By Melissa A. Wabnitz
Transcript Staff Writer
She should have been a shoo-in. Healthy, able-bodied, older than 18 and the granddaughter of a decorated Green Beret, Nichole Rawls is the ideal candidate for military service. At least, if she kept quiet about her sexual orientation.
Open to friends and family about her sexual orientation since she was 15 years old, Rawls said she never attempted to enter the military before because she knew about the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
The policy was signed into federal law 13 years ago and bans openly gay, lesbian and bisexual persons from serving in the armed forces, said Pam Disel, Soulforce Oklahoma organizer. Currently around 65,000 closeted gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals are serving in the U.S. military, she said.
Wednesday, Rawls, with her grandmother Jacque Roberts and members of the organization Soulforce, entered the Army Recruitment Center hoping not just to fulfill a longtime wish to join the Army National Guard, but to prove a greater point: The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy discriminates against otherwise perfectly willing military service candidates.
“There are thousands of gays and lesbians already serving in the military,” Rawls said. “The way the policy is written, it just allows for discrimination and for so many service members to be kicked out, or discharged, for no reason, it doesn’t make sense. … I am not willing to hide who I am in order to serve.”
After making her case to the staff recruiter, Jim, Rawls got the answer she expected —a flat-out “no.” Instead of leaving, as have many other rejected candidates, Rawls took a different approach —she took a seat on the floor of the recruitment center, along with five Soulforce members.
Rawls’ actions Wednesday mirrored those of 22 activists in 30 cities across America since Soulforce’s “Right to Serve” campaign began in May.
Disel said reactions from recruiters have ranged from Wednesday’s rejection and order to leave by the Norman Police Department to locked doors in Philadelphia.
“We’re not giving up on this,” Disel said. “We may have left the recruiting offices, but it’s not over. We plan to get in touch with all of our congressional representatives here in Oklahoma.”
The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, Disel said, is a house proposal that would replace “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and would “provide equality for all service members.”
“If this was signed into law, (Rawls’) orientation wouldn’t be an issue. … It’s been in the House a long time and none of our congressional representatives from Oklahoma have signed onto it,” she said. “Nichole is here to show them a perfect example of someone wanting to serve but not being able to and hopefully (lawmakers) will do the right thing and sign the Military Readiness Enhancement Act into law.”
For more information about Soulforce, an organization dedicated to ending political and religious oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, e-mail pam.disel@righttoserve.org or visit the Web site www.rightoserve.org.
Melissa A. Wabnitz
366-3550
mwabnitz@normantranscript.com
Local news
Taking a seat and taking a stand against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
- Local news
-
-
Special zoning requested
The Norman Planning Commission meets Thursday and will consider special zoning for Joy’s Palace and a preliminary plat for the Fountain View North addition....
-
Norman looks at transportation package to fix traffic, flooding issues
The Robinson Street Underpass Project currently under way from Flood Avenue to Stubbeman Avenue is one project approved by Norman voters in the 2005 Bond Election. By securing funding with the bond, city staff was able to qualify for ...
-
Lexington city manager resigns
Lexington City Manager Jason Orr resigned in the city’s special council meeting Monday night, which was scheduled to discuss his employment in light of a misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse....
-
Norman North student is finalist in statewide contest
Norman North High School senior Joseph D’Amato is one of four finalists in the high school category for the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful’s End Litter video contest....
-
Services Friday for longtime car dealer Tommy Ferguson
Friends and family will gather Friday to remember longtime local automobile dealer Tommy Ferguson, 72. He died Monday after a lengthy illness....
-
Senate hopefuls reach out to county Republicans
Four men seeking the Republican nomination in Cleveland County’s Senate District 15 seat pledged Tuesday to cut taxes, eliminate unnecessary government services and open their personal tax returns....
-
Police chief: Investigation of official ‘a bad deal all around’
Police Chief Deana Allen has worked in Lexington for 18 years, and she likes it because it’s been calm, quiet and peaceful — at least until recently....
-
Technology, art combine
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma invites the public to a live video chat with artist Kiki Smith at 4 p.m. Thursday....
-
Norman robot teams invade competition
Two Norman area robotic teams have excelled in respective competitions, with the Sooner Norman Advanced Robotics Collaboration taking top honors and a First Lego League team, the OzBots, advancing to compete at a World Festival in April....
-
Panel kills bill to end exemption
A bill to end Oklahoma’s sales tax exemption for newspapers and magazines has been defeated in a Senate committee....
- More Local news Headlines
-
Special zoning requested
