Subject: McVeigh
From: Will Nich <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 11:18:45 EST

McVeigh can be reached at [email-masked].

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 <A HREF="mailto:
[email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked],
[email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked],
[email-masked], [email-masked],
[email-masked]">click here</A>

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 
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9241/index.html">
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9241</A>. 

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