Right to Serve Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Right to Serve Campaign was a project of Soulforce
, a national organization which counters religious and political oppression of lesbian
, gay
, bisexual and transgender
people. The Right to Serve Campaign was the first nationally organized youth effort to bring attention to the Don't ask, don't tell
policy of the United States Armed Forces
, and took place in 30 cities on various dates from late summer 2006 to fall 2006. The Campaign was organized by the same youth activists who organized the Soulforce Equality Ride.
, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight youth activists visited both religious and military schools which prohibited openly gay students. After the Equality Ride, these youth activists decided to focus their attention specifically on the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy of the United States Armed Forces
, the policy which prohibits openly lesbian, gay and bisexual persons from serving within the ranks of the military.
Youth in 30 cities across the country were recruited to organize events in which openly lesbian, gay and bisexual youth would attempt to enlist in the United States Armed Forces as openly gay. When these youth were denied the opportunity to serve, they and their supporters, staged a sit-in
. Those attempting to enlist said that they were willing to serve, but not willing to lie about themselves in order to do it.
, which stated: "We applaud the young men and women from Right To Serve who seek to join the proud tradition of military service. The Right To Serve campaign challenges the federal government to end its prohibition on open and honest service by gay Americans, at a time when America can ill afford to turn away even one bright, capable recruit in the fight against terrorism."
In December 2006, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network also named the Campaign as number five on its list of the Top-Ten "Don't Ask Don't Tell" stories of 2006.
The Right to Serve Campaign was profiled by:
Locally, in each city of the Campaign, media and news coverage was found in over 70 news/media publications and companies.
The Campaign also received international coverage, for its Greensboro, NC, events, by one gay-oriented news company in the United Kingdom.
Soulforce (organization)
Soulforce is an American social justice and civil rights organization that supports acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people through dialogue and creative forms of nonviolent direct action...
, a national organization which counters religious and political oppression of lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
people. The Right to Serve Campaign was the first nationally organized youth effort to bring attention to the Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
policy of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, and took place in 30 cities on various dates from late summer 2006 to fall 2006. The Campaign was organized by the same youth activists who organized the Soulforce Equality Ride.
Background
During the Equality RideEquality Ride
The Equality Ride is a periodic LGBT rights bus journey across the United States led by young adults and sponsored by Soulforce, a national LGBT nonprofit organization. Its primary goal is to foster dialogue on issues of faith, sexuality, and gender, and discrimination against lesbian, gay,...
, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight youth activists visited both religious and military schools which prohibited openly gay students. After the Equality Ride, these youth activists decided to focus their attention specifically on the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, the policy which prohibits openly lesbian, gay and bisexual persons from serving within the ranks of the military.
Youth in 30 cities across the country were recruited to organize events in which openly lesbian, gay and bisexual youth would attempt to enlist in the United States Armed Forces as openly gay. When these youth were denied the opportunity to serve, they and their supporters, staged a sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
. Those attempting to enlist said that they were willing to serve, but not willing to lie about themselves in order to do it.
SLDN
The Campaign was endorsed nationally by the Servicemembers Legal Defense NetworkServicemembers Legal Defense Network
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a non-profit legal services, watchdog, and policy organization founded in the United States in 1993. It is dedicated to ending discrimination and harassment of gay and lesbian U.S. military personnel negatively affected by the "Don't ask, don't tell"...
, which stated: "We applaud the young men and women from Right To Serve who seek to join the proud tradition of military service. The Right To Serve campaign challenges the federal government to end its prohibition on open and honest service by gay Americans, at a time when America can ill afford to turn away even one bright, capable recruit in the fight against terrorism."
In December 2006, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network also named the Campaign as number five on its list of the Top-Ten "Don't Ask Don't Tell" stories of 2006.
Criticism
The Campaign received some criticism nationally. Elaine Donnelly, the president of the Center for Military Readiness stated in September 2006: "I think the people involved here do not have the best interests of the military at heart. They never have. They are promoting an agenda to normalize homosexuality in America using the military as a battering ram to promote that broader agenda."Media Coverage
The Right to Serve Campaign was covered in the national media.The Right to Serve Campaign was profiled by:
- The New York Times
- ABC News
- The Washington Post
- The Detroit News (in a syndicated column by Deb Price)
- WUNC and National Public Radio, Greensboro, NC (.mp3 audio news file)
- Paula Zanh Now, CNN
- MTV News
Locally, in each city of the Campaign, media and news coverage was found in over 70 news/media publications and companies.
The Campaign also received international coverage, for its Greensboro, NC, events, by one gay-oriented news company in the United Kingdom.