HRC Back Story

In conjunction with the 14th anniversary of the signing of the military policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, HRC will partnering with with the Servicemembers United (formerly Call to Duty), Log Cabin Republicans, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Liberty Education Forum, to host a three-day tribute, “12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots,” on the National Mall to recognize the 12,000 men and women kicked-out of the military since the signing of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." One flag, 12,000 in all, will be placed on the Mall for every discharged service member.  These flags will stand as a testament to the waste to our military, our security, and our country caused by this discriminatory law. The tribute will begin on Friday, November 30 and continue through Sunday, December 2.

HRC has also asked the leading Democratic candidates for President to respond to the question, “If you are elected President, what concrete steps would you take to overturn ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?’” Starting today, November 26th and ending on Saturday, December 1, we'll be posting statements from former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC); Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE); Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY); Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT); Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL); and Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) on how they plan to end the ban against openly gay men and women serving in the military.

The first candidate statement to kick off the week will be posted today on Back Story, so check back for the latest...

We've also produced a short video on the 12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots tribute: