VICTORY! Don't Ask, Don't Tell has been repealed

Just over an hour ago the Senate by a vote of 65 to 31 repealed the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Today’s vote, allows lesbian, gay and bisexual people the ability to serve openly and honestly in our military. It’s a wonderful step forward in our fight for full civil equality. We are extremely pleased to report that both Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich voted in favor of the repeal!

Your efforts made a big difference! This repeal couldn’t have happened without you and your calls and emails.

Please take a moment in the next few days to call and email both Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich and thank them for their vote to repeal DADT. It is great to have two Senators that believe in fairness and equality in our military.

Senator Murkowski

Email: http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EMailLisa

Phone: 202.224.6665

Senator Begich

Email: http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailSenator

Phone: 202.224.3004

Please thank Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich for representing all Alaskans with their vote to repeal DADT today. Our military has become even stronger with today’s vote.

Also, be aware there is still work to be done for the implementation of a full repeal of DADT. There is a 60-day waiting period, during which soldiers can still be discharged under the policy. We will post on our blog in the coming days when we have more details.

With all of our continuing efforts we are confident that we will have more victories to celebrate in 2011 on our road to achieving full civil equality in Alaska.

Let’s enjoy today’s victory.

Call Senator Murkowski Today! DADT Will Be Held Tomorrow (Dec. 18).

You may have heard by now the bill that would repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) has passed the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled a vote for cloture on the bill that would repeal DADT tomorrow.

This is the vote we have been waiting for and the outcome for this bill could still go either way.

We need your help! It is of critical importance that each of us reaches out to Sen. Murkowski today and ask her to honor her pledge and vote to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Here is a sample message:

“Hi, my name’s [NAME] and I live in [Town/City]. I support all our servicemembers, thank you for your support and we hope you honor your pledge and vote to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Thank you.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski's Contact Information

Anchorage Office 877.829.6030
DC Office 202.224.6665

This may be our last chance to repeal this discriminatory law for years to come.

Sen. Murkowski's vote could make the difference between repeal or keeping this discriminatory law on the books.

Today, each one of our calls can have an impact in ending this discriminatory and unfair law against gay soldiers.

Is the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell dead?

Here is a great status update on the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Murkowski votes "no" to debating bill that includes "don't ask, don't tell" repeal

From the Anchorage Daily News:

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. -- 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who said Wednesday she supports the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays in the military, voted against the underlying defense authorization bill that includes language to overturn the prohibition. 

The vote failed 57-40. Democrats needed 60 votes to proceed with debate on the bill, which includes language that would lead to the policy's reversal. Murkowski and several other Republicans who support the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" had said they would vote to move the bill forward for debate -- but only if they were allowed additional time for debate and more leeway to propose amendments.

Wednesday, Murkowski said in a statement that America is "the loser when it denies those who are willing to make the great sacrifices demanded of our men and women in uniform the opportunity do so on grounds of sexual orientation."

But she also warned her support of the underlying legislation was conditional, and she wouldn't vote to move forward on debate of the defense bill unless Democrats gave the GOP additional time to debate and amend it. 

All 42 Republican senators said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid last week that they wouldn't agree to let any legislation come to a vote until they had considered tax cuts and government spending bills.

Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, supports repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and voted to proceed with debate on the bill.

Please call Senator Lisa Murkowski today at 202.224.6665 and ask her to support starting the debate on the National Defense Authorization Act and voting in favor of the closure vote so that DADT can be repealed.

We are disappointed with today's vote and hope that both Senator Murkowski and Senator Begich will do the right thing in the coming days to do what it takes to repeal this law before the end of the year.

There is still time left to make this happen.  

Sen. Murkowski: "Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Excellent news from Senator Murkowski today.

We appreciate Senator Murkowski's support and hope she will vote in favor of opening the debate and on cloture on the National Defense Authorization Act before the end of this session.

Possible Vote On The Repeal Of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Today

We just heard that the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy maybe up for a vote today and it's too close to call.

We need everyone to take two minutes and call Senator Murkowski to ask her to support the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and most importantly support the vote for cloture in Senate for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Senator Murkowski could be the vote that puts us over the top -- but we still have some work to do and it will take all of us to do it. Please call her at 202.224.6665 right now.

The U.S. House voted earlier this year to repeal the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law as part of the NDAA. But we still need the Senate to take action before the year ends.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has the opportunity to prove again that she represents ALL Alaskans. In 2009, she voted for the NDAA, which included the Matthew Shepard/James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Now, in 2010, she can again vote for that same bill which funds our military and will also repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Tell Sen. Murkowski to take up, vote for cloture, and pass the NDAA!

Sincerely,

Board of Directors
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.

P.S. – After you call and write your e-mail, please forward this message or tell your friends and family what is at stake and ask them to contact Sen. Lisa Murkowski too.

Alaska Hate Crimes Bill Advancing But Still Needs Help

We have good news! Not only did SB 202 (Alaska Hate Crimes Bill) pass out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last Wednesday, March 17th, it did so with the amendment we requested; the addition of gender identity as one of the protected classes!

Initially the Hate Crimes Bill did not include gender identity as a protected class. After we asked the committee for the bill to be amended to include gender identity, the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee - Senator Hollis French was able to successfully amend the proposed bill. It wasn't easy, but Senator French was able to convince enough of his fellow Senators on his committee to support the amendment and move the bill out of committee.

Thank you for all your messages and activism. Also, please thank everyone you know who sent messages and Public Opinion Messages (POMs) to Senate Judiciary members.

The bill has now been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. There are not many days left in this legislative session, so it is important that this bill be scheduled and heard soon.

Further action is needed on your part between now and Thursday, March 25th.

Please call or send a message to ask Finance Co-Chairs' - Senator Stedman and Senator Hoffman to schedule the bill for a hearing and to encourage them for a speedy vote as it has a zero fiscal note. It is very likely that this bill will NOT be scheduled for a hearing without the Finance Committee Co-Chairs hearing from us. So don't delay.

Co-Chairs:

Senator Hoffman
866.465.4453
Senator_Lyman_Hoffman@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Stedman
877.463.3873
Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us

You might also consider copying the bill's sponsor Senator Davis at Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us today, and it is always a good idea to copy your own state senator as well.

You can also send a Public Opinion Message or POM, which is a short and easy-to-send 50 word message that should be addressed specifically to the Senators listed above. To send a POM go to: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/

Your POM could say something like this:

"I strongly support SB 202 because it emphasizes that Alaska has no tolerance for crimes motivated by bias and hatred based on inherent characteristics!"

Additionally, the following talking points are provided for your use in sending a message to legislators regarding SB 202.

1. We support SB 202 introduced by Senator Davis in the second session of the 26th Alaska Legislature because:

a) it covers crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim's sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics.

b) we recognize that hate crimes are not limited to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) community but occur throughout minority communities and are designed to create fear. This bill emphasizes that Alaska has no tolerance for such acts.

c) the Alaska court system has primary jurisdiction over crimes of assault and battery which may result in prosecution as hate crimes when occurring in Alaska.

d) Alaska prosecutors and law enforcement officials need the support and force of an Alaska statute in order to most effectively investigate, prosecute, and track all potential hate crimes within the state.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at alaskanstogether@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.

P.S. – After you call and write your message, please forward this message or tell your friends and family what is at stake and ask them to contact Senator Hoffman and Senator Stedman.

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Are you a member of Alaskans Together for Equality yet? You can help by joining our organization and supporting our important advocacy work for LGBT equality across Alaska by becoming a member today. Visit: http://www.alaskanstogether.org/donate.html

Senator Begich: Don't Ask Don't Tell has "done its time, it's time to move on and change the policy"

Support Hate Crime Legislation In Alaska This Week

Senate Bill 202, the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill, has been scheduled for its second hearing before the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17th at 1:30 p.m. in Room 105 of the new Thomas Stewart Building adjacent to the Capitol. Because this is the second hearing on the bill, the focus will mostly likely be a discussion among committee members regarding possible amendments to the bill. Discussion may be followed by a vote to determine passage out of committee.

Action is needed on your part between now and Wednesday. Please send a message to ask Senators on the Judiciary Committee to amend the bill by adding gender identity and expression in paragraph (a) of Section 11.76.150. (Once the bill has been amended, a CS or Committee Substitute will declared.) Also ask committee members to pass the CS for SB 202 out of committee.

