Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 08:26:02 -1000
From: SLDN1@aol.com (by way of lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice))
Subject: SA 036:  Allen Shindler movie on Lifetime

ACTION ALERT

ANY MOTHER'S SON:  THE DOROTHY HAJDYS STORY is premiering on Lifetime
Television on August 11.  And you can play a part!

Five years ago, Allen Schindler was murdered by shipmates in Japan for being
gay.  Allen was so brutally beaten that every organ in his body was
destroyed.  After uncovering the truth about Allen's terrible murder, his
mother, Dorothy Hajdys, took on the Navy to bring his killers to justice.
 Her struggles and triumphs will be depicted in ANY MOTHER'S SON.

Many of you have already done something very important for Dorothy Hajdys.
 You may have signed a petition for Dorothy requesting that the Navy deny
Allen's murderer clemency and parole, so that his killer serves his entire
life sentence.  If you did, thank you.  As Dorothy's representatives, we will
make sure that your petition is submitted to the Naval Clemency and Parole
Board.  If you haven't and would like to sign it, please e-mail us at
sldn@sldn.org or visit our web site (http://www.sldn.org/).

We ask you to continue playing an important role in our efforts.  Please
seriously consider holding a house party for Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network on one of the evenings ANY MOTHER'S SON is showing.  This will help
in our efforts to ensure that a tragedy like Allen's death never happens
again.  In 1992, servicemembers like Allen had nowhere to turn for help.  Now
they do:  Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN).

Please invite your friends to watch ANY MOTHER'S SON with you.  If they agree
that a tragedy like Allen's should never happen again, encourage them to make
a tax-deductible contribution to SLDN.  If you raise $5,000 we will send you
one free domestic American Airlines(r) ticket as a special thank you.

Bringing your friends together to watch ANY MOTHER'S SON is important for a
number of reasons.  Your friends may not realize that death threats,
harassment and witch hunts of men and women who are, or are perceived to be,
gay are still happening in the military.  As many of you know, the rate of
discharges under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" is the highest in five
years, with 850 people being discharged in 1996.  Thousands more face the
threat of witch hunts and must watch their backs every day because of the
military's anti-gay policy.

In addition, having a house party gives you an opportunity to tell your
friends about the extraordinary successes that SLDN has had in 1997 alone.
 They include:

**In February, Secretary of Defense William Cohen pledged to stop pursuit and
prosecution of servicemembers who are, or are perceived to be, lesbian, gay
or bisexual.**

**In March, the Under Secretary of Defense acknowledged that lesbian-baiting
and anti-gay harassment are problems and instructed commanders to investigate
the perpetrators of anti-gay abuse, not their victims.**

**In May, the Secretary of Defense convened a panel to review command abuses
of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" in the field.**

These are historic firsts, and the Pentagon admits that these developments
are a direct result of SLDN's Annual Reports on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't
Pursue" released each February to wide media coverage.

Please seriously consider having a house party to raise funds for SLDN.  The
reason is simple:  SLDN must continue providing help and protection to all
those who call.  If you are interested, please call Danny Reed here at (202)
328-3244.  He'll send information to help you.

Thank you for you continued interest and support of SLDN.

Mary H. Ester
Director of Development

ANY MOTHER'S SON:  THE DOROTHY HAJDYS STORY
On Lifetime Television

Monday, August 11		9:00 p.m. ET/PT
Thursday, August 14		9:00 p.m. ET/PT
Sunday, August 17		8:00 p.m. ET/PT
Saturday, August 23		8:00 p.m. ET/PT
Sunday, August 31		12 noon ET/PT

The SLDN house parties do not reflect any explicit or implicit endorsement by
Lifetime Television or any of its affiliates.