Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 10:39:07 -0400 (EDT) From: A Jay Eddy Subject: Fwd: AmFedVets:your help needed to end witch hunt-circulate widely "We Are One" THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF VETERANS "An Alliance for Equality of Rights" Contact: P.O. Box 1281 Ft.Lauderdale, Fl. 33302 Concerned Friends: AmFedVets once again asks for your cooperation and support with the alert= =20 issued by SLDN regarding the never-ending "witch-hunts" which have=20 vividly surfaced in Honolulu. While the evangelical fundamentalists hail these types of actions as =20 "Reclaiming American for Christ" we find that the reclamation is just=20 another form of an intolerant inquisition, another stain cast over the=20 recent 50th Anniversary of the Nazi Holocaust perpetrated by extremists. Andy Eddy, First Vice President for AmFedVets Internal Affairs noted that= =20 "we must maintain our commitment and integrity and 'Confront Untruths with= =20 Truth Relentlessly' thereby honoring so many others who understood the pain= ful=20 essencne of intolerance while challenging it with love and compassion for= =20 for their enemies." Karl Clark, AmFedVets National President asks "are heterosexuals being=20 pursued with equal vigor because of sexual conduct outside of marriage=20 and/or infidelity in marriage?" --------------------- Forwarded message: Subj: your help needed to end witch hunt Date: 96-07-20 16:08:23=20 SLDN ACTION ALERT ***URGENT: YOUR HELP NEEDED*** Servicemembers Legal Defense Network asks for your immediate help in stoppi= ng a witch hunt in Hawaii. SLDN is currently assisting servicemembers caught = up in a witch hunt of suspected gay military personnel in Honolulu, Hawaii. T= he investigation began when one Air Force member was criminally convicted and told that he would receive a reduced sentence if he produced a list of male servicemembers and accused them of consensual gay sex. At least seventeen servicemembers across all service branches have been targeted. Military prosecutors at Hickam Air Force Base, in particular, continue to question servicemembers about their own sexual orientation and that of others, in violation of the current "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy.=20 Because of the on-going purge of suspected gay servicemembers, one servicemember has already been separated, two are awaiting discharge and at least one other servicemember faces the very real threat of court-martial a= nd jail-time if convicted. =20 =09The witch hunt continues despite months of working within the system to = end it. The Department of Defense, the Air Force and Hickam Air Force Base hav= e failed to respond to numerous inquiries made over the last several months o= n behalf of the accused servicemembers by SLDN and the members=92 Congression= al representatives.=20 It is clear that the only avenue left to these servicemembers is a massive public response on their behalf and they ask for your help now. CALLS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED, in order of priority, to=20 *The Honorable William Perry, the Secretary of Defense, voice: (703) 695-5261; fax: (703) 695-1219; mail: 1000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1000. *General John G. Lorber, the Commander of the Pacific Air Forces, voice: (808) 449-1711; fax: (808) 449-9520; mail: HQ PACF/cc 25 E Street, Suite G-214, Hickam AFB, HI 96853-5420 *Sheila Widnall, the Secretary of the Air Force, voice: (703) 694-7376; fa= x: 703/693-7553; mail: Air Force Pentagon, Room 4E871, Washington, DC 20330 The four things callers should say are 1) that a witch hunt is being conducted at Hickam Air Force Base against servicemembers suspected of bein= g gay, 2) that the caller understands that the office they are calling is aware of the witch hunt and has done nothing to stop it, 3) that they are outraged that people's lives and careers are being ruined because of violations of the "don't ask, don't tell, don=92t pursue" policy and the civilian and military leadership is allowing it to happen, and finally, 4) that something must be done to immediately stop the witch hunt and protect those unjustly pursued. It is essential that these calls go out immediately. Please pass this acti= on alert on to others and encourage them to call those listed above. If possible, please email SLDN at sldn1@aol.com so we can keep track of how ma= ny calls are made. THANK YOU.=20