SF Calls for Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (US Newswire) -- San Francisco's Board of Supervisors yesterday unanimously approved a city resolution calling for repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel. The San Francisco resolution was adopted in support of a statewide resolution introduced in the California State Legislature in April by Sen. Christine Kehoe. That resolution states, in part, that "(T)he Legislature of the State of California respectfully urge the President and Congress of the United States to adopt the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 1059) to end the discriminatory federal policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

The San Francisco resolution notes that "lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members have served and are serving bravely and honorably in all branches of the United States Armed Forces and in all locations, national and international," and goes on to say that "national security and military readiness will be best served by allowing every willing and able American to serve in the United States Armed Forces, without regard to sexual orientation."

"Lesbian, gay and bisexual veterans live in virtually every community," said C. Dixon Osburn, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). "Their community leaders are rightly honoring their service to our country despite continued discrimination at the federal level. Americans do not support the exclusion of qualified gay Americans from our armed forces. Congress should repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' once and for all." 

The statewide resolution in California also passed a Judiciary Committee vote, by 4-1, following testimony yesterday in Sacramento. SLDN Honorary Board Member BG Keith H. Kerr, CSMR (Ret.), one of three retired flag officers to publicly "come out" in The New York Times, testified in favor of the resolution. The resolution reaches the Senate floor of a vote next week.

The New York and West Hollywood City Councils have both recently passed similar resolutions, supported in those communities by American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER). The California state resolution is supported by Equality California.