@LOrion recommends this look at Don't Ask, Don't Tell from the Miami Herald. Artist Jeff Sheng photographed closeted troops, people who can't come out and yet continue to serve the country. They can't let Sheng show their faces. "What would you be without your face?" the paper asks.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he'll schedule a vote on repealing DADT next month. Greg Sargent reports in the WaPo that a few moderate Republicans have said they're willing to back the repeal, enough that it could maybe, maybe, possibly happen in the lame-duck session. We could really be looking at now or never, or least a very long time.
Leave a Comment:
Wonderful work, Jeff Sheng! I love it, powerful in its sadness.
Humanizing the true situation. I appreciate the idea of humanizing any policy.
I hope the Congress will vote to allow openly gay people to serve their country, leaving the noisy protests to fade away, just as they should be a faded relic of the past.
This is a very moving art exhibit - the alone-ness and isolated-ness is well captured. Art can many times say what is so hard to communicate. And, as Lt Col Fehreenbach says, every soldier deserves to be able to serve with dignity and integrity.
will the exhibit be traveling to new locations?
If our politicians continue to wreak havoc with the system, their disregard for our citizens, our whole country will become faceless in the eyes of the world. After 50+ years of being involved and interested in the history of our country, I truly believe that we the citizens have shot ourselves in the "proverbial" foot so many times, we must be walking on our knees by now.
Don't misunderstand. I am not advocating for anything but judical and legislative actions that improve not damage our country's ability to not just survive, but to grow. Growing cannot happen with half of our finest are hiding in closets.
account verification received. thank you
Wow, what a powerful project! OUTSTANDING Mr Sheng!
This needs to be promoted and seen by more people....powerful message! Well done!
How does a bullet know which service member is straight and which is gay? How do we ask those who love this country to give their life, their time, their relationships for a number of months without letting them be who they are. An excellent pictorial. Perhaps one day he will be able to do a companion exhibit showing all of their faces. It is a thing to be wished for.
I kind of hope that pushing the vote until after the senate reviews the report in early December is that last concession to Republicans to say "Look, almost everything you said needed to be done for you to pass this bill with DADT, we've done. What more can you complain about?" I mean, they obviously will still be complaining about something, but I almost hope there is a shame factor. Make it big and call them out.
Also, Carl Levin is my state senator, and I am definitely crossing my fingers that he doesn't screw this up.
Although we somehow or the other manage to live happy yet defiant lives for the most part, too much in the lives of gay people is touched by the pervasive loneliness, and sadness that any oppressed people must endure. This exhibit presents one of those most poignant era in our lives. Women and men who are willing to sacrifice their lives in the line of duty for their country, to protect and secure a freedom that they themselves don't get to enjoy in their own lives.
LGBT people all over the world will one day savor living the lives, without restraint or reservation, as equal citizens amongst their family, friends and neighbors . Until that time arrive,s we will continue to show our strength of tolerance, bred out of many years of fear and suppression brought on us. The reality of reason will prevail.
please pick up your phones and call your congressmen. there isnt much time
Please... Please... will someone please come up with a box of courage powder so I can send it to Michelle Obama and she would serve it to her husband in a cocktail every night. Please
With the unresolved angst and anger in this country that seems to rebound from one issue to another, I have great concern for the safety of Rachel (who is my favorite little lesbian...all love and caring intended) and all the service personnel who would be coming out of the footlocker to which they have been so unjustly chained...however their time is long overdue and I suggest that we start a running log of those who truly care and support them and those who only give lipservice to their plight...let's open the doors and let those who have served in silence Shout!
I came up through the ranks from E-1 to retirement as an O-4 in the USCG, for over 20 yrs after a career in show business. I pretty much knew who was and was not gay; didn't care as long as they did their job. Too many rednecks and general slackers would try, ala Beetle Baily, to get out of anything asked of them. I never had that problem with anyone I thought (suspected) was gay. Why? Probably because they were in the christians/lions syndrome. They were gonna stick it out, which I still admire. Damn it, these folks were not drafted, they volunteered. Get over it!
Just like the FDA forcing tobacco companies to show grafic ickness to combat smoking,