Right to Serve in Chicago, Austin
Tuesday (August 22, 2006) was a busy day for the Soulforce Right to Serve Campaign (localized info, official site and official Greensboro site).
On Tuesday, both in Chicago, IL, and Austin, TX, youth attempted to enlist in the United States Military.
In Chicago, three youths tried to enlist but were told that “Homosexuality is a non-waiverable ‘condition.’” (see video from WGN 9)
Kelsey Pacha, Rachelle Faroul and Rob Fojtik all tried to enlist in the Army National Guard in Chicago. Pacha cited her desire to join the Guard as wanting to follow in her father’s foot-steps; he had served as a medical specialist in the Guard from 1968 to 1974. Fojtik said that he could not “fathom any reason” to disallow him from serving; he is a fit and capable young man - a long-distance runner, in fact - and can speak Russian, French and Czech. All three youth are students at Northwestern University. The three youth will return with supporters on September 12, 2006, for a sit-in.
In Austin, Texas, Rebecca Solomon tried to enlist in the Army. During the interview, after making her sexual orientation known, the recruiter explained to her Clinton’s 1993 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and told her she would not be allowed to serve her country.
Rebecca Solomon, a self-described “open lesbian,” tried to enlist in the Army Tuesday at the Army Recruiting Center at the Dobie Mall, near the University of Texas campus. It was part of a nationwide effort on the part of a program called “Right to Serve,” organized by an activist group called Soulforce.
When Solomon told the recruiter she was a lesbian, he explained to her the “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule, the law introduced by President Bill Clinton in 1993 that prohibits homosexuals from serving in the armed forces if they make their sexual orientation known. It also prohibits the armed services from asking its members about their orientations.
Solomon said she “genuinely wants to serve the country but will not lie about her sexual orientation as a condition of service.”
In other news, Oklahoma’s soon-to-come Right to Serve events were featured in the Advocate.com online news stories today. Check it out.
Greensboro’s organizing continues to go extremely well and we have made some great headway in training folks to help with organizing and outreach for support in the local area’s college student population, especially with students at UNCG and Guilford College. As the City Organizer, my original goal of having at least 50 participating youth looks to become a reality more and more with each passing day and support for the Right to Serve Campaign is vivid and strong.
The Greensboro and Phoenix, Arizona, Right to Serve events are both set to occur during the third week of September.
If you live in Greensboro or anywhere in North Carolina and you are interested in finding out how you can get involved in an effort to bring focus to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy this fall, check out the Right to Serve Campaign at the official website, http://www.righttoserve.org/ as well as MattHillNC.com’s Soulforce Youth page (you can also make a donation to the Greensboro Campaign event via the Right to Serve Greensboro site)
Technorati Tags: Right to Serve Campaign, Soulforce, Greensboro, North Carolina, Phoenix, Arizona, Chicago, Austin, LGBT, Military, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, sit-in
Matt, 22, is an LGBT journalist, activist and youth advocate currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C., where he serves as the Editor of Q-Notes, the Carolinas' LGBT news source. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14.
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