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- Newsgroups: soc.motss
- Path: sparky!uunet!munnari.oz.au!sgiblab!west.msi!drogers
- From: David Christopher Rogers <drogers@msi.com>
- Subject: text of letter sent to Senator Sam Nunn
- Message-ID: <1993Jan27.031743.15418@msi.com>
- Sender: drogers@msi.com (David Rogers)
- Organization: RIACS, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
- Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 03:17:43 GMT
- Lines: 67
-
- [Note: this letter was sent to Sen. Sam Nunn. Similar letters
- were sent to Sen. Feinstein, GEN Colin Powell, and President Clinton.]
-
-
-
- To: Senator Sam Nunn
- Chair, Senate Armed Services Committee
- Washington, DC
-
-
-
- From: 1LT David Rogers
- c/o General Neon Manufacturing
- 601 Minnesota St. #111
- San Francisco, CA 94107
-
-
-
- Sir:
-
- I am writing to present you with my opinion on the issue of
- discrimination against gay men and lesbians in the United States Armed
- Forces. I strongly support lifting the ban against homosexual
- orientation, and replacing it with regulations enforcing a uniform
- standard against sexually harassing conduct. I strongly encourage you
- to rethink your opposition to an effort that I believe will result in
- a more just, and ultimately more effective, military force.
-
- This is a difficult letter for me to write, as in it I must
- acknowledge my position both as an officer in the United States Army
- Reserve and as a gay man. Throughout my service I have been faithful
- to my oath of office, and worked hard to be an exemplary member of the
- infantry. I cannot claim that I am somehow special or unique; my
- service is a single small example, and I felt it necessary to make
- this statement not for myself but for those unable to speak because
- they have lifetimes of service that will be immediately discarded if
- they come forward.
-
- In my oath of office I swore to defend the Constitution of the United
- States from all enemies, foreign or domestic. In faithfulness to that
- oath, I could not at this time remain quiet and retain my honor. I
- will let the lawyers argue the nuances of the law, but I know in my
- heart that this document promises justice for all; that these
- Articles are not dead things, but must be fought for again and again;
- that membership in the Armed Forces was one defence, and this letter
- another.
-
- I do not know what will happen to my commission after I send this
- letter. I plan to send similar letters to President Clinton, GEN
- Powell, as well as my own Senators. Any of the above could request
- proceedings to remove me from service. While I respect your opinion
- and believe you are not acting carelessly or casually, in this case I
- respectfully claim you are very wrong, and that it is my duty to
- inform you of my belief that a terrible mistake may be committed here
- if the ban is not lifted; I accept with sadness that in presenting
- this viewpoint I place myself at risk of discharge. Until that
- happens, I will remain faithful to my oath, my commission, my
- superiors, and to my role as a military defender of the Constitution
- of the United States of America.
-
- I wish you strength and wisdom in a most difficult situation.
-
-
-
-
- David Rogers
- 1LT, Infantry
-