Biden Pardons Veterans Convicted of Having Gay Sex

[Coventina]

President Biden on Wednesday pardoned American veterans who were convicted of engaging in gay sex under a military code that outlawed the behavior for more than 60 years.

Mr. Biden’s proclamation grants clemency to some 2,000 people who were charged between 1951 and 2013, addressing a “historic wrong,” the president said in a statement.

“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,” Mr. Biden said. “Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of L.G.B.T.Q.I.+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some of these patriotic Americans were subject to court-martial, and have carried the burden of this great injustice for decades.”

The proclamation addresses charges brought under Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a federal law that made it a crime to engage in “unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same or opposite sex,” even with mutual consent. In 2013, Congress voted to repeal the portion of the code that outlawed consensual sodomy.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/us/politics/biden-pardon-veterans-gay-sex.html?algo=editorial_importance_fy_email_news&block=4&campaign_id=142&emc=edit_fory_20240626&fellback=false&imp_id=1383725977267138&instance_id=127252&nl=for-you&nlid=73531149&pool=fye-top-news-ls&rank=1&regi_id=73531149&req_id=8153581497452455&segment_id=170609&surface=for-you-email-news&te=1&user_id=db9d459f127fb29b368adfd6055fb9af&variant=0_edimp_fye_news_dedupe

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Thank you Biden!!

[gay texan]

1. Best Pride ever!!! N/T

[elleng]

2. *grants clemency to some 2,000 people who were charged between 1951 and 2013,.

[ALBliberal]

3. Time will tell he's one of our most consequential presidents

IF we can win the election and keep democracy alive.

Good on Biden!

[SarahD]

4. Way to go!

[MadameButterfly]

5. It's about time

Thanks to Biden for getting it done

[Music Man]

6. This is huge!

Perhaps most importantly, it will allow dishonorably discharged or convicted soldiers of receiving benefits.

Anyone who says they want a more just, progressive America and doesn't vote for Biden this fall is nuts.

[Dem2theMax]

7. . . .

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. Does this upgrade the military discharge for those veterans?

If their discharges are recategorized from "less than honorable" to "honorable", it unlocks some good veterans' benefits, such as pension, V.A. health care, etc.

NY Times throws up a paywall for me.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. Per an article in Detroit Free Press, veterans whose convictions are overturned will ...

... be provided instructions for applying to have a "bad discharge" upgraded to honorable conditions, which will enable some vetersns' benefits.

[markodochartaigh]

9. When

President Biden was vice president he did an end run around his president, Obama, and came out for marriage equality. No vice president does that, especially on a controversial issue. But Vice president Biden felt so strongly that he publicly supported marriage equality before his president or his party. Especially now, when the supreme court is looking to reverse the law, we should not forget President Biden's support.

[Cha]

10. Mahalo, Pres Biden.. brings us into

almost the Quarter of the 21st Century!

Too bad about the Neanderthals.

[electric_blue68]

11. Wonderful news!