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E-mailA day after U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to end the ban on gays serving openly in the U.S. military, tens of thousands of gay activists marched on Washington to demand civil rights.
Demonstrators from across the United States crowded the Mall, the green space near the U.S. Capitol and White House, many waving rainbow flags and signs calling for equal rights, AFP reported.
Last October 10, Obama promised to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that requires gays and lesbians serving in the military to not disclose their sexual orientation during his applauded speech before the Human Rights Campaign, a gay civil rights advocacy group, AP reported.
Obama said, “we should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country…We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage.” He said changes are underway and that he is working with Pentagon and congressional leaders on ending the policy.
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1993 and signed by former president Bill Clinton. Obama was earlier criticized for not taking concrete steps to urge Congress to rescind it, but this time, he pledged to deliver on major campaign promises.
Obama said he supported the rights of gay couples, saying they should have the "same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country," according to CNN.
Joe Solmonese, president of the gay rights group, said ''we have never had a stronger ally in the White House.” But other advocates want to know Obama’s time frame. “He repeated his promises that he's made to us before, but he did not indicate when he would accomplish these goals and we've been waiting for a while now,” a gay rights rally organizer said in a nytimes.com report.
Obama’s speech was liveblogged at this site.
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