Tour promotes gays in military
A national tour is kicking off in Philadelphia to push for legislation allowing gays in the military.
A national tour is kicking off in Philadelphia to push for legislation allowing gays in the military.
Caption: Former marine Joe Soto and Congressman Patrick Murphy
Listen:
[audio: 090727tmmilitary.mp3]
Organizers of the Voices of Honor tour say more than 13,000 gay members of the military have been forced out under the so-called “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” rule. Joe Soto is a former marine and Annapolis graduate who choked up as he explained how he resigned his commission because of the pressure of being gay and in the military.
Soto: I’m so proud to have been able to serve, but I had to do so in silence and I had to do so in fear that someday someone might discover who I really was a gay marine and that I would lose my job.
Not everyone is in favor of the rule change. The head of the Center for Military Readiness says allowing gays to serve creates problems, including a breakdown in discipline.
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