La Presse en Rose

The final letter: A love letter from a gay WWII GI
By 365gay Newswire Newswire

“Stories from the Frontlines: Letters to President Barack Obama” was launched to underscore the urgent need for congressional action and presidential leadership in the fight to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT). With the House and Senate votes, we’re bringing the series to a close – for now. Even with the recent votes, it is important for all gay and lesbian, active-duty service members, including the reserves and the national guard, to know they’re at risk. They must continue to serve in silence under the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law that remains on the books. Congress and the Pentagon need to stay on track to get repeal finalized, hopefully no later than first quarter 2011.

The final letter in this series was written by a World War II soldier to another on the occasion of their anniversary.

It is a love letter.

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May 28, 2010

President Barack H. Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

For the past month, we have sent you personal letters from those harmed by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” With the votes in the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee, we are bringing our series to a close. The final letter we are sharing with you was written by a World War II soldier to another service member. It is a love letter penned on the occasion of their anniversary.

The letter, which follows below, was published in September 1961 by ONE Magazine – an early gay magazine based out of Los Angeles. In 2000, Bob Connelly, an adjunct professor of LGBT studies at American University, found a copy of the letter in the Library of Congress. He brought the letter to the attention of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network last month.

We sincerely thank Mr. Connelly for his research and the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives for granting permission for the letter to be republished.

Please accept this letter on the behalf of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members on active-duty, in the reserve and in the National Guard; those who have been discharged; and those who didn’t enlist because of the discriminatory law now being dismantled.

With great respect,

Former Specialist 4th Class Aubrey Sarvis

United States Army

The letter as published by ONE Magazine:

Dear Dave,

This is in memory of an anniversary – the anniversary of October 27th, 1943, when I first heard you singing in North Africa. That song brings memories of the happiest times I’ve ever known. Memories of a GI show troop – curtains made from barrage balloons – spotlights made from cocoa cans – rehearsals that ran late into the evenings – and a handsome boy with a wonderful tenor voice. Opening night at a theatre in Canastel – perhaps a bit too much muscatel, and someone who understood. Exciting days playing in the beautiful and stately Municipal Opera House in Oran – a misunderstanding – an understanding in the wings just before opening chorus.

Drinks at “Coq d’or” – dinner at the “Auberge” – a ring and promise given. The show 1st Armoured – muscatel, scotch, wine – someone who had to be carried from the truck and put to bed in his tent. A night of pouring rain and two very soaked GIs beneath a solitary tree on an African plain. A borrowed French convertible – a warm sulphur spring, the cool Mediterranean, and a picnic of “rations” and hot cokes. Two lieutenants who were smart enough to know the score, but not smart enough to realize that we wanted to be alone. A screwball piano player – competition – miserable days and lonely nights. The cold, windy night we crawled through the window of a GI theatre and fell asleep on a cot backstage, locked in each other’s arms – the shock when we awoke and realized that miraculously we hadn’t been discovered. A fast drive to a cliff above the sea – pictures taken, and a stop amid the purple grapes and cool leaves of a vineyard.

The happiness when told we were going home – and the misery when we learned that we would not be going together. Fond goodbyes on a secluded beach beneath the star-studded velvet of an African night, and the tears that would not be stopped as I stood atop the sea-wall and watched your convoy disappear over the horizon.

We vowed we’d be together again “back home,” but fate knew better – you never got there. And so, Dave, I hope that whereever you are these memories are as precious to you as they are to me.

Goodnight, sleep well my love.

Brian Keith

*365Gay.com

Zimbabwe court frees 2 gay group employees

By The Associated Press, 365gay.com

(Harare, Zimbabwe) A Zimbabwe court Thursday freed two employees of a gay organization after six days in jail on allegations of possessing indecent material and displaying a placard seen as insulting to President Robert Mugabe, an outspoken critic of homosexuality.

The Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) organization said Thursday that the two employees were assaulted by police while in custody.

Defense attorney David Hofisi said the two were also made to bend their knees into a sitting position with their arms outstretched for long periods and were struck with bottles when they weakened and fell.

Magistrate Munamate Mutevedzi on Thursday released the two on bail of $200 each until a trial set for June 10, where they will face penalties of imprisonment or a fine. Homosexuality is illegal in Zimbabwe and most African countries.

Police allege the two employees possessed photographs of gay sex and posted a letter in their office from former San Francisco Mayor Willie Lewis Brown criticizing the Zimbabwean president’s opposition to homosexuality.

The organization identified them as Ellen Chadehama, 34, and Ignatius Mhambi, 38 and said both were married with children.

They were arrested on Friday on allegations under censorship laws and sweeping security laws making it an offense “to undermine the authority of the president.”

The U.S. former mayor’s letter also commended the local organization as a champion of gay rights.

State prosecutors asked the court to deny bail.

Mutevedzi said provisions of Zimbabwe law on both allegations did not take into account the sexuality of suspected offenders. “The generality of Zimbabweans pictures of a man and a man having sex would easily be regarded as morally reprehensible,” he said.

Mugabe, 86, has described same-sex partners as “lower than dogs and pigs” but arrests of gays are rare in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe had been in power for three decades since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain. Last year, he entered a power-sharing coalition government with his longtime rival Morgan Tsvangirai following a disputed 2008 election. However, the fragile partnership has been fraught with disagreements, including allegations that Mugabe’s party has not done enough to promote democratic and human rights reforms.

Mugabe has vowed not to allow gay rights to be written into a new constitution being drafted by the coalition.

Last week in the southeast African nation of Malawi, a judge sentenced a gay couple to a maximum 14 years in prison with hard labor after the men celebrated their engagement with a party at a hotel.

In Uganda, lawmakers are considering a bill under which homosexuals could be sentenced to life in prison and “repeat offenders” could be executed. Ugandan church groups have accused Western countries of exporting homosexuality to Africa under the guise of human rights. Even in South Africa, the only African country that recognizes gay rights, gangs have raped lesbians.

In 7 countries, homosexuality = The death penalty

By WTF, current.com

93 nations in the world still legally punish homosexuality. In 7 of these - Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Nigeria, Mauritania - gays and lesbians are punished with the death penalty.

Is this the Twenty-First Century or the Dark Ages? Sometimes I really can't tell.

La Press en Rose ©, 2009, The Wizard of 'OZ'