A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Alaskans Together on DADT repeal

Alaskans Together for Equality sent a message to their members and supporters following the senate’s historic vote to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy on Saturday. Alaskans Together is the statewide LGBT advocacy group for Alaska.

Just over an hour ago the Senate by a vote of 65 to 31 repealed the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.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 or Phone: 202.224.6665

Senator Begich

Email or 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.

Congress REPEALS Don’t Ask Don’t Tell!

We did it!

The Senate voted today to repeal the military ban on openly gay and lesbian troops, following the House vote in favor of the repeal earlier this week. Both Senators Begich and Murkowski voted for repeal. Rep. Young voted against it.

Saturday morning (very early for those in Alaska watching the live broadcast), the Senate voted for cloture on the DADT repeal, voting 63-33 where they needed at least 60 votes to avoid a filibuster. The cloture vote was the main hurdle, since repeal itself needed only a simple majority to pass. After a few more hours of debate, they passed the repeal 65-31. Now it goes to the President to be signed and certified.

Please thank both Senators Begich and Murkowski for supporting all of our troops and voting to repeal this discriminatory law.

However, it is not safe for gay and lesbian troops to come out yet, as the policy will not be fully implemented for at least several months. Even after the President signs the bill, service members will remain at risk for investigation and discharge. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will still be the law until 60 days after the Commander-in-Chief, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs certify that repeal can happen.

President Obama on the Senate’s DADT vote:

Today, the Senate has taken an historic step toward ending a policy that undermines our national security while violating the very ideals that our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives to defend. By ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, no longer will our nation be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay. And no longer will many thousands more be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love.

As Commander-in-Chief, I am also absolutely convinced that making this change will only underscore the professionalism of our troops as the best led and best trained fighting force the world has ever known. And I join the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as the overwhelming majority of service members asked by the Pentagon, in knowing that we can responsibly transition to a new policy while ensuring our military strength and readiness.

I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Senators Lieberman and Collins and the countless others who have worked so hard to get this done. It is time to close this chapter in our history. It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed. It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly. I urge the Senate to send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.

The Senate also voted for cloture on the Dream Act this morning, but the motion failed to get the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster. Both senators from Alaska voted in favor.

Sen. Murkowski will vote for DADT repeal

House passes DADT repeal, Rep. Young votes no

The House today passed a stand-alone bill to repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” by a vote of 250-175, with 15 Republicans joining 235 Democrats to end the discriminatory policy. Rep. Young voted against repeal. Now the measure goes to the Senate, where advocates will try to bring it up for a vote by the end of next week.

Sen. Begich supports repeal, although he isn’t listed as a co-sponsor. News reports mention Sen. Murkowski as one of 4 senate Republicans who support repeal – but will she actually vote for repeal this time?

Call Senator Murkowski and ask her to vote for the DADT repeal: 202-224-6665 (DC) or 877-829-6030 (AK office).

After the House vote, Senator Snowe (R-Maine) said that she now supports the repeal of DADT. If she will vote for the stand-alone measure, that puts repeal within one or two votes of passing.

Sen. McCain and others opposed to gay and lesbian troops are trying to run the clock down on the session to avoid a vote, but allies are determined to see this pass before the new, more conservative Congress begins work in January.

Ask AK senators to co-sponsor S. 4023, the stand-alone DADT repeal

Senate rejects DADT, Murkowski votes NO, stand-alone bill likely *Update: Maddow on DADT*

I am extremely disappointed that yet another filibuster has prevented the Senate from moving forward with the National Defense Authorization Act. Despite having the bipartisan support of a clear majority of Senators, a minority of Senators are standing in the way of the funding upon which our troops, veterans and military families depend. This annual bill has been enacted each of the past 48 years, and our armed forces deserve nothing less this year.

A minority of Senators were willing to block this important legislation largely because they oppose the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ As Commander in Chief, I have pledged to repeal this discriminatory law, a step supported by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and informed by a comprehensive study that shows overwhelming majorities of our armed forces are prepared to serve with Americans who are openly gay or lesbian. A great majority of the American people agree. This law weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness, integrity and equality.

I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Armed Services Committee Chairman Levin, and Senators Lieberman and Collins for all the work they have done on this bill. While today’s vote was disappointing, it must not be the end of our efforts. I urge the Senate to revisit these important issues during the lame duck session.

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Sen. Murkowski: "It is time to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law." CALL HER TODAY

Ninth Circuit hears first Prop 8 appeal

A 3-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held a Prop 8 hearing on Monday, focusing on who has the right to appeal and how the case may be ruled. Here is a quick video report on the hearing:

Sara’s News Roundup 12/5/10

Juneau extends senior citizen sales tax exemption to same-sex domestic partners

Sara Boesser writes from Juneau.

A wonderful thing happened in Juneau, Alaska, last night.

It brought to my mind the famous 1969 poster, “What if they gave a war and nobody came?”

What happened is, for the first time in Juneau history, a GLBT-positive ordinance came up for hearing,…and with no discussion by Assembly members, it passed unanimously. It will become law in 30 days.

Willie Anderson of PFLAG was the only one to speak — for the ordinance. Willie, myself, my parents, and two plaintiffs for the 2005 Alaska state G/L benefits lawsuit (Maureen Longworth and Lin Davis) were in the audience. But we didn’t speak.

Can you believe it?! It was exactly 20 years ago I and many of you spoke for the first time before our assembly seeking an equal rights ordinance. And that was a roaring controversy, with multiple meetings hours long for people on both sides to pound away. And we didn’t win then. We compromised, for a tiny step forward instead.

But now…20 years later…we didn’t even have to speak. But I could feel all of us, all of you, all of our energy of years past, in the room.

Thank you all, so much, for everything you’ve done — we’ve done — together.

We have moved mountains to get to this point. And oh — how sweet it is!

Sara referred to a story in today’s Juneau Empire, “City extends senior citizen sales tax exemption to same sex couples” by Sarah Day. The story begins:

The senior citizen sales tax exemption will now apply to same-sex domestic partners, allowing the city code to comply with the Alaska Constitution.

The city code previously allowed those 65 and older an exemption on city sales tax. Their spouse, regardless of age, could also receive the exemption. The wording in this code excluded same-sex domestic partners, which is unconstitutional. While same-sex marriage isn’t legal in Alaska, a 2005 state Supreme Court ruling stated Alaska’s Constitution prohibits excluding a specific group of people from benefits like this.

So the city had two options – include same-sex domestic partners or cancel the sales tax exemption for all seniors.

Congratulations, Juneau!