National News Write-ups resulting from Convention and Lobby Days 2004:

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17 May 2004

• Chicago Pride – Gay Veterans to Lobby Congress

22 May 2004

• DC Metro Weekly – Photos from the Military Ball presented by SLDN and the American Veterans for Equal Rights at Hamilton Crowne Plaza

27 May 2004

28 May 2004

• Human Rights Campaign OP-ED – Fighting for Freedom
• Cybercast News ServiceActivists Urge Congress to Repeal Military’s ‘Gay Ban’ – although SLDN is mentioned and AVER is not – a remarkable percentage of the lobbyists were and are AVER members.

29 May 2004

• Chicago Tribune – Gay veterans wage new battle at home – this is an Archival link.

04 June 2004

• PlanetOut.com – Military’s hypocrisy finally hits home – Letters from LGBT Service Members about their own service experiences.

Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America, Inc.

The Seventh Annual National Convention of GLBVA

“Raising the Colors for Our Inclusion”

GLBT Veterans from around the country converged on Denver, Colorado March 29, 2001, for the seventh annual convention of Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America. Speaker after speaker, from Washington D.C. to San Francisco, CA reiterated the same message – The ban against gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers openly serving in the military has to be lifted. No American should have to hide just to serve his or her country. The “Don”t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has proven to be a dismal failure since its inception in 1993. More than 6000 patriotic Americans have been fired just because of who they are. The price for this flawed policy has caused American taxpayers millions of dollars. The brain drain to the military services can never been replaced. The damage to thousands of American citizens is unforgivable.

The lineup of stellar speakers at the convention included Aaron Belkin, Director for the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military, University of Southern California at Santa Barbara, Jeff Cleghorn, Staff Attorney for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, and renowned author and activist Patricia Nell Warren.

Never give up, never give in – we speak for those who cannot speak for themselves – if we don’t do it, who will – over and over, members of GLBVA were reminded of the tasks that lie ahead. Too many others have given up on this issue. As American veterans who have already been there we cannot afford that luxury.

In addition to our speakers, a variety of informational and hands-on workshops were presented by members and officers of GLBVA. The organization is growing at a rapid rate with the addition of new chapters and members. The time is now to put the pressure on the new administration. The first salvo, the Denver Declaration, has already been launched. Copies have been mailed out to all 535 members of Congress, and to other members of the administration, to let them know who we are and what we want.

The Convention ended on a high note. All participants agreed that – We are patriotic American veterans. We’ve been there. We’ve already proudly serve our country. We have the right to expect our elected officials to honor the Constitution and the Pledge of Allegiance. That “with liberty and justice for all” includes gay lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Americans, too. All members left enthusiastic about our next Convention in San Diego in April, 2002.

Jim Darby National Secretary

Click to read the National President’s Convention Address

Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America, Inc.

THE DENVER DECLARATION

April 2nd, 2001

CLOSING SESSION OF THE NATIONAL GAY, LESBIAN & BISEXUAL VETERANS OF AMERICA CONFERENCE, DENVER, COLORADO

President Bush

CC: Members of Congress

Gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans have served this country since its founding in 1776. General von Steuben, who organized the Continental American Army during the Revolutionary War, was a gay man. There were no problems then, and there should be no problems now

In 1948 President Truman ended discrimination against African-Americans service-members with the stroke of a pen. He did the right thing, and America will always be grateful to him for his courage. He was a true American hero

In 1993 President Clinton and Congress enacted the flawed and ridiculous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. That policy has resulted in the firing of more than 6,000 patriotic American service-members. The cost to American taxpayers in the last five years has been more than 130 million dollars, and this figure does not include the cost of investigations.

Congress has the power to change the law and to simply drop the ban. Study after study has found in nearly every military of the world that the presence of gays does not undermine unit cohesion, and does not impair unit readiness. On the contrary, just the opposite occurs. Requiring certain service-members to hide who they are creates an environment of suspicion and fear for everyone in the military.

The lifting of the ban in Canada and Great Britain was achieved without a ripple of change. The United States and Turkey remain the two NATO countries that still discriminate against their citizens.

Forget about the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy. Do the right thing and work to end the ban now. Stop wasting American lives and American taxpayers money.

…with liberty and justice for all…

James Donovan, President
Nancy Russell, Vice-president
Millard Tips, Treasurer
James C. Darby, Secretary
Daryl James, Regional Coordinator

An Address by
GLBVA National President James P. Donovan

to the Seventh Annual National Convention of GLBVA

March 31, 2001

We come together annually to assess where we are, to share experiences of both successes and failures with one another, and to plan for the upcoming year. I present for your consideration and reflection an analysis of the state of GLBVA organized according to what some management consultants term the SWOT system:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Strengths: GLBVA’s great strength has always been the dedication of its members. The fact that this convention is occurring, and that you are here is ample demonstration of this fact. We have a mailing list and a well-produced newsletter, The Forward Observer which not only acts as a means of communication among our membership but is also one way of presenting our case to those who sway public opinion.

Weaknesses: As with most organizations, GLBVA has suffered from its share of leadership problems. Though it has been fortunate in having received the best efforts of numerous, talented people, all too often personalities, egos, and “turf guarding” activities have obscured the greater vision and sapped the effectiveness and vitality of the organization. The failure of the attempt to lift the ban in the early days of the Clinton administration disheartened many who simply lost the will to continue the struggle for justice. Thus attrition further reduced our ranks and visibility.

Opportunities: Despite these difficulties, there have been those who have persevered. This past year has seen the establishment or reactivation of three new chapters. In the reports of the chapter leadership yesterday we thrilled to the dynamic growth and success of San Diego and St. Louis, and the reactivation of the chapter in San Antonio. Our National Secretary reported that we have members in thirty-eight states. Some of these are isolated individuals for whom the only contact with other gay veterans is our newsletter. If we are to advance the cause of gay veterans, the organization must grow to have a presence wherever it is needed, and to attain credibility with policy makers and the public at large. Thus one priority for the new year is GROWTH. Specifically, we must establish an on-going presence in the Washington, DC area.

Successful growth must be assisted by communication among ourselves, not only for the few brief hours of the annual conventions, but continual sharing among chapters and the national officers. Thus my second point is the centrality of COMMUNICATION. Communication, in the general sense, by simply sharing newsletters. Communication in the personal sense by one-on-one discussions and by closer contact between the national organization and local chapter leaders.

Thirdly, we must build on both previous growth and better communication by OUTREACH in cooperative ventures. PFLAG and GLSEN were two organizations frequently mentioned yesterday for local initiatives. In so doing we increase credibility and effectiveness for all concerned. This very morning our featured speaker will be Jeff Cleghorn of SLDN. We must seize the opportunities presented in this convention to explore ways in which our two organizations, each devoted to assisting gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered veterans, can work more closely together.

Threats:We are all well aware of the external threats we, as gay service members and veterans have and do face. There is another kinds of threat which can prevent us from taking constructive action on the opportunities presented to us: Its name is COMPLACENCY. Recently a well respected but conservative gay author published an op-ed piece in which the argument was made that as a virtual stalemate now exists in the Kulturkampf between gays and conservatives, and as things for many gay people are not intolerable, members of the gay community should simply learn to accept their status as second class citizens. Ironically, and similarly, some community activists on the left now employ the term post-gay to suggest truce if not outright surrender in the struggle for equality.

My friends, we dare not surrender to exhaustion. No matter how pervasive the prejudice, banal the injustice, or corrupt the political process, we must not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory! We know that the battle is not won: so long as gay and lesbian people daily are hunted and discharged; so long as the military continues to perpetrate the very injustices from which it ostensibly exists to defend society; so long as the obscenity of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” makes mockery of the promise “liberty and justice for all,” we must, we shall continue to fight. We are tired; we have suffered losses, but we are not deceived; and we will not be denied!

GLBVA must increase in membership, in chapters and credibility. Let us resolve to GROW.

GLBVA must become a more visible national presence, a more insistent voice on behalf of lesbian and gay veterans. Let us learn to COMMUNICATE more effectively with one another and within our local communities.

GLBVA must move the rich and powerful to embrace the equality envisioned by the nation’s founders. Let us find means to COOPERATE with others of compatible aims that together we may prevail against the forces of tyranny.

It is my sincere hope that each delegate to this convention will come away from this weekend revitalized and recommitted to the cause of justice. Though our days of active military service may be over, our gravest battles and greatest victories lie ahead.

Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America, Inc.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
POST OFFICE BOX 610511
Birmingham, Alabama 35261-0511
(205) 833-8391 FAX (205) 833-2681

PRESS RELEASE #99-01 January 5, 1999

GLBVA NATIONAL CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN PALM SPRINGS FEBRUARY 12-14, 1999

“Not even one…”

GLBVA is an all volunteer membership based organization. We have no paid staff. All monies collected are used for newsletters, postage and occasional wreathlayings in Washington DC. All officers pay their own expenses everywhere. We are a 501( c ) 3 organization and accept all donations.

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