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May 7, 2010
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Tomorrow, my family and I will mark the 126th anniversary of my grandfather
President Harry Truman’s birthday. There are many reasons we celebrate his life
and contributions to our nation, but in particular we are proud of his decision
to desegregate the U.S. Armed Forces in July 1948, which paved the way for
future civil rights advancements.
It was not easy. He faced fierce opposition from inside and outside the
military. Many, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Omar Bradley, argued that
mixing black and white soldiers would destroy the Army.
Harry Truman holding grandson Clifton
My grandfather, however, was appalled that African-American service members
had been beaten and lynched upon their return home from fighting in World War
II. They had risked their lives to defend our nation, but were denied the full
rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. Implementation of his
order to desegregate wasn’t easy, but it made our military stronger and our
nation a brighter beacon of democracy.
There are strong parallels between the desegregation of the military and the
debate over “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the law that mandates the firing of a
service member based solely on his or her sexual orientation. Opponents argue
that allowing openly gay and lesbian service members to serve alongside their
heterosexual comrades will endanger discipline and morale.
While I have no idea where my grandfather would stand on “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell,” I do know that he admired service and sacrifice. An estimated 66,000 gay
and lesbian Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Coastguardsmen are willingly
risking their lives to defend our nation, despite being treated as second class
citizens.
I would hope that my grandfather would want his openly gay
great-granddaughter and others like her to have the opportunity to serve the
country they love with dignity and integrity.
Mr. President, as you have said many times, including in your State of the
Union Address earlier this year, ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is the right
thing to do. This year is the right time to do it.
I commend you for your commitment and hope the example of my grandfather,
Harry Truman, will help you lead with the same courage and conviction to ensure
the “equality of treatment and opportunity for all who serve our nation’s
defense.”
Respectfully,
Clifton Truman Daniel