Activists Protest Failure to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Activists Protest Failure to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Activists held a somber protest—complete with a re-enactment of a soldier’s funeral—last night at the Statehouse to protest the U.S. Senate’s failure to overturn the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

The policy allows gay Americans to serve in the military as long as they don’t disclosure their sexual orientation. It is a compromise that dates back to the start of the Clinton administration, about 17 years ago. “We’ve been waiting 17 years,” said Heather Curley, an outreach coordinator with Queer Action of Rhode Island. “I’m tired of waiting.”

Activists Re-enact Military Funeral

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Curley led a demonstration at the Statehouse that re-enacted a military funeral. A bugle played taps while a line of activists dressed in military fatigues walked up and saluted a still figure on a table. But then Hurley—playing a general—interrupted, announcing that the military had found out the deceased soldier was gay. The U.S. Flag draped over the soldier was yanked away while Curley interrogated the other soldiers about their sexual orientation.

The scene played out in front of a crowd of roughly one hundred people, holding candles and signs. One placard had a photograph of coffins draped in flags. “Which soldier is gay?” it read.

R.J. Raskin, one of the demonstrators, said the ongoing ban on gays openly serving in the military reinforces prejudice against gay Americans. “I think we’re all dreaming for a day when it’s not a big deal,” Raskin told GoLocalProv. “It shouldn’t be a big deal. We’ve kind of created a societal shame attached to it.”

Activists: ‘Democrats threw us under the bus’

On Wednesday, an effort to repeal the longstanding ban on open homosexuality in the military failed after Republicans unanimously voted to block debate on the bill. Rhode Island Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed voted to move forward on the measure—which was attached to a larger bill on defense spending.

Curley faulted Democrats for not proposing a separate bill on the issue. “The Democrats have thrown us under the bus and we’ve funded them, voted for them and they’ve disappointed us,” Curley said. “So what do we do? I don’t know what we do.” Curley said gay rights activists can only hope to persuade Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to introduce a separate bill.

She also had tough words for President Obama. “President Obama promised to be a fierce advocate for us. He hasn’t been,” Curley said.

One protestor said Obama could make “don’t ask, don’t tell” go away simply through an executive order, without waiting for Congress to take action.

“Just a switch of the pen—it would be gone,” said Steve Phipps.