President Biden grants blanket pardon to LGBT service members .....

[Phoenix Rises 954]

The US president seeks to right ‘historic wrong,’ enabling thousands to apply for pardon, recover lost pay and benefits.

President Biden is offering a pardon to military veterans convicted under a now-revoked law that banned homosexuality in the United States armed forces. Many Vets were discharged and LOST benifets , some were even jailed for sodomy.

Biden announced in a statement that his act of clemency was “righting an historic wrong”. The pardon could offer thousands of former military personnel court-martialed under laws making gay sex between consenting adults a crime.

 Biden pardoned potentially thousands of former U.S. service members convicted of violating a now-repealed military ban on consensual gay sex, to clear the way for them to regain lost benefits.

Biden’s action grants a pardon to service members who were convicted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice’s former Article 125, which criminalized sodomy. The law, which has been on the books since 1951, was rewritten in 2013 to prohibit only forcible acts.

Those covered by the pardon will be able to apply to receive proof that their conviction has been erased, petition to have their discharges from the military upgraded and move to recover lost pay and benefits.

“Today, I am righting an historic wrong by using my clemency authority to pardon many former service members who were convicted simply for being themselves,” Biden said in a statement. “We have a sacred obligation to all of our service members –- including our brave LGBTQI+ service members: to properly prepare and equip them when they are sent into harm’s way, and to care for them and their families when they return home. Today we are making progress in that pursuit.”

The president’s use of his pardon powers is occurring during Pride Month .

 

https://apnews.com/video/district-of-columbia-national-national-8ce574e129f9466796758db210c160bf

[IWantYourLove 1,457]

Genuinely shocked that this hadn’t happened way earlier?? So glad nonetheless. I can’t help but think about those that may have passed before this pardon though.. 

[OMF 3,663]

Who’s going to pardon him for helping his bf BiBi destroy Gaza? 

[PartySick 172,545]

Big win for the gay community

That's my president

[Babel 41,640]

"Your" president also loves to bomb brown kids

[garbage day 11,817]

3 minutes ago, Babel said:

Every president also loves to bomb brown kids

ftfy

[Morphine Prince 109,683]

Wrong thread.

[Flippy 14,295]

Well, at least that’s something good in between what’s going on 

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

This should be exciting news, and I'm happy for whoever (HOPEFULLY, ACTUALLY) benefits from this... but also my view of the present and foreseable future is so bleak... I can't help but feel like this is a hand-me-down at best - people are being decimated both literally and figuratively, all for the sake of satisfying the greed of a few filthy rich a$$holes, but hey, they gave some queer vets something they should have had all along - progress, that should shut the wokies up for a bit... Capitalism righting its wrongs the way its designed to do 

[Leoooo 2,301]

Going to move past the 'I am horrified took this long ' thoughts to just being so happy for everyone this actively benefits. It may well have been done for personal gain overall rather than actual care, but, a win is a win.

We've finally got an example of cultural progress to manifest on!

A touch of retribution to people wrongly opressed is a depressingly rare thing these days. USA - Soak it in and remember the feeling so we can send some slightly more seen and healed thoughts out there

[PartySick 172,545]

4 hours ago, Babel said:

"Your" president also loves to bomb brown kids

You can quote me

I'm not a single issue voter, I care about Gaza but not enough to downplay something positive happening in the gay community, Biden's achievements, or nuke his chances at getting reelected because I'm not an idiot

[4th Time Around 5,059]

7 hours ago, Babel said:

"Your" president also loves to bomb brown kids

What does that have anything to do with this?

 Let's just celebrate something positive happening for the gay community that should have happened long ago