Ahead of the National Equality March this Sunday, students from all over the nation rallied against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a policy that keeps openly gay men and women from serving in the military. After "closing the streets of our nation's capitol" while protesting at the White House, the students came to Kogan Plaza, where several former servicemen spoke out against the "devastating" policy. Among them was Todd Belok, a GW student who was kicked out of the ROTC program upon discovery of his sexual orientation. The crowd was led in chants of "Hey-Hey, Ho-Ho, Don't Ask Don't Tell has got to go" and "End the Silence," referring to the Day of Silence, a day when gay people and gay rights supporters remain silent for 24 hours in protest of anti-gay policies; one woman said that "silence kills our cause." The students will rally again tomorrow at 11:10am at the Foggy Bottom metro, where they will march to the Capitol with an expected group of thousands of LGBT supporters.
[caption id="attachment_2961" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Among the students rallying at Kogan were several who travelled all the way up from Texas."]
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[caption id="attachment_2962" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A LGBT Pride flag with the word "Peace" scrawled across it greeted protestors to the rally."]
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[caption id="attachment_2963" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="A former serviceman who was kicked out of the military because of his sexuality speaks out against DADT."]
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[caption id="attachment_2964" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Todd Belok, a GW student who was expelled from the ROTC program after the discovery of his sexual orientation, tells the crowd about the support he's been receiving from the LGBT community, and from other former servicemen."]
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Interesting that Barney Frank called it a "waste of time" and saying that the only pressure that will be applied will be from people standing on the grass.
ReplyDeleteYes, that was a very controversial statement. Lady Gaga referred to that when she spoke at the rally, saying "We put more than pressure on the grass... today, this grass is ours." Thunderous applause! I'll have an article on the March up as soon as my laptop is back from the shop.
ReplyDeleteLady GaGa is an "interesting" political figure to say the least. I think a lot of people assume she's a gay rights activist because they believe she's a transexual from watching that video a while back >_<
ReplyDeleteWell actually, she has long been an avid supporter of gay rights. When she won a Video Music Award a few weeks ago, she said "this is for God, and for the Gays." She also performed at the Human Rights Campaign fundraising dinner on Saturday night.
ReplyDeleteI think that's ignoring the point that she could POSSIBLY be a transexual, and I'm sure she's been one for a while if indeed she is.
ReplyDeleteWell I would argue that it's the other way around: that spending time talking about whether she's a transexual is ignoring the point that she's been a fervent supporter of the LGBT community, which I think is more important than what she has under her clothes.
ReplyDelete