Former Pennsylvania Representative
Patrick Murphy will headline a September 20 event celebrating the
official end of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.”
Murphy, who spearheaded last year's
effort in the House to repeal the law that bans gay and bisexual
troops from serving openly, will speak at the invitation of Equality
Pennsylvania, the state's largest gay rights group, at Tabu Lounge &
Sports Bar in Philadelphia. The free event begins at 5PM.
The event is sponsored by
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), the nationwide group
dedicated to ending the policy.
“The repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't
Tell' is an important milestone along the journey to achieving LGBT
equality in America's military,” said SLDN Executive Director
Aubrey Sarvis. “September 20 will be an historic day for our
service members and, indeed, our nation. Through the events taking
place across the country, we will pay tribute to their service and
sacrifice as we look forward to this new era of military service –
an era that honors the contributions of all qualified Americans who
wish to serve.”
Ted Martin, executive director of
Equality Pennsylvania, added: “Following the final repeal of DADT,
thousands of gay, lesbian and bisexual Pennsylvanians will be able to
serve their country in the military without lying about who they are.
A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation
supported the repeal, proving once again that our civil rights are
not a Democrat or a Republican issue. We look forward to this same
bipartisanship in ending more dark chapters in Pennsylvania and US
history.”
(Related: At
moment of DADT's end, HBO to air Strange History of Don't Ask,
Don't Tell.)