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Dear Distinguished Members Of The United States Senate,

As you return to Washington, DC for the last session of the year, I write this letter in support of 80% of the American public who urge you to do what you have promised since 2008 and that is to repeal the broken law that we call ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ As the President spoke this morning at length of the ongoing challenges we face in Iraq and Afghanistan, by not voting to authorize the spending needs and equipment of all service members and repealing this Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law, we know we are putting our brave soldiers at greater risk.

Being forced to lie daily about who you are is the ultimate killer of the soul. To inflict this on troops defending us is a destructive form of torture. That may not have been the intention, but that’s what it is, especially as the rest of society awakens to the diversity of the human family.

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You have shown great strength during this session of Congress, with the accomplishments of Health Care Reform, Finance Reform, the Recovery Act, the Ted Kennedy Service Act and many other laws that are bettering our country. It is now time to pass the entire National Defense Authorization Act with the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal language included. Schedule the vote and protect our national security and our troops.

With great enthusiasm and confidence, we can approach the November elections knowing that our leaders will address the issues that matter to most Americans and protect the most vulnerable among us. I look forward to the day when the heroic young people who serve this country with valor and bravery, will no longer have to lie about who they are.

Sincerely,

Russell Simmons

To get involved, go to: Service Members Legal Defense Network