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Exclusive: White House DADT Arrests:- Lesbian Activist Challenges Congressional Black Caucus

LEADING the Troops Into Battle – Corporal Evelyn Thomas-

By Melanie Nathan; November 19-2010; and this is not battle that should ever need battling! Corporal Evelyn Thomas, describes herself as the African-American woman who was arrested along with lT. Dan Choi and other veterans in April and this past Monday, after chaining herself to the White House fence. Women of Color are a high percentage of discharges under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; yet the Congressional Black Caucus is ominously silent.

The honorably discharged Corporal, who served back in 1991, prior to the enactment of DADT, challenges the Black Caucus to break its silence on the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy and its impact relative to women of color. Thomas tells LezGetReal, in an  exclusive interview, that the impact of DADT upon the African-American community families is staggering.  This serves further as a testament to the popular belief that African American women are under represented even amongst the LGBT leadership community.

Thomas informed LezGetReal that when she served prior to DADT, things were even more precarious for servicemembers because the “DONT ASK” angle on DADT – caused an open witch hunt. Thomas was 17 when she left her protective and accepting home environment. She was naive and had never encountered homophobia. In fact she did not think being gay or lesbian was wrong. But her instinct kicked in when she saw what enlistment expected of her.  It expected her to deny her very core and being.

When she enlisted, the military mental health evaluation required that she sign off on not being a ‘homosexual or having engaged in homosexual behavior;’  She said: “I lied- I had to compromise my integrity so that I could serve my country.”

Written Exclusively for Lezgetreal by Evelyn Thomas:

“I am somebody and I deserve equality” are the words I shouted as the White House Federal police carried me to the paddy wagon.  A chant used many times during The Civil Rights Movement by African-American men and women fighting for equality.

Even though I do not dawn the ranks of the military any longer, I continue my service as a as a soldier in the Equality Army.  I enlisted in the military on May 17, 1986, prior to the enactment of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

I served during a time when there was a “Ban on Gays” in the military; when it was part of the indoctrination process to ask potential recruits about their sexual orientation and sexual behavior.

It was the first time in my life I understood that who I am and whom I love was considered wrong. No one in my family every said to me, that it was wrong.

It was on that day in May; I raised my hand and made an oath to protect this country and its citizens from enemies foreign and domestic that I compromised my integrity for the 1st time. The second time was when my commanding officer paged me to his office after my roommates stole a letter from my footlocker and gave it to him. In the letter from my mother, asked me about a woman I was dating.

When I reported to my commanding officer, standing at attention, he read me my Miranda Rights. My first thought was, “what crime did I commit? I did not murder anyone? I did not steal anything? Why was I being arrested?” Then he asked me, “Are you a homosexual?” Literally began to shake in my boots. The shaking was so uncontrollable; he and my Gunny Sergeant began to laugh, because they thought it was funny. My commanding officer stated, “Your roommates are afraid of you they think you’re going to do something to them.”

For the second time I had to compromise my integrity.  From that day forward, my First Sergeant and my commanding officer began to harass me on a daily basis; trashing my room, having other Marines spy and report my activities to my CO, making sexist and derogatory statements. Eventually, I was transferred, along with two other female Marines (one was caught shoplifting from a store on base and the other’s boyfriend was the top drug dealer on base).

Due to the fact that we were considered “problem Marines,” we were moved to isolated sectors of Camp Pendleton. I was transferred to Edison Range Weapons Field Training Battalion, where the harassment continued. My every move and encounter on or off base, was watched. I survived my time and eventually completed my contract, receiving an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps.

They never returned the letter. Like many other Women of Color I enlisted in the Armed Forces because of the economic stability, education, social mobility, and opportunity to serve my country as a patriotic American.  I stand and fight on the side of equality for my lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Women of Color serving in the and who wish to serve in the Armed Forces. We are the largest population impacted by Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

This is one of the many reasons I established The Sanctuary Project Veterans, an activist outreach ministry.  We advocate for service members, veterans, and their families impacted by DADT.

Evelyn Thomas
Executive Director
The Sanctuary Project
www.sanctuaryproject.org

Now EVELYN THOMAS is asking the Congressional Black Caucus to find their integrity and to stand boldly for equality for those whom they serve in Congress.  She has suffered and earned this right to make this demand!~ Here is what she wrote them:-

Corp. Evelyn Thomas, Sad in WEBB's Office

Letter to The Congressional Black Caucus; by Corporal Evelyn Thomas:-

“Obama, Obama” said, the little white boy, as he pumped his fist in the air as to give the Black Power salute. I was stunned and startled at the hope that little boy had in this Senator from Illinois. I stood outside the voting poll, shivering in the cold Southern California weather, shaking my head thinking, “I have just seen everything.” I never thought I would see the day when a 3 year old white kid would cheer for a black man to become president. It was a scary time for me. I had hope and faith in Black America, but I had doubts in White America. Would White America look past his skin color and look at the character of the man? Would White America judge him qualified for the job based on his education and experience, or would they become color-blinded in vote based on race?

Even though President Barack Obama has been in office for two years, it is still a surreal experience. I never thought in my lifetime, a Black man would rule the most powerful nation in the world. What does that say about the American people? From that day in November 2008, my life took on a new meaning. I don’t know what effect President Obama winning the election had on me, but my outlook on life has never been the same since that night. I knew if this can happen, then anything is possible in this world. It gave me hope in humanity. It gave me hope in life. It gave me hope for a new world.

However, lately, my hope is weathering a storm; since President Obama’s time in office. This is a time of rejuvenation for America; a time of creating a new sense of pride in our values and beliefs. President Obama took on the hurricane American economy with people demanding an instant magical solution. The American people voted on hope. The American people trusted in President Obama’s words. They believed him and still do, but are beginning to get weary of his power and ability to keep his promises. Yes, we live in the Information Age, and due to generational social transformation our values have begun to take on a new meaning. With all these cultural revolutions stamping our way of life-one thing remains the same, “your word”. An American euphemism meaning; you make an oath, a vow to perform an action, a task for someone. These are not meaningless words-along with making this statement comes’ a responsibility to fulfill your promise.

The African-American women of the United States Armed Forces have waited for 2 years for President Obama to fulfill his promise to them. You made a promise; you gave “your word”, Our Black women are the largest population impacted by the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Many Black women come from low-income families and have few opportunities to attend college. Many will end-up working low-paying jobs. Unfortunately, many will become a statistic. We live in America, a cruel society that will not pay a Black woman a living wage. Many Black women enlist into the military, because it affords them the opportunity for social mobility, an education, a job with benefits, and the prestige of being an American heroine. Sadly, enlisting in the United States Armed Forces is becoming a lost opportunity for Black women. Black women on an average of 2 per day are fired by The Department of Defense, because of whom they love. I am still waiting for the Honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. words to become true, where we will live in a nation in which” the content of character and not whom we love” become the motto for being a solider in the American military.

I call upon the Congressional Black Caucus to break its silence. I call upon the Congressional Black Caucus to support Women of Color in the Armed Forces. I call upon the Congressional Black Caucus to meet with The Sanctuary Project Veterans, www.sanctuaryproject.org, a national activist outreach ministry headquartered at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, California, www.pilgrimucc.org.  Together, we can create the opportunity to address the human rights issue of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the impact on the African-American community. The Women of Color Servicemembers, veterans, and their families deserve no less.

Currently, Women of Color are not represented by the LGBT community and its negotiations with The Department of Defense and The White House. The recent meeting between LGBT leaders and the White House Council failed to address Women of Color.  This is unacceptable. I call upon you to rectify this omission.

Corp evelyn Thomas - Arrested outside the White House 11/17/2010

Evelyn Thomas.

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Website: www.sanctuaryproject.org

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Melanie Nathan Comment:- With my pride in being a lesbian, my activist hat flat on head, as well as my mediator mode in high gear, instead of engaging in finger pointing, denials, being defensive , critique – about the aspect of inclusion in our own community, it is my hope that our community will embrace the sentiment  expressed by Corp. Thomas as being her experience and her reality as well as that of many many others amongst us and in so doing – let us find a way to be all inclusive within our LGBT community – and see this as a call from our own heroes – not only to the Black Caucus but also to us as a community,  where we ought always ensure representation for all.

Melanie’s EXCLUSIVE Interview  with GetEQUAL’s Robin McGehee

Article by Melanie Nathan© copyright Lezgetreal 2010  – Please E-mail to Cross Post
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