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Rally To Repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Friday

12/07/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Momentum is growing to make the Republicans put up or shut up on the whole issue of time with regards to finishing Senate business, and one thing that the Democrats could be doing right now is demanding that the rich get a tax cut extension only if the Republicans free up the nominees and bills that they have filibustered and allow for the passage of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The time has come to really put the boot down- and it had better be a big boot. If there is one thing that comes out of a lifetime of being bullied it is that bullies just love to roll over those who do not stand up to them. It is time to stand up to the arch-bully Mitch McConnell. Tell him the rich get a tax cut extension if and only if the stop filibustering stuff and allow for up and down votes on everything.

Now, several groups lead by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network are holding a rally Friday at Capitol Hill to show their rage over the lack of movement regarding the repeal of DADT. Here is their press release and what follows are the groups that will be in attendance:

MISSION INCOMPLETE: NO SENATE VACATION UNTIL THE TASK IS FINISHED
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RALLY ON CAPITOL HILL TO SHOW THE SENATE OUR RAGE FOR REPEAL

“We call upon the Senate and the President to remain in session and in Washington until the National Defense Authorization Act is passed – which includes the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask.’ The Senate is scheduled to break for holiday vacation; we can’t let them leave. We must show our rage for repeal and insist the Senate stay in Washington until they have finished the job. We implore all who support repeal to join us outside the Senate this Friday. As Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, ‘If not now, when?’

“The lame-duck vote on repeal was set up and dictated by some of the same Senators – like John McCain and Mitch McConnell — who are now delaying to kill the bill. They wanted the Pentagon report – now they have it. They wanted hearings – now they’re done. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he is determined to pass the defense bill with repeal. Senators must not be allowed to hide any longer behind process, procedure, and tax cuts for the wealthy, while the discrimination continues. We’ve lost 14,000 troops to this antiquated law, and by God, we must not lose another on our watch.

“More Americans than ever are with us in this moment. We have the Commander in Chief, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a majority of the service chiefs who support repeal. We know that 92 percent of service members are just fine working with their gay, lesbian and bisexual colleagues, according to the Pentagon report. Their attitudes mirror those of nearly 80 percent of Americans.

“With increased pressure – a raised voice – and help from our allies at this key moment, I believe the Senate will stay in session. We will hit 60 votes. We will fight back on attempts to kill repeal. We will send the bill to the President’s desk. The discharges will end. And gays and lesbians will keep serving this nation – but this time with the integrity they so deserve,” said Aubrey Sarvis, U.S. Army veteran and executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER)
Equality Federation
Get Equal
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Knights Out
MoveOn PAC
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Center for Lesbian Rights
OutServe
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National
People For The America Way (PFAW)
PROMO Missouri
National Stonewall Democrats
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
Swish
VoteVets
Young Democrats of America

Correction-Rally is Friday!