10:24am | President Obama today signed into law the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010, effectively ending a ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military.
The Defense Department must certify that it is prepared to implement the repeal, then a 60-day waiting period must pass and the law must become certified before Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is officially done.
Alongside him were Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first American wounded in the war in Iraq and an openly-gay man who has worked with the Human Rights Campaign to end DADT, and Commander Zoe Dunning who came out as a lesbian in 1993 while a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves and won a tough legal battle to remain in her position. She retired in June 2007.
Photo Credit: C-Span.org
10:00am Sunday | Long Beach City Councilmember Robert Garcia released the following statement to the Long Beach Post regarding the vote to repeal DADT: “Our military and country are stronger today because of the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ We have soldiers that live right here in Long Beach, who have been discharged under this unfair law. This is a great step forward for them and for America.”
6:00pm Saturday | The United States Senate on Saturday voted to repeal the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy that kept more than 13,000 gays and lesbians from serving in the military since 1993.
The bill passed 65-31 and President Obama has said that he will sign the repeal into law.
Local gay and lesbian advocate organization The Center Long Beach had been involved in the Courgae Campaign effort to lobby Senators by sending them letters expressing opposition to DADT. Long Beach is home to one of the most prominent gay and lesbian populations in the country.