ACR 153, as introduced, Dickinson. California LGBT Veterans Day.
This measure would proclaim June 11, 2014, and June 11 of each subsequent year, California LGBT Veterans Day, to be celebrated statewide.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, The 11th day of June has been declared California
2LGBT Veterans Day in recognition of the importance of properly
3thanking the many people of California who have served their
4country while hiding their true selves due to the many policies
5against military service while openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
6transgender (LGBT); and
7WHEREAS, During the times of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
8policy of the United States Armed Forces and other antihomosexual
9policies that predated that policy, many service members in
10honorable standing were ousted from military service and their
11benefits removed when their LGBT status became known; and
12WHEREAS, The State of California lost the ability to properly
13recognize its many daughters and sons who served their country
14through the provision of state benefits, recognition, and gratitude
P2 1for their service due to the dishonorable manner in which they
2were expelled from the military; and
3WHEREAS, Multiple forms of this manner of discrimination
4have finally been eradicated from the ranks of our United States
5Armed Forces and all forms of discrimination have been removed
6from the ranks of the California Military Department, the California
7National Guard and the State Military Reserve; and
8WHEREAS, An appropriate way to acknowledge those who
9have previously gone without the level of gratitude appropriate
10towards United States veterans is to annually recognize those who
11served to protect the freedom of speech for others while they
12sacrificed it for themselves; now therefore, be it
13Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
14thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares June 11,
152014, and June 11 of each subsequent year, California LGBT
16Veterans Day, to be celebrated statewide; and be it further
17Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
18of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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