First Soldier (Marine) Injured in Iraq is Gay-Lobbying against Don't Ask Don't Tell

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/27/AR2007022701589.html

Once a Marine, always a Marine. That pretty much sums up the life of retired Sgt. Eric Alva, who was sworn into the Marine Corps at 19, stationed in Somalia and Japan and lost his right leg when he stepped on a land mine on March 21, 2003, the first day of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

As the war's first injured soldier, Alva was an instant celebrity. He was on "Oprah." President Bush awarded him the Purple Heart. Donald Rumsfeld visited. And strangers in Alva's native San Antonio still insist on paying for his dinner at Chili's. Last fall Alva, 36, contacted the Human Rights Campaign, the gay rights group, and asked to be involved in its lobbying effort. Today he'll stand alongside Rep. Martin Meehan (D-Mass.) when he introduces a bill to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay, lesbian and bisexual military personnel.

Q. Why didn't you come out sooner?

A.Eventually my notoriety -- "the injured soldier" -- will wear off. And I can almost hear it now -- "Oh, yeah, he's that gay Marine." I'm okay with that. The truth is, something's wrong with this ban. I have to say something. I mean, you're asking men and women to lie about their orientation, to keep their personal lives private, so they can defend the rights and freedoms of others in this country, and be told, "Well, oh, yeah, if you ever decide to really meet someone of the same sex and you want the same rights, sorry, buddy, you don't have the right." That's one factor. The other factor is, we're losing probably thousands of men and women that are skilled at certain types of jobs, from air traffic controllers to linguists, because of this broken policy.

[PDJane]

1. I'm with him.

Absolutely stupid and stupidy abhorrent policy.

[babylonsister]

2. I applaud him, and wish this entire country would, too. See the contributions

of the person, not their sexual orientation, which is no one's business anyway.

[MadMaddie]

3. Oorah...for this Marine

And I support him in his fight.

We can send our soldiars to fight the rights of other citizens around the world but the citizens in the US and military are treated like second class citizens with no rights.

A kick for our American Soldiars.:kick:

[rodeodance]

4. and good for Meehan (D-Mass.)----who is introducing the Bill.