First, a happy Veterans Day to all of you, including my spouse, who have served or are serving in our country’s armed forces. The observance this year is, of course, the first one at which gay and lesbian servicemembers can celebrate openly with their families. Over at the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Col. E. A. Leonard, USA (ret.), co-chair of their Military Advisory Council, offers his reflections on a post-DADT Veterans Day, and the organization itself offered a number of suggestions to the Department of Veterans Affairs on how to treat LGBT veterans with equality.
We’ll keep it otherwise short this week:
- The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Getting it to the Senate floor seems doubtful, however.
- Edward DuMont, an openly gay nominee to the U S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, withdrew his nomination, citing Republican opposition to his confirmation.
- Openly LGBT candidates did well in this week’s elections around the country.
- Basic Rights Oregon, the state’s leading LGBT group, announced it would not push for a ballot measure on marriage in 2012, but will “extend our public education campaign and continue to build public support.”