On AC360: Dan Choi & Alexander Nicholson talk about the 7 day Ban of DADT

HRC's vice president of communications, Fred Sainz strikes back at SU

So I posted the SU's press release to Valerie Jarrett, hoping to meet with her yesterday. Well,  Fred Sainz, HRC's vice president of communications, saw that and had some words of his own.

"These latest hijinks by Nicholson are part of a troubling pattern of irrational, unprofessional, and unproductive behavior," Sainz said. "[Nicholson's] rant is also without substance. The Administration helped to craft the legislation that was successfully voted on by the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee. Never before has a Defense Secretary or a Joint Chiefs chairman publicly supported repeal. This president got them there, and for that, he deserves our gratitude."

I was surprised to see this response, but I guess after getting sand kicked in the face by everybody, somebody was going to strike back, right? (Well, they do strike back in my neck of the woods)

Anywho, Alex Nicholson, the executive director of SU responded to Fred's statement:

"When the spokesperson for the largest gay organization stoops to vicious personal attacks against committed, unpaid staff of the smallest gay organization, you know there's a problem with the former," he said. "While I have more professionalism, rationality, and class than to return the favor and attack Sainz personally, I think this official 'response' from the Human Rights Campaign speaks volumes as to who is truly holding the adminstration's feet to the fire on 'don't ask, don't tell.'" 

Okay, but in this response, I read this "smallest gay organization", "Why are you pickin' on me" vibe. And if you look at the press release, you will see/get this "largest organization , top notch group" vibe.  Very interesting.

But seriously, I wish they stop all of this. They are acting like sorority girls fighting over some boy's attention. We need to set out an effective plan to get things done.

SU wanted to speak to Valerie Jarrett before HRC Dinner

Servicemembers United sent out a press release in order to get Valerie Jarrett to met with them before her speech at the HRC Gala

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Servicemembers United, the nation’s largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, today called on White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett to meet with gay and lesbian veterans to talk about the administration’s inaction on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” before appearing at a black-tie fundraising gala for the Human Rights Campaign tomorrow in Washington, DC. Jarrett’s appearance at the gala fundraiser was announced today by the Human Rights Campaign, which also called both Jarrett and the president “strong supporters of those of those of us fighting for LGBT rights.”

“We certainly do not feel like the White House is a ‘strong supporter’ of gay and lesbian troops and veterans right now,” said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army human intelligence collector who was also discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” “Before she appears at a black-tie fundraiser to tout the administration’s ‘strong support,’ Jarrett should meet and talk with those who have actually been impacted by this discriminatory law and who continue to fight this uphill battle for the lives and livelihoods of gay and lesbian troops. To ignore the reality of the administration’s choices, a reality manifested in our daily lives, while appearing at a party hosted by an organization that has given cover to this administration would be incredibly insulting.”

Nicholson added that a top-notch group of recent gay and lesbian veterans who are also involved in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal movement are ready to meet with Jarrett for a respectful dialogue on Friday or Saturday.

For more information about Servicemembers United and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” please visit www.ServicemembersUnited.org.

Then there was another post on Huffpo wondering if Valerie would actually speak to them. Now, I know they want some answers, but do they really think Valerie is going to meet with them first?

Well, she didn't. I don't think she blew them off, but many will think otherwise.

WATCH Servicemembers United Action Fund DADT Repeal Ad 2

WATCH Servicemembers United Action Fund DADT Repeal Ad

Here is their first ad, more to come

DADT is Too Close to Call, so hit the Phones!

Servicemembers United is urging everyone to jam the lines for DADT.

Here's their Facebook message:

Another chance for you to be a part of history is coming on Monday, May 24, 2010 with Servicemembers United's "GIVE 'EM HELL - Congressional Call Swarm" campaign.

Next week, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the full House of Representatives will debate and vote on finally repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) law.

This is our LAST CHANCE to flood congressional offices with phone calls to send the message that support for repealing DADT is overwhelming. We are no longer asking. We are DEMANDING that DADT be repealed THIS YEAR. We all have worked long and hard for this time to come. Now that it's here, we cannot let the opportunity slip.

Please join us on Monday, May 24th and help us flood our congressional offices with phone calls demanding repeal of DADT immediately.

Step 1) Call the DC offices of each of your state's two Senators. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Step 2) Call the DC office of your district's federal Representative. http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

Step 3) Post a comment on this page letting us know how it went. And finally, to all those still serving on active duty under the cloud of DADT, KEEP FIGHTING FOR US AND WE'LL KEEP FIGHTING FOR YOU.

This is real, especially after this article from Washington Post, claiming the DADT is too close to call:

Key votes pending in Congress this week on whether to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law that prohibits openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the military remain too close to call, advocates on both sides say.

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. Chairman Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) favors a repeal, but it is unclear whether he has enough votes, with six senators on the panel considered undecided, legislative sources said.

The House is expected to vote on a similar measure this week, based on a repeal proposal sponsored by Rep. Patrick J. Murphy (D-Pa.), an Iraq war veteran. The House Armed Services Committee declined to act on Murphy's bill in passing its version of the defense spending measure last week, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has told gay advocacy groups that she will allow a floor vote if there is enough support in favor of a repeal.

"This is our 'all hands on deck' moment," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which represents gays who have been drummed out of the armed forces. "For repeal to succeed, it is critical that all proponents for full repeal weigh in now, including the White House. We are only a few days away from this historic vote."

Folks are going to get Arrested! GetEQUAL will Protest in Washington D.C. for DADT

I got this from their YouTube page

There will be a rally in Washington DC on Sunday, May 2, 2010 to pressure the President with the demand he transmit IMMEDIATELY to the Senate Armed Service Committee the language for repeal into the Defense Authorization Bill. If you would like to plan your action for this date, by all means do. If not please email the date and details of your action plan to: DADTRepeal@gmail.com so we can try to coordinate and assist in publicizing!

Here's the video, but it's a little blurry

Okay, however there will be a National Veterans Lobby Day happening a week later

Honestly, I see more success with this one, they have a bit more orgs involved. But hey, you never know with GetEQUAL, they are full of surprises.

The National Veterans Lobby Day on DADT May 11th

Perhaps a more effective way to get the repeal DADT message across, is coming soon.

The National Veterans Lobby Day on DADT will get hundreds of vets to lobby to end DADT:

On May 11th, 2010, hundreds of veterans from across the United States will descend on Washington, DC with one clear message for Congress – “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) needs to go and it needs to go this year! The National Veterans Lobby Day on DADT, a project of Servicemembers United and the Human Rights Campaign, in partnership with a broad coalition of other pro-military and pro-equality organizations, will take place immediately before the National Defense Authorization Act – the bill that should contain DADT repeal language – is drafted on Capitol Hill. During this critical time, we need all hands on deck. WE NEED YOU to join us in Washington, DC for the National Veterans Lobby Day on DADT to help us tell members of Congress and their staff face-to-face that DADT needs to go, and it needs to go now! ...

Apparently, this has been in the works for awhile. Maybe someone should alert GetEQUAL on this.

Here's more info

Sen. Gilly's DADT plan may NOT work

Days after Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand mentioned a possible DADT funding pause, several LGBT activists expressed their concerns.

For example:

“It's helpful to talk about cutting funding for ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ discharges, but we must be strategic about when such a move would be made and now is premature,” said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

Second, Sarvis does not believe the votes yet exist in the Senate to pass such an amendment. SLDN worked with Gillibrand’s office last year to explore the possibility of placing a moratorium on discharges and investigations for the remainder of the 111th Congress.

“When we did our whip count, the most we got was 44 votes,” said Sarvis, adding that even with last week's supportive testimony from Adm. Mike Mullen and Defense secretary Bob Gates, he does not believe that an amendment would garner the necessary votes.

“The last thing we need is for the first vote on this policy in 17 years to fail,” he said.

also...

Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, expressed similar reservations about disrupting the process that’s now taking place in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“We want to make sure a vote on that would not foreclose pursuing a vote for full legislative repeal this year,” Nicholson said. “Moderate senators may not want to take a vote on the policy twice in 2010.”

Others are wondering if this is a reaction to Harold Ford Jr.'s growing base in NY. Sources claim that Ford's brand is gaining some strength. This is could be a problem for her, if this plan crashes and burns.