Please send an email message to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plus the bill's sponsor, Senator Davis today. It is always a good idea to copy your own state senator as well. The legislators are:

Senator Hollis French
Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator_Bill_Wielechowski@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Dennis Egan
Senator_Dennis_Egan@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us

Senator John Coghill
Senator_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Bettye Davis
Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us

If you are not able to send an email, then another option is a Public Opinion Message or POM, a short and easy-to-send 50 word message that should be addressed specifically to the Senators listed in the previous paragraph. To send a POM go to: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/

Your POM could say something like:

"I strongly support SB 202 with an amendment that adds gender identity and expression to Section 11.76.150(a). Please pass this bill, with a gender identity amendment, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17th."

The following talking points are provided for your use in sending a message to legislators regarding SB 202.

SB 202 Talking Points for Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.

1. We/I support the amendment of SB 202 to add the phrase "gender identity and expression" to Sec. 11.76.150 (a) because:

a) it covers crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim's sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics, but does not yet cover gender identity.

b) people who are perceived as gender variant, whether heterosexual or gay, seem "different" to some people and may evoke a violent emotional response leading to harm.

c) a substantial number of crimes have been documented that are based on the societal perception of someone as "too feminine" or "too masculine," or transgender. These crimes can include bullying in schools as well as assault and battery throughout Alaskan communities.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at alaskanstogether@gmail.com.

The full text of the bill can be found at:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=SB0202A&session=26.

Sincerely,


Board of Directors
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.

Support Hate Crime Legislation on Monday, March 8

Dear Members and Supporters of Alaskans Together For Equality,

Senate Bill 202, the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill, has been scheduled for its first hearing, before the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 8th. The full text of the bill can be found at:

http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=SB0202A&session=26

The Judiciary Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. and has several bills scheduled to be heard so testimony could be taken on SB 202 anytime between 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. on Monday. We invite you to provide short testimony in support of SB 202 with an added amendment to cover gender identity and expression. Testimony can be given in person in Room 105 of the new Thomas Stewart Building adjacent to the Capitol, by teleconference from your local Legislative Information office (see http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/misc/lios.php for the location of you LIO) or by calling toll free 877.763.5073.

If you are not able to testify on March 8th, please send a message to your own state senator and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plus the bill's sponsor, Senator Davis. The legislators are:

Senator Hollis French
Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator_Bill_Wielechowski@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Dennis Egan
Senator_Dennis_Egan@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us

Senator John Coghill
Senator_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us

Senator Bettye Davis
Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us

If you are not able to send an email message, then your third option is a Public Opinion Message or POM, a short and easy-to-send 50 word message that should be addressed specifically to the Senators listed in the previous paragraph. Your POM could say something like: "I strongly support SB 202 with an amendment that adds gender identity and expression to Section 11.76.150(a). Please pass this bill with a gender identity amendment out of the Senate Judiciary Committee." To send a POM go to: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/

The following talking points are provided for your use in writing testimony or sending a message to legislators regarding SB 202.

SB 202 Talking Points for Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.

1. We support SB 202 introduced by Senator Davis in the second session of the 26th Alaska Legislature because:

a) it covers crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim's sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics.

b) we recognize that hate crimes are not limited to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community but occur throughout minority communities and are designed to create fear. This bill emphasizes that Alaska has no tolerance for such acts.

c) the Alaska court system has primary jurisdiction over crimes of assault and battery which may result in prosecution as hate crimes when occurring in Alaska.

d) Alaska prosecutors and law enforcement officials need the support and force of an Alaska statute in order to most effectively investigate, prosecute, and track all potential hate crimes within the state.

2. We support the amendment of SB 202 to add the phrase "gender identity and expression" to Sec. 11.76.150 (a) because:

a) people who are perceived as gender variant, whether heterosexual or gay, seem "different" to some people and may evoke a violent emotional response leading to harm.

b) a substantial number of crimes have been documented that are based on the societal perception of someone as "too feminine" or "too masculine." These crimes can include bullying of both straight and gay persons in schools and throughout Alaskan communities.

3. We appreciate Senate Judiciary Committee for holding a hearing on SB 202, ask for its passage out of committee with a "gender identity" amendment, and support its swift movement through the legislative process so that it becomes law in the very near future.

We look forward to hearing your testimony on Monday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at alaskanstogether@gmail.com.

Sincerely,


Board of Directors
Alaskans Together for Equality