Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell Protest on Saturday

A group of activist will be holding a protest in Virginia Beach's Town Center this Saturday - i.e., tomorrow - from 4:00pm - 6:00pm in front of Bravo's. Narissa Bond, the 2009 winner of the Hampton Roads Portfolio Award, for best album and best song with her recent release "Three Words," will be performing and Navy veteran Mike Brazell, a former first class operations specialist, will be the key note speaker at Saturday's Protest to repeal DADT. DADT is a huge issue in this area with its very large military population which includes in my estimation virtually thousands and thousands of closeted LGBT servicemembers. Surprisingly, the Virginian Pilot has run a story in advance of the event which should make the event more high profile. I encourage all local readers to try to attend. Here are some highlights from the Pilot's story:

*

Mike Brazell will take the microphone on Saturday because he knows so many others can't speak. Brazell, a 31-year-old yoga instructor in Norfolk, is gay. He spent almost 10 years as a Navy operations specialist before receiving an honorable discharge in 2005. One of the main reasons he left, he said, was that he was worn out living a double life - half the day as a single Navy petty officer first class, half the day as a gay man with a partner.
*

He and other activists who want the federal law prohibiting openly gay military service to be changed will gather for a rally at Town Center in Virginia Beach. When Brazell joined the Navy in 1996, he was terrified of being outed. Eventually, he learned not to be too sensitive when his fellow sailors joked about homosexuality. While stationed in Japan, Brazell met other gay sailors who showed him the way. "They taught me that as long as you're good at what you do, and you make yourself valuable, people don't care.... I was really good at my job," Brazell said. He said he neither talked about nor hid his sexual orientation. Other shipmates didn't fare as well.

*

Brazell and other organizers see it differently: Camaraderie is hurt when unit members can't be themselves. And discharging Arabic linguists who happen to be gay can't help national security. The gay-rights rally will bring the issues home. The large military population here makes speaking out now important, Brazell said. "The fact that there are so many sailors and soldiers who are closeted here - giving them a voice is a very important thing," Brazell said. "Even though we're not still in uniform, we're not going to stop fighting."

*

DADT is a poisonous policy and in the final analysis is based solely on religious based discrimination and bigotry - it is an offense against the U.S. Constitution which guarantees equality to all citizens and freedom of religion. It needs to be repealed NOW!