Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Page #4

that the member is not a

homosexual or a bisexual.

So my statement is all that it takes?

The military has discharged 15,000

soldiers in the last 10 years.

Where do you think those

people went, Colonel?

I had no idea. Transferred?

Everyone moves around.

You could avoid charges if

you want to resign, Colonel.

No, sir, I refuse to resign.

Are we allowed to keep her serving?

Well, until the Army takes formal action.

I'm sorry this is happening.

Yes, sir, so am I.

I always thought you

had a lot of potential.

Thank you, sir.

Don't bury me yet.

- Is that all, sir?

- That's all.

It'd be midnight and the

sky'd still be blue outside.

- You could read a newspaper.

- And what were you doing up at midnight?

Oh, you stepped in it now.

- Thinking of you.

- Yeah, right.

Bravo, bravo.

- Hey.

- Here we are.

- All right.

- Wow.

- Welcome home, Matt.

- Thank you, Mor.

Oh, I love it when you call me

Mor. That's Norwegian for mother.

Did you go see where

we used to live in Oslo?

Couldn't find it.

The Nazis had their headquarters

across the street from us.

We were hiding members of the

resistance, right under their big noses.

Your mother used to smuggle guns.

I remember, under my

blanket in my baby carriage.

With her on top of them.

- Wasn't that dangerous with a baby?

- Oh, yeah.

Far, could we please hear about Matt?

This girl is marrying into the family.

She needs to know what we are all about.

- She knows.

- Matt, cut the cake.

Good idea.

- Make them big slices.

- Oh, this looks good.

Why did you tell your father

you were getting married,

and you didn't tell me?

- You knew how Lynette and I felt.

- Sure I did.

I just didn't want to tell you

over the phone, transatlantic.

You told him.

Just so he'd start making

arrangements with the Bishop.

You're not Mormon. You can't do it, Mor.

You can't even go to the ceremony.

A lot of people can't.

You gotta be an active

member with a certain standing

to be allowed inside the temple.

Even some of Lynette's relatives can't go.

Her mother will be there.

Please don't make this into a

big thing, because I can't fix it.

I'll be waiting for you right

outside that temple door.

Okay.

What would happen if we both just quit?

You know, to hell with the

careers. We'd still get our pension.

I'd be agreeing with Army regulations.

- Do you believe everything has a purpose?

- A purpose?

- Yeah.

- Maybe.

I'm gonna change the regulations, Diane.

I had to fall in love with a hero.

- I'm not a hero.

- Just a Viking.

Vikings die with their swords

in hand, don't you know that?

Oh, dear.

How did you find this lawyer?

I started with the ACLU, and

they referred me to LAMBDA.

Which is what? What does that stand for?

Oh, Grethe, wait, wait.

This isn't the Army, okay?

LAMBDA offers free legal

counsel to gays and lesbians.

Are they lesbians? - What does

it matter? It's non-profit.

And this is just dinner, okay?

Do you remember her name?

Hi, I'm Mary Newcombe.

Colonel Cammermeyer?

Hello. You're a kid.

Oh, I'm old enough to know

that's a compliment. Thank you.

- Diane, hi.

- Hey.

- And I'm Chris.

- Hi.

Come on in.

I invited another client for you to

talk to before you make up your mind.

- Captain Dusty Pruitt.

- Colonel.

Meet another dyke who

didn't keep her mouth shut.

No, I was on active duty for eight years.

I didn't transfer to the Reserves

until I started divinity school.

Dusty gave an interview to the LA

Times identifying herself as a lesbian.

And a minister.

Did you think soldiers

had First Amendment rights?

No way. No, ma'am.

You were discharged just for saying it?

They parked a van of

agents outside my church.

They put a car in front of my apartment.

My phone clicked so much it sounded

like mice were eating the line. I know.

I got so sick of it, one night I went

out and invited them in for coffee.

- Did they accept?

- No, they were too embarrassed.

They just drove off and never came back.

You think the Army's your family.

You think it's your life.

Except, maybe, your

family could forgive you.

There's nothing to forgive.

Were you ever in the closet, Mary?

Not as far in as you were.

- Or as Grethe is.

- Diane's still got the door closed.

No, no. I just don't have

the itch to tell, you know?

I mean, it's not such a novelty to me.

Just because you're honest with yourself,

there's no reason the whole

world has to know about it.

Right, right.

You know, I don't know.

I'd like not having to hide, you know?

I'm very proud of the

life I've made. I'm happy.

I'm happy, too.

All these happy people at the

same table. I'm touched. I am.

Would you take on the Army

again if you could do it over?

Nothing's gonna change unless people

stick up for themselves, Colonel.

You have to decide what kind

of tolerance you have, Grethe.

Because when we lose the

first round, and we will,

we're gonna have to sue in Civil Court,

and that puts you way out in public.

Now, are you ready to have

everyone that knows you

know you're a lesbian?

Your colleagues, your family,

your kids?

No.

Then resign. Go gracefully.

Bow out now, keep your benefits,

save your time and mine.

- They're lesbians.

- No kidding.

I'm not like them.

Did you think you were

gonna sue from the closet?

I didn't think about it.

You're the highest-ranking officer

ever charged with being gay.

It's the kind of thing

people are going to notice.

I haven't been charged.

The boys could hate me.

They could refuse to see me.

I could lose my kids, Diane.

I mean, why should I risk that?

- Okay, then that's the decision.

- No, I can't do it.

I agree.

I don't know why you wanna

be in the military, anyway,

with their attitudes.

They're dinosaurs.

You were a combat nurse.

You served in Vietnam.

You would have died for the

Army, and they would have let you.

No questions asked. So,

goodbye, Army. Who cares?

I do.

You're unbelievable.

I was asked a direct question.

I gave a direct answer.

As an officer, I didn't have