U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, alongside gay, lesbian, and straight servicemembers, highlight
“Voices of Honor: A Generation Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’”
PHILADELPHIA – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, in partnership with Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans and their straight allies, and U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), will visit Philadelphia, PA, on July 27 as part of “Voices of Honor: A Generation Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The national tour highlights the discriminatory law that hurts military readiness and national security while putting American soldiers fighting overseas at risk. The Philadelphia visit will include a press conference Monday morning and a public town hall discussion in the evening. To learn more, visit: www.hrc.org/VoicesOfHonor.
Rep. Murphy, an Iraq War veteran and a former paratrooper in the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division, recently took over as the lead sponsor of the bill to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283). After more than 15 years, many former congressional and senior military leaders who were involved in the construction and implementation of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law have recently called for the law to be reviewed or repealed, including former Joint Chiefs Chairmen Gen. John Shalikashvili and Gen. Colin Powell, and former Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA).
Passed in 1993, the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law allowed gay, lesbian, and bisexual service personnel to serve in the armed forces as long as their sexual orientation was not publicly disclosed or discovered. As of 2008, more than 13,000 men and women have been fired from the military because of their sexual orientation, including more than 60 Arabic linguists and nearly 800 other service members in critical occupational fields.
PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS:
WHAT: Press conference highlighting “Voices of Honor: A Generation Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
WHEN: July 27, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. EST
WHERE: People’s Plaza in front of Independence Hall; 5th and Market, Philadelphia, PA
WHO: Press conference to feature remarks from:
-- U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, Iraq veteran and lead sponsor of the bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (HR 1283);
-- Jarrod Chlapowski, a former U.S. Army Korean linguist who opted to not re-enlist because of DADT and is a public policy advocate at the Human Rights Campaign;
-- Alex Nicholson, a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector discharged under DADT and current executive director of Servicemembers United;
-- Anuradha Bhagwati, a former Marine officer and executive director of Service Women’s Action Network
-- Stephen Vossler, a straight former Korean linguist who served with numerous gay service members such as Chlapowski;
-- Joe Soto, a Philadelphia native who is a former Marine and Naval Academy graduate, as well as an active member of USNA Out;
TOWN HALL DETAILS:
WHAT: Public town hall discussion on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
WHEN: July 27, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. EST
WHERE: WHYY Studio Building; 150 N. 6th St., Philadelphia, PA
WHO: Town hall to feature remarks from:
-- Jarrod Chlapowski, a former U.S. Army Korean linguist who opted to not re-enlist because of DADT and is a public policy advocate at the Human Rights Campaign;
-- Alex Nicholson, a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector discharged under DADT and current executive director of Servicemembers United;
-- Anuradha Bhagwati, a former Marine officer and executive director of Service Women’s Action Network
-- Stephen Vossler, a straight former Korean linguist who served with numerous gay service members such as Chlapowski;
-- Joe Soto, a Philadelphia native who is a former Marine and Naval Academy graduate, as well as an active member of USNA Out;
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
