John Berry and Peace Corps

Yesterday was one of the most busy yet interesting days at events for me. In the morning, the Peace Corps sponsored an event with John Berry, the Director of the Office of Personel Management, and coincidentally the highest ranking gay official in the United States. I can see why Mr. Berry has achieved that position; he has had a life full of experience and is a delightful orator.

Mr. Berry began his speech announcing that he formally apologized on behalf of the United States government to Frank Kameny, the federal employee that was fired on the basis of his sexuality. Berry also presented Kameny the Teddy Roosevelt award. Berry went on to say that 40 years ago, during Kameny's years as a federal employee, anti-homosexual laws were not meant to protect and defend, but to selectively terrorize a minority. For many years, people just allowed police brutality against homosexuals to happen and firing for being homosexual was a normal thing. But on June 28, 1969, the LGBT movement was sparked when people outside a bar called Stonewall said "no." From then on, the media began to propogate a vast homosexual agenda. But Mr. Berry said that the agenda, the reason Stonewall occured, is this: To be free to bear every right of citizenship and pursue happiness. This follows every single American battle for liberty against tyranny and oppression, like the colonial America who was denied liberty and freedom, like slavery, in which slave owners used scripture to keeps people in bonds, like women, who were denied the right to vote, and seperate but equal, where seperation was anything but equal.

Today the country is deeply divided and finding middle ground is hard when liberty is at stake. Liberty grows in one direction, and that is, like a tree, by adding rings. This tree iHe s nourished by honesty, warmed by love, and rooted in justice. Stonewall and Kameny are additions to the American tree of liberty, but we cannot rest until this ring is secured.

When Mr. Berry finished his speech, several people asked interesting questions. One person asked if Mr. Berry were always openly gay in the service and if he had always had such conviction about gay rights. Mr. Berry responded by saying that he did not come out until very late when he was about 25 years old. He remembers that when he came to Washington, DC, there was a huge scandal involving Maryland State Representative Bob Bowerman when he was caught in a gay bar. Mr. Berry decided that he did not want to live this lie. He told his parents five years later but it took more than that for them to accept him.

A retired colonel asked about Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) because it very obviously affected him. With a trembling voice, he said that it hurt him because he could not talk to these brave men and women, some of whom he lost, about their sexuality because of the military. Mr. Berry responded by saying that the President has made it clear that we need to abolish DADT. The reason it was implimented was because blackmail on the case of homosexuality could be a security risk to the US. Even though top military officials do not advocate the abolishing of DADT, we must remember that the military did not ask for the end of segregation or ask for women to fight in combat. There is a reason civilians run the military.

At the end of the event, I was fortunate enough to meet John Berry and converse with him a little bit. I can tell that he is a very genuine character. At the reception afterwards, I got to meet Stpehen Chapman, who works for Peace Corps. He invited me to an event later that day with returning LGBT service members and talking more in depth about their gay lives during their tenures.

At Peace Corps, trainees can be offered gay happy hours before heading oversees. There are LGBT volunteers in Peace Corps who are open and very friendly. But, while oversees, you should be very discreet about you sexuality as many countries are not as accepting. While you do have to hide this part of you, you gain many things in return. Do come out to fellow volunteers and staff, especially staff because they have recieved special training for LGBTs.

The first speaker was Ryan who served in Guinea.