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TOPIC ALERT
Repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (3 responses)
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EXPERT ALERTS
1. Education: Obama's Promise to Raise Student Achievement
2. Government: Obama Requests Increase in Global Health Spending
3. Terrorism: New Terror Threats and Airport Security Raise Questions
REPEALING 'DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL'Advertisement
Following are experts who can discuss the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, in light of President Obama's call to repeal the law:
1. JOHN NEU, professor of political science, WHITTIER COLLEGE: "Seventy-five percent of the general population supports the elimination of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. The military leadership needs to come to terms with the issue." Neu is a lawyer and teaches courses in constitutional law, judicial process and behavior, administrative law and criminal justice, and business law. Neu is also active in the gay rights movement, and is writing a book on how the law relates to GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered) persons. Neu is located in Whittier, Calif. News Contact: Ana Lilia Barraza, [email protected] Phone: +1-562-907-4912 (2/4/10)
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2. J. KELLY STRADER, professor of law, SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL, Los Angeles: "There is no sound policy reason for excluding gays and lesbians from military service, and there are compelling reasons for allowing them to serve. President Obama's announcement simply seeks to match official policy with the realities of the modern military." News Contact: Erin Auerbach, [email protected] (2/4/10)
3. ELIZABETH BIRCH is president and CEO of ELIZABETH BIRCH & COMPANY, a media, communications and strategic change company that provides inclusion and diversity training and programs to Fortune 500 corporations and government organizations. Birch has bridged the corporate, media and civil rights worlds like few others. For nearly two decades, she has been one of the most influential leaders of the civil rights community. With passion and an engaging style, she shares her incredible experiences as a civil rights activist, corporate executive and policy expert, to bring a fresh perspective and practical solutions to complicated issues. From 1995 to 2004, she served as the president and executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization. Credited with bringing LGBT issues into the living rooms of America in a new and creative way, Birch helped open doors and change viewpoints, helping more Americans better understand gay lives and civil rights. Prior to joining HRC, she was the worldwide director of litigation and HR counsel for Apple, Inc., and general counsel to Claris Corp., Apple's software subsidiary. Birch is frequently invited to speak to corporate and university audiences throughout the nation. From non-discrimination and domestic partner benefits policies to employee development and marketing strategy, she harnesses her passion to implement transformative solutions for her clients. Birch is based in Washington, D.C. News Contact: J.W. Arnold, [email protected] Phone: +1-202-528-1275 (2/4/10)
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EXPERT ALERTS
1. EDUCATION: OBAMA'S PROMISE TO RAISE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND INVEST IN REFORM. ALAN BLANKSTEIN, an award-winning author and designer of a widely used plan for comprehensive school reform, is available to discuss the importance of school reform, the president's largest-ever investment in education and how district leaders across the country are working to create sustainable change in schools: "For too long, it has been simply OK to let kids fail. We should focus on empowering our youth -- especially low performers -- which could also lead to decreased disciplinary actions, so that we can get to the heart of what matters: making a difference in the life of each child." Blankstein is based in Washington, D.C., and fluent in French. News Contact: Carrie Fox, [email protected] Phone: +1-301-585-5034 (2/4/10)
2. GOVERNMENT: OBAMA REQUESTS INCREASE IN GLOBAL HEALTH SPENDING FOR FY 2011. KARL HOFMANN, former U.S. diplomat and president and CEO of global health organization POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL (PSI): "I applaud the president for proposing increased spending on global health; he knows that global health investments yield results, even in these tough economic times. There are 10,000 fewer children dying every day in the world now, as opposed to 20 years ago, largely thanks to global health investments. The Obama administration is charting a courageous course, building on the Bush administration's achievements in this area. This is smart spending, in the context of smart power." Hofmann is located in Washington, D.C., and fluent in French. Editor's Note: Hofmann has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Marshall Stowell, [email protected] Phone: +1- 202-572-4619 (2/4/10)
3. TERRORISM: NEW TERROR THREATS AND AIRPORT SECURITY RAISE QUESTIONS. VICTOR OSTROVSKY, an ex-Mossad (Israeli intelligence) officer and #1 New York Times best-selling author, has operated in the Middle East and is an expert on terrorism, terrorist groups, intelligence and security: "Many people don't understand the true mindset of terrorists or, for that matter, the people of the Middle East. We can combat terrorism by better understanding how they think and by using human intelligence, as technology is not always the answer. There are also many things that both airports and individuals can do to protect themselves when it comes to airport and airline security, including raised awareness and education." Ostrovsky is located in Phoenix and fluent in Hebrew. News Contact: Brent Diggins, [email protected] Phone: +1-480-941- 8497 (2/4/10)
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