The Los Angeles
city council voted unanimously to support council member
Bill Rosendahl's resolution to end the federal ban on
gays and lesbians serving openly in the military,
according to a statement released by the council.
The resolution
supports Massachusetts U.S. representative Martin
Meehan's proposed bill, the Military Readiness Enhancement
Act of 2007, that would rescind the "don't ask,
don't tell" policy and forbid discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation in the armed forces.
Rosendahl, a
Vietnam-era Army veteran, introduced the legislation in
recognition of the upcoming Veteran's Day, saying that gays
and lesbians have played a substantial role in the
armed forces and should be treated as such.
"It is
ludicrous to think that if you want to serve your country,
you have to lose part of your identity," he said in
the statement.
"This city
has a strong history of standing up for what is
right," he continued. "I am proud to see
us, once again, challenge the status quo and challenge
our federal government to provide equal rights for
everyone."
The city
government also passed a resolution supporting same-sex
marriage in California and offers health benefits to
partners of city employees.
Former Marine
captain Tom Carpenter of the Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network said at the council meeting that nearly 26,600 gay
and lesbian veterans reside in Los Angeles. (The
Advocate)
