"The purpose of Soulforce is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance."

Update on the Right to Serve Campaign

The Right to Serve Campaign continued to expand last week as more openly gay young Americans attempted to enlist in the armed forces.

With our story being told in The New York Times, CNN’s Paula Zahn Now, and on BBC World Service, the young adults of our country are showing that we no longer accept this gross exercise of government sanctioned discrimination.

In the longest incarceration for Soulforce Young Adults thus far, Rebecca Solomon and Jesus Sanchez spent the night in an Austin, Texas jail and were released on bond after being charged with criminal trespassing.

In Phoenix, Arizona and New York City, enlistees and Soulforce supporters were greeted with empty offices and locked doors. As we filled the recruitment center island in Times Square, NYC police were notified of the peaceful gathering. After a showing of officers in formation with handcuffs, ready to load our supporters into the paddy wagon, the decision was made to not arrest and the sit-in continued throughout the day. Both cities will return to the recruitment centers and attempt enlistment again in October.

Remembering the sit-ins of 1960 at the Woolworth's counter in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, students once again sat-in for their rights. Four young adults from Greensboro began the enlistment process at an Army recruiting office and as in other cities in this campaign, found that the interview stops when their sexual identity is revealed. Six others joined them in support and began a sit-in. In all, nine were arrested, taken away in handcuffs and were released within the hour.

Young adults in five cities are on schedule to go in for their enlistments this week. On Tuesday, Washington, DC will see the return of a young woman who was honored with a Purple Heart during her service only to be discharged after being discovered as a lesbian. Two other enlistees and many community supporters will join her. Organizers in Madison, Wisconsin will return in a follow-up action with an estimated 50 supporters, arrests are expected. Spokane, Washington and Conway, Arkansas will both go in for their first enlistment and are prepared to sit-in if denied. In Charlottesville, Virginia, organizer Wyatt Fore will once again bring the message to the recruitment center that gays, lesbians and bi-sexuals have a place in the military. This time he will have about 20 other Americans who support him and they will conduct a sit-in.

Please follow these stories online at: www.soulforce.org/righttoserve as our LGBT and allied brothers and sisters attempt these heroic acts of patriotism.

Katie Higgins
Right to Serve Campaign Worker
katie@soulforce.org