Cheers: For more than 60 years, personnel in the U.S. military could be discharged for engaging in consensual gay sex, and not only be deprived of opportunities if they had hoped to make military service their careers, but also deprived of benefits upon their retirement.
It’s not known how many service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation, but it is believed to be in the thousands. This week, President Biden corrected what he called “an historic wrong” by pardoning them. This will allow them to have their convictions erased, their discharges upgraded and recover the pay and benefits they lost.
Modern Military, a national organization for LGBTQ+ service members and their families, called the pardons “a significant move in recognizing and righting the wrongs inflicted upon LGBTQ+ service members who faced discriminations and unjust convictions...
These brave individuals stood in the front lines of freedom, risking their lives to defend our country, only to be met with injustice at home.” Cheers: “People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe. America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship without having to worry that that’s going to put our lives at risk.
” That’s what U.S. Surgeon General Dr.
Vivek Murthy told the Associated Press this week in reference to gun violence, which he has declared a public health crisis. And it’.