On this Memorial Day, first and foremost, the lives lost defending this country and our freedoms must be remembered, honored, and commemorated.  We who benefit from their service and sacrifice must never forget our fortunes.

Our gratitude certainly should have no bounds: all races, men and women, gay and straight have all sacrificed their lives for us.  And as we benefit from their sacrifice, that we still disgrace their service with the discriminatory program of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is an insult to the freedoms of equality they fight to defend.

Now, last week, there was some historic legislation passed in the House which may lead to the repeal of DADT.  Be wary of the reports you hear or read, however.  The legislation is no more than another form of compromise flaunted as a victory by those who needed to back up their big talk—HRC and President Obama.  Obama sent out a letter claiming that he lived up to his word, delivered on campaign promises, and made the repeal a priority.  Queerty certainly does not agree, responding to those three claims as misleading, spin, and a lie.

HRC and Obama spoke of the legislation as if it were repeal; yet, there is no actual repeal language in the legislation.  Rather, it passes the buck and leaves the decision of repeal up to the President, Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.  But it also gives no definite timeline to do so.  Even if the legislation passes the Senate, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” could remain in effect indefinitely.  Is that something to celebrate?  I’ll wait to pour the champagne until soldiers are actually free to serve openly without fear of discharge.

Lt. Dan Choi wrote a blog for Newsweek continuing the theme of those who are not satisfied: “On Monday, when I learned of the president’s compromised approach to repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” I felt betrayed. I am not celebrating now.”

“[The compromise] is the result of a White House that has been AWOL on “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal for the last year and a half, and now is desperately trying to find a solution—any solution, regardless of how unworkable—to a problem and a promise it would rather just go away.”

And although the compromise itself may not be something to celebrate, House Representative Steny Hoyer’s (D-MD) speech on the floor is worth recognizing.  Watch the video, with my favorite part coming at 0:48 to 2:32, transcribed below.

Hoyer:
But in the late 50s and early 60s, the mote force for the young people in this country was civil rights.  It was about living out the promise of American equality.  It was about a commitment of this country, which was the bedrock of this country, that all men were created equal and endowed, not by us, but by their creator with certain unalienable rights.

Let me read some of it.  “The army is the wrong place for social experiments.  Keep African Americans in their place.”  I was angered in the 1950s and 1960s when I saw that kind of rhetoric, because I thought that was not the American that I was so proud of.  Hear that language that was used back in 1948.  And read the transcripts today.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, HRC, Lt. Dan Choi, Newsweek, President Obama, Queerty, Rep. Steny Hoyer, YouTube Hide

The Columbus Blue Jackets are hosting a “gay day” this Saturday, March 13, 2010, when they face off against the St. Louis Blues.  Following the NHL game, you get to watch two gay hockey teams, Ohio Mayhem and The Black Wolves from Chicago, experience playing on the big stage.

The cost for the AAA Sky Terrace Tickets at Nationwide Arena is $30 with $5 going to benefit Stonewall Columbus.  The only way the $5 gets to the organization is if you buy directly from Amber Krill, a Group Event Specialist for the Blue Jackets.  She can be reached by phone (614-246-4236) or by email (mailto:akrill@bluejackets.com).

Additional information about the event and Stonewall Columbus can be found here.  Or to learn more about the Ohio Mayhem, click here.

Last I heard (this was a few days ago), they were about 10 tickets shy of their sales goal.  While that target may already have been met by now, any surplus speaks volumes to the presence of the gay market in the sporting world.

While these gay days/nights are not very common, March has an anomaly.  The Golden State Warriors are hosting a gay night this Thursday, March 11.  Speaking to the rarity of the events, Queerty asks, “Is This Really Just the 3rd Official ‘Gay Night’ For the NBA?”  Also, the city of Philadelphia doubled-up with gay nights this month: the 76ers hosted the Magic on March 1 and the Flyers play the Wild on March 25.

Hey, that makes me wonder, if the Warriors, 76ers, and Flyers get some love from OutSports and Queerty, how come the Blue Jackets do not?  I’ll have to email Cyd to see if he’ll pass along the news.

Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL, Ohio Mayhem, OutSports, Queerty, Stonewall Columbus Hide

Matt Morgan and Emmanuel Winston went to the gay bar Oilcan Harry’s in Austin, TX, Friday night to celebrate the start of their spring softball season.  They left the bar at 2:30 a.m., walked a few blocks, and then were attacked from behind by four men.  During the altercations, the attackers used several anti-gay slurs.

Stories like this scare me and infuriate me.  They scare me, because this could happen to me or my friends.  I’ve been to bars near this bar in Austin.  Although the incidents are rare and you never expect yourself to be attacked while you walk to your car or in a bar that gets raided (as happened last year in Fort Worth, TX, and Atlanta, GA), it can and does happen.

These stories infuriate me, because the intolerance is so strong.  And even still, it was just over a month ago, during the Prop 8 case that the anti-gay contingent argued that they were worried about their own safety as witnesses against gay rights and that the gay community does not really face the discrimination it claims.

Emmanuel Winston described the incident to Queerty: “At one point there were three men on me, kicking and punching my face. I don’t think these men expected us to fight back like we did, but my friend and I are fairly athletic men. When we were able to get the men of us and face them that is when one of the men called out to us calling us fags.”

He closed with a powerful statement: “The reason why I’m writing to you is because this needs to change. We live in 2010 and yet are still plagued with the ignorance and fear of others. A clear message needs to be sent that this is not o.k. I’ve been overwhelmed with the stories of other men and women who have also been targets of hate crime violence and at the time didn’t have the platform to speak. I am speaking out in behalf of future generations of gay men and women and hope that they never have to go through an experience like mine.”

Here is the news segment from KXAN, Austin’s NBC Affiliate:

Emmanuel Winston, gay softball, hate crimes, KXAN, Matt Morgan, NBC, Queerty Hide