apply to rejoin the military. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act would not create a right to benefits for same-sex partners or spouses, because under current federal law such benefits would violate the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would strengthen military readiness, retention and recruitment across the board. Repeal would enable the military to attract and retain critical personnel. More than 13,500 service members have been discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” since 1993, and strong evidence suggests that countless others have made the choice not to join the military or have left military service at the end of their commitments rather than serve under this discriminatory law. According to a 2005 GAO report, almost 800 persons discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” had skills deemed “mission critical” by the military. Discharging linguists, doctors, nurses, mechanics, infantrymen and intelligence analysts for no other reason than because of their sexual orientation weakens readiness and undermines unit cohesion. Allowing all qualified Americans to serve regardless of sexual orientation will make every branch of our military stronger. Repeal will also save millions of taxpayer dollars every year. According to the GAO report, it has cost more than $200 million to replace service members fired under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” GAO admits that this is an incomplete estimate; the true cost is even higher. Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” reflects American values. Polling shows that at least 75 percent of Americans support allowing gays to serve openly in our nation’s military. And Americans care deeply about treating our service members and veterans with the respect and thanks they deserve, not as second class citizens. It is estimated that more than 65,000 gay Americans serve in the military now, and that our country is home to more than 1,000,000 gay veterans. More: Sign Howard Dean’s Letter to President Obama Calling for Repeal of DADT This Year and Call From: “Gov. Howard Dean, Democracy for America” Dear Mr. President We would like to share this open letter to President Obama from Gov. Howard Dean, calling on the President to follow through on his promise to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year. Will you add your name in support of Gov. Dean’s letter to President Obama? Just click here to join Gov. Dean, the Courage Campaign and Democracy for America. DEADLINE: Tuesday, 5 p.m.: http://dfa2.convio.net/site/R?i=8Zd7OG3p1Rh_Iu6eakuiDg.. Arshad Hasan, Executive Director Dear Mr. President, When you delivered your State of the Union address in January, you eloquently spoke the following words to Congress and the nation: “We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution: the notion that we are all created equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law you should be protected by it…” “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It’s the right thing to do.” However, as you know, Secretary Gates sent a letter to House Armed Services Chair Ike Skelton on April 30 which appears to indefinitely delay the possibility of moving forward with the repeal of DADT until the Pentagon completes a review of the policy. In his response, Aubrey Sarvis, Executive Director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said: “As a result of the Commander in Chief’s decision to defer to Secretary Gates’ wishes and timeline, gay service members will continue to be treated as second class citizens, and any sense of fairness may well have been delayed for yet another year, perhaps for another decade.” While I understand the need to research how repealing DADT will affect members of the military, the law can still be repealed with an implementation timeline this year. The time to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is now. I urge you to take immediate action to insure that Congress includes the repeal of DADT — with an implementation timeline — in the Defense Authorization bill currently under consideration. I am sharing this open letter with my friends in Democracy for America and the Courage Campaign communities, thousands of whom will join me in signing a petition asking you to take leadership to repeal DADT this year. You can read the petition — and Americans can sign on to it — here: www.DemocracyforAmerica.com/DontWaitDontDelay One of our nation’s most precious and fundamental values is the guarantee of equal rights for every American. Gay and lesbian Americans have demonstrated their courage and given their lives in service to our country since our nation’s military was founded. Now it’s time to allow them to say who they are. On behalf of Courage Campaign and Democracy for America members, thank you for your consideration of this critical national security issue. - Howard Gov. Howard Dean, MD The time to act is now! Take Further Action Here: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Action Page http://www.sldn.org/action
|
 
 | ||||
