I had to get up earlier than I’ve had to in ages, but I’m here! The National Log Cabin Republican Convention in Washington, D.C.

Check in was easy, I’ve got a table in the back with BoiFromTroy, and we’re about 15 minutes into it.

My first comment - OMG who knew there were so many hot Republicans!? I mean seriously. Then again, the first two speakers are talking about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) and got kicked out of the army for being gay.

They are Jarrod Chlapowski and Alexander Nicholson and are organizers of the “Call to Duty Tour“. (BTW - the pictures don’t do justice.)

According to their website:

The Call to Duty Tour was conceived as a way to expose mainstream Americans to a representative sample of the ordinary gay service members who are largely forgotten amid the politics surrounding the DADT law…While many have tried to quietly serve their country with pride and dignity, they have nevertheless experienced first hand the manner in which DADT prevents them from doing so and needlessly denies critical talent to our nation’s military. Their voices need to be heard. Their stories need to be told. It is their real-world experiences that matter most in the debate about the merits of DADT.

Most of what they are talking about is how Call To Duty came to be, what their goals and mission are, but also their own personal stories of how they were affected by DADT. It’s amazing to me that these two guys, linguists (Alexander knows 5 languages) are no longer translating for our country because they are gay. Kicked out because they are gay. Especially because right now…we kinda need translators in our global war on terror.

Alexander just said something really striking - “Our two biggest enemies - misperceptions and stereotypes.” He was talking about how many of those who oppose what they are doing hold unfair stereotypes over gays heads - how the gays will affect the morale, etc of their units - and how many people don’t even know that DADT is a law and that the military can still kick you out for being gay.

Jarrod (I swear they turn up the bass on the mic when he talks - think Barry White says “smooooooth”) is now talking about how another misperception is that because they are speaking out about the military that they are anti-military. Not true, he says. Actually, it’s just the opposite - they love the military and want to get back in!

Q&A Time: Someone - a high school teacher - just asked about what to tell her students who are gay and are thinking about the military. Jarrod (”smoooooth”) said: “Tell them - Go For It” - that the military is an amazing experience.

OK - now a little video about a WWII veteran who has now been with his partner for 50 years (so sweet ) and BREAK.

Up next - the Executive Director of PFLAG talking about how friends and families of GLBT conservatives can help fight for equality.