October tfl.
rTiTTTTTiTI news
2002
OLD W O RLD C H R IS TM A S • C H R IS T O P H E R R A D K O
Nguyen wrote to his command in December
that he no longer felt safe because of the “intol
erant and hateful attitudes of many naval offi
cers.” He reported hearing fellow service-
members “saying that gays should be imprisoned,
gays should be shot and gays should be tortured.”
- 5 *
G.L.
Hoewing,
chief
of
naval
person
I y resident Bush has
nel, responded in
I tapped Maj. Gen.
writing to Nguyen
Robert T. Clark, for
that the statement,
mer
commanding
which acknowledged
general of Fort Camp
his sexual orienta
bell, Ky., for promo
tion, did “not form a
tion to lieutenant
valid basis for separa
general, the Army’s
tion
processing.”
second-highest rank.
Hoewing
refused,
Activists have called
however, to outline
on the Senate Armed
any steps guarantee
Services Committee
ing Nguyen’s safety as
to reject his nomina
an
openly gay serv-
tion in light of the
icemember. Instead,
anti-gay climate that
Nguyen has been
festered on the base
ordered to continue
during his tenure.
serving.
In 1999, Pfc.
Hill reported a
Barry Winchell was
similar anti-gay at
killed
by fellow
mosphere at Camp
soldiers
at
Fort
Lejeune, N .C . In his
Campbell. Targeted
statement, he noted
because
he
was President Bush wants to promote Maj. Gen.
that he had over
believed to he gay, he
Robert T. Clark despite his widely criticized
heard
“bulldyke
endured
constant handling of a 1999 murder in Fort Campbell, Ky.
jokes” toward a fel
harassment in the
low
servicemember
and
virulently anti-gay
months leading up to his murder. Despite
threats to the safety of gay, lesbian and hi sol comments such as “cocksucker, fag and queer.”
In his letter, Hill expressed concern about
diers on base, an Army report found that Clark
the “blind eye the leadership took” toward the
failed to order training on “don’t ask, don’t tell”
climate on base. Officials also have refused to
or on how to address homophobia.
discharge him, noting that the commander
“In the wake of Winchell’s murder.. .Clark
“exercised his discretion not to separate...Hill.”
demonstrated the poorest leadership, issuing no
“Military officials hunt down gay sailors and
statements against harassment, refusing to speak
ruin their .military aspirations on one hand
with or meet the parents of Pfc. Winchell or to
while attempting to force other openly gay per
reassure base soldiers that harassment would not be
sonnel to continue serving,” said Sharra E.
tolerated,” C. Dixon Osbum, Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network executive director, wrote Greer of Servicemembers Legal Defense N et
work. “The Navy has no legal authority to
to U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., Armed Services
retain these servicemem
Committee chairman.
bers and to continue sub
“Even after Winchell’s
jecting them to a hostile,
murder, anti-gay graf
dangerous environment.”
fiti, including one of a
baseball hat with the
CALIFORNIA
words ‘fag-whacker,’
ov. Gray Davis vetoed
appeared in public
$ a bill Oct. 1 that
areas."
would have protected gay,
In response to
lesbian, bi and trans youth
Winchell’s murder,
in the state’s foster care sys
the Defense Depart
tem.
The legislation, by
ment issued a 13-
Assemblywoman
Judy
point “Anti-Harass
Chu, D-Monterey Park,
ment Action Plan”
would have provided a
aimed at curbing
number of protections to
harassment in the
ensure foster children are
ranks. Officials never
free from harassment and
implemented it.
discrimination based on
Winchell’s mother,
sexual orientation and gen
Patricia
Kutteles,
der identity.
called Clark’s nomina California Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a foster
“We are extremely dis
tion “disrespectful to care nondiscrimination bill introduced by
appointed
that the state of
every parent who has Assemblywoman Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park
California has rejected a
lost a child to the
measure
designed
to
protect some of its most
shadows of hate. It disrespects our men and women
in uniform and sends a dangerous message that anti vulnerable youth from continued discrimination
and harassment,” said Geoffrey Kors, California
gay harassment is condoned in our armed forces.”
Alliance for Pride and Equality executive direc
tor. "California must...ensure that they are
placed with foster parents who are trained and
avy officials refused last month to discharge
prepared to meet their unique needs. LG BT fos
two openly gay service members despite
ter youth deserve no less. Their needs can no
the military’s "don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
longer be ignored, and we will continue our
A t separate commands, Ensign Thang
efforts
until the necessary protections are enact
Nguyen and Hospitalman Roy Hill recently
ed into law.”
made statements acknowledging their sexual
orientation. In both cases, officials have refused
to initiate discharge proceedings while refusing Compiled by News Editor JlM RADOSTA, who can
be reached at jim@justout .com.
to provide any guarantee of their safety.
islation,” Stachelhcrg said. “As of yesterday, the
federal government is operating without a bud
get— this just seems like a tremendous waste of
time that could have been better used on so
many other pressing issues.”
N
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