From: Will Nich Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 11:18:45 EST Subject: McVeigh McVeigh can be reached at NavyPress1@aol.com. Hello, Let me introduce myself. My name is Tim and I have recently been recommended for discharge from the United States Navy for merely having the word "gay" in one of my America Online profiles and someone else's interpretation of that profile. Because of the word gay in the profile, I was read my rights and questioned, with sodomy and indecent acts being the charges that were being investigated. With no other evidence, I was relieved from my job as the senior enlisted man on a nuclear powered submarine and transferred to Submarine Squadron Three. A print out of my AOL profile is the only evidence the government presented at the discharge proceedings. They contend that my profile is a statement of homosexuality and intent to engage in homosexual acts. I contend that a profile on AOL is not a statement of anything and that the proceedings are based on homo-phobic reaction and were discriminatory in nature. I am currently fighting this action with the help of my Navy appointed attorney, LCDR Derek Cole, and Mr. Kirk Childress of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. I am also asking for your help and support to get this word to President Clinton and several members of Congress. To do this, first l ask that you provide this information to as many people as you can that are concerned with human rights and the military's strict adherence to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue policy. While addressing the Human Rights Campaign on November 8th, President Clinton said "We have to broaden the imagination of America. When we deny opportunity because of ancestry or religion, race or gender, disability or sexual orientation, we break the compact. It is wrong and it should be illegal". I am confident that, with your help, this letter can make it across the U.S. and be overwhelmingly heard in the White House and Halls of the Capital Building. If you can forward it to just one person, you will help double this mailing. That will get the word out. If you have previously received this message, then you can be proud of the efforts of persons like yourself. NOTE: I am in no way connected or related to Timothy James McVeigh who was convicted in the Oklahoma City bombing! Then, I ask you to send the following message: ****************************************************************************** ****************** Dear Mr. President, Mr. Vice President and Members of Congress, I am an informed and concerned citizen of the United States and am appalled to hear that ETCS(SS) Timothy R. McVeigh, United States Navy, has been removed from his job as Chief of the Boat on USS Chicago (SSN-721) and is being recommended for discharge from the U.S. Navy simply because the word gay appeared in one of his America Online profiles. Not a statement, and no acts, but merely the word gay. Isn't there enough for the military to do without wasting our time, money, and resources on "witch-hunts" for "suspected" homosexuals; a practice the military now adamantly denies it engages in after its long and well documented history of carrying out such abuses of people's rights. I am especially appalled that the investigation against ETCS(SS) McVeigh appears to violate the rules established by 'don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue.' This entire matter, due to the wholesale weakness of the evidence against ETCS(SS) McVeigh, appears to be yet another "witch-hunt" to perpetuate the existence of a "homo-phobic" mind-set in today's military. Please stop this travesty and correct this injustice and similar injustices which occur every day in our military. Discrimination of any sort should be eliminated in our country, and especially in our military. Let's find better things to do with our military, other than seeking to discharge some of our best and brightest, all because the military insists on conducting a clandestine and "homo-phobic" campaign to discharge those members it believes to be homosexual. The military should not be engaged in McCarthy-like tactics to identify and end the careers of its own members. We, the people, were promised that such actions would end - once and for all - by the implementation of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If I have provided my name and address below, I request to be provided with a written response, under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. Sec. (1982), explaining why as a taxpayer, my tax dollars are being used to process cases like this. I understand that under the Freedom of Information Act, I must be provided with a response to this message from each of the offices I am addressing. Finally, Mr. Gore, I desire to know, what your stance on this issue is, and what you intend to do about it. With an election coming up, there will be many thousands of voters throughout the country who will be interested in your response. Sincerely, Name or withheld: Address: Phone number: (Phone number is only needed if you would consider having your letter published in the Navy Times) ****************************************************************************** ****************** Note: Name and address are only required if you would like a response to this letter. You will receive an auto-response acknowledging receipt of your message, but all reply mail is sent via snail mail. To make it easier to send this message, I have included e-mail hyper text. Click below and it will bring up the properly addressed mail. Then copy and paste the above message into the text box. If you haven't done this before there are instructions below. To bring up the properly addressed compose mail box click here Please use Navy Violates Don't Ask Don't Tell as the subject line. Instructions for copying and pasting the above message: After bringing up the compose mailbox with the hyper link above, highlight the above portion by holding down the left mouse button and scrolling through the message. Once highlighted, right click on the mouse and choose copy, Then go to the compose mail and right click in the text portion of the e-mail. Choose paste and the text should transfer to the outgoing e-mail. For more information please visit my web site at http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9241. Thank you for your time in this matter. I am certain with enough response, a victory for all can be achieved and you will have played a large part. I will update home page in an effort to try to keep you informed of the status of this case. ETCS(SS) Timothy R. McVeigh, USN