More support for the repeal of DADT

"I questioned high-ranking members of the armed forces, active duty military personnel, veterans, military families, members of the LGBT community, my congressional colleagues and other interested groups."
-- Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA), the 115th member of Congress to sign on to the Military Readiness Enhancement Act

The significance of Davis's statement is that there are high-ranking officers ready to deep-six this bigoted, idiotic policy, as the casualties continue unabated in Iraq, and gay and lesbian service members are being discharged. (365gay.com):

Davis is a member of the House Armed Services Committee which is considering the bill introduced in March 2005 by Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA).

Her San Diego district is home to a large naval base, a marine corps station and recruiting depot, an Air national Guard installation. In all there are some 317,000 military personnel and more than 21,000 lesbian and gay veterans in the area.

Congresswoman Davis carries enormous respect with military leaders in her district, said C. Dixon Osburn, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network .

"Her sponsorship of this legislation sends a clear message that repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is in the best interest of our armed forces,.” said Osburn.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network National Dinner is coming up on May 13. It features a keynote by Lieutenant General Claudia J. Kennedy, USA (Ret.), the highest ranking female officer in Army history, former Marine Corps Sergeant and Iraq veteran Brian Robert Fricke. The event honors Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), with the Randy Shilts Visibility Award. I'll be there live-blogging it.