WASHINGTON D.C. — Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) responded to an Amicus Curiae brief Tuesday filed by ten Republican U.S. Senators in the case Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management, asserting that no harm was intended to LGBT Americans through the passage of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and that the law is the result of a significant government interest in clarifying the federal definition of marriage.
“There is absolutely no national interest in relegating gay and lesbian citizens to second class status with the passage of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, and to say that no harm was intended to LGBT Americans is absurd at best. At worst, it’s a blatant and mean-spirited attempt to slow down the progress we are making on securing the freedom to marry for all Americans. I urge these Senators – all of them from states with proud military traditions – to watch the video we released yesterday of a brave service member and his husband; then, justify to the brave gay and lesbian patriots serving this nation in uniform why they should not receive the same respect, recognition, and support as their straight peers,” said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.
SLDN and Freedom to Marry released a new online video Tuesday featuring Army Captain Stephen Hill and his husband, Joshua Snyder, spotlighting the inequalities forced upon gay and lesbian service members by DOMA. Hill – who drew national support when he was booed during a Republican presidential debate after asking a question via video regarding repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) – recently returned from a deployment to the Middle East.
