The Boots and the Message
In 2006, Jim Webb, the former Navy Secretary to President Reagan, had become a Democratic and was running to unseat Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), in large part based on Webb’s opposition to the war.
As was oft-noted at the time, Webb’s son, Jimmy, was in the Marines and was sent to Iraq during the campaign. Webb kept that news front and center with the physical symbol of the shoes he chose to wear. As The New York Times reported at the time, “[Webb] wears his son’s old combat boots on the campaign trail, in tribute to him and ‘all the people sent into harm’s way.'”
Webb, the Times noted, “tells his audiences that the idea came from his son.”
This morning, another group of veterans had an idea to share with Webb.
They, also, thought that boots can send a message.
Webb, who voted against the amendment aimed at repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy when the Senate Armed Services Committee passed the amendment in May, has been the target of criticism and persuasion in the months since.
Cpl. Evelyn Thomas was one of several former servicemembers who went to Webb’s office on Friday morning as part of an action organized by Get Equal, H.E.R.O. and the Sanctuary Project. Thomas was arrested earlier this year for handcuffing herself to the gate in front of the White House in protest of perceived inaction by President Obama to repeal DADT.
Thomas spoke with Metro Weekly on Friday about her visit to Webb’s office, saying that they went “to remind him how the DADT impacts on LGBT servicemembers” and “how its essential for him to vote for the” NDAA including the DADT repeal language.
Thomas said that she and the others met with Webb’s “military liaison,” who, she said, “tried to force us, in a diplomatic way, out of the office. But we stood our ground.
“He was trying to get us out of his office as soon as possible. We will not back down until their equality is recognized.”
Speaking of the glass case in his office that contains his son’s boots that he wore during the campaign, Thomas said, “He wore his son’s combat boots … to show his opposition to the Iraq war.”
They came to Webb’s office wearing boots of their own, boots signed by servicemembers who had been affected by DADT.
“We wore those boots in solidaritary for servicemembers who must compromise their integrity to serve,” she said, sharing that they then took off the boots and left them at the foot of the case. “We want him to walk in their shoes.”
Talking about “witch hunts” that had gone on to out LGBT servicemembers when she had served, Thomas said of the impact of the closet forced on LGBT sevicemembers, “It’s a nightmare. It is a psychological, emotional nightmare.”
Of their action today, Thomas said, “We were just following his lead.
“He did that when he wanted to send a clear message to President Bush about his opposition to the war in Iraq,” she said. “He stood up for something he believed in; we’re standing up for something we believe in.”
Asked if today’s physical reminder of the DADT policy would have an impact, Thomas didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, it will. You can’t deny what we did, and you can’t ignore it,” she said. “It’ll begin to put a seed in their mind, ‘Maybe I’ve been going about this in the wrong way.'”
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