Spring Break
Don't ask, don't tell
Former marine says 'be yourself'
By: Teri Ruland
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
Every year, the GLBT resource center provides programming for coming out week.
"Our main goal is to get high-caliber expert speakers who can come talk to students about current event topics and hot-button issues right now," Kane said.
"Eric Alva was selected this year because in late 2007, and early 2008, there was a big push on the national level to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in the United States Armed Forces. Eric has been at the forefront of the campaign and is coming to Texas A&M University only a few weeks after his most recent testimony to Congress about the discriminatory policy."
Alva's lecture focused on education of the masses.
"GLBT people love their country and want to serve their country and sacrifice for their country," Kane said. "Eric also raises awareness that upwards of 5 percent currently enlisted service people identify as GLBT and over 1 million veterans from World War II to present day [identify] as GLBT as well."
While some GLBT students may pick and choose which events to go to, others think it's a necessity to attend Alva's lecture.
"I think it's a great thing he [came] to campus where it used to be an all-male University with military history to talk about GLBT," said Vanessa Delgado, president of GLBTA and senior psychology major. "I think 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is extremely outdated. It doesn't work. It's unfair and should be done away with. It was an easy fix, but the way society is changing, there's no reason to be in the closet."
The reason "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was put in place was to enhance unit cohesion, Alva said.
"An organization as large as the military and as uniform as they are, cohesion won't be affected by thinking someone in your unit is gay," Delgado said. "It doesn't affect your job, just who you want to spend the rest of your life with."
Saturday is Coming Out Day, a nationally recognized day where people are encouraged to come out of the closet as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
"Coming out is an ongoing experience," Delgado said. "You come out all the time; at work, to friends and family, and different people all the time. It's an unending process, and coming out week shows the great strides that have been made. You shouldn't be forced to come out. Come out in your own time. The most important thing is that you are ready to come out. It's about being honest with yourself, and not just GLBT people; everyone."
"Our main goal is to get high-caliber expert speakers who can come talk to students about current event topics and hot-button issues right now," Kane said.
"Eric Alva was selected this year because in late 2007, and early 2008, there was a big push on the national level to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in the United States Armed Forces. Eric has been at the forefront of the campaign and is coming to Texas A&M University only a few weeks after his most recent testimony to Congress about the discriminatory policy."
Alva's lecture focused on education of the masses.
"GLBT people love their country and want to serve their country and sacrifice for their country," Kane said. "Eric also raises awareness that upwards of 5 percent currently enlisted service people identify as GLBT and over 1 million veterans from World War II to present day [identify] as GLBT as well."
While some GLBT students may pick and choose which events to go to, others think it's a necessity to attend Alva's lecture.
"I think it's a great thing he [came] to campus where it used to be an all-male University with military history to talk about GLBT," said Vanessa Delgado, president of GLBTA and senior psychology major. "I think 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is extremely outdated. It doesn't work. It's unfair and should be done away with. It was an easy fix, but the way society is changing, there's no reason to be in the closet."
The reason "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was put in place was to enhance unit cohesion, Alva said.
"An organization as large as the military and as uniform as they are, cohesion won't be affected by thinking someone in your unit is gay," Delgado said. "It doesn't affect your job, just who you want to spend the rest of your life with."
Saturday is Coming Out Day, a nationally recognized day where people are encouraged to come out of the closet as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
"Coming out is an ongoing experience," Delgado said. "You come out all the time; at work, to friends and family, and different people all the time. It's an unending process, and coming out week shows the great strides that have been made. You shouldn't be forced to come out. Come out in your own time. The most important thing is that you are ready to come out. It's about being honest with yourself, and not just GLBT people; everyone."
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