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CALIFORNIA GAY VETERANS
MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
Leading the Fight to Pass AB 1520
NEWS AND NOTES
August 18, 2003
California Approves First Ever
Gay Veterans Plank
At State Capitol
Gov. Gray Davis Administration
Set to Make History.
Will Arnold Answer our Question
About Equality for Gay Veterans?
Tom Swann President 760/324-5670
Steve Valkenburg Vice President
Randy Schecher, Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) announced recently that a sidewalk paver can be purchased and installed recognizing Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender veterans killed in action. The paver is limited to the same size, font, color and material as the existing pavers purchased by other organizations. The gay veterans are being treated like any other organization of California veterans.
The CDVA Secretary himself signed the letter. All 5 members of the legislative LGBT caucus had signed a support letter requesting the paver. The state government does not discriminate against gays by legislation.
Save the date:
Tuesday August 26
11 AM
Sacramento CA State Veterans Memorial
Invited speakers:
State Sen. Sheila James Kuehl
State Assemblymembers Goldberg, Kehoe, Laird and Leno
Will present a flower wreath to honor LGBT
Killed in Afghanistan and Iraq War.
Bob Lehman of AVER
Tom Swann of AMVETS
Randy Schecher of AVER
Post 448 American Legion Color Guard
CDVA Secretary
Historical Perspective:
10 years ago Tom Swann was fired as a GS-11 civil service employee when he told the Navy he was a gay veteran. The ACLU won a historic case adding sexual orientation protection for over 252,000 Navy civilian workers.
10 years ago the Sacramento Bee covered a gay veterans memorial service at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the state capitol. The ceremony included Post 448, Keith Meinhold and Miriam Ben-Shalom. A Mr. Fong was seen hiding behind trees and bushes taking pictures. When gay veterans walked toward him he started running away. So the gay veterans started following him along with the TV cameras and reporters. Finally when they caught up with Mr. Fong he said he was a federal employee and was taking pictures to give to the FBI. He said gay veterans were communists and needed to be reported as a threat to national security.
Tom Swann said he shed a few tears when he saw CDVA Secretary Maurice Johannessen himself signed the letter. The secretary is a former Republican State Senator and veteran himself.
There are 2.7 million veterans in California. Some studies show gays represent between 3-10 percent of the military population. Swann believes the percent of LGBT veterans in California is closer to the 10 percent and may be even 15 percent because many gays move here from other states after their service.
Swann feels it is because gay veterans have more equality in California.
Swann also is pretty sure California is the first state to approve a permanent gay veteran recognition on the grounds of a state capitol.
Location:
CDVA officials showed Tom Swann (who is legally blind due to AIDS) the location for the paver on Tuesday. It is near the computer where veterans can register their military service. It is also near the California Veterans Memorial dedicated in 1996
CGVMA LGBT VETERAN REGISTRY PROJECT
Recently Bill Maness said, "Gay veterans is an oxymoron." Tom Swann was interviewed about this quote in New York Blade magazine. How do you feel about this?
The California Veterans Memorial at the state capitol grounds in Sacramento has a computer terminal. This database is open to the public. It contains stories of California veterans. We encourage all LGBT veterans to go on-line and register.
Be proud of your service.
Go to www.cdva.ca.gov and register today.
Don't be written out of history. If you served then register today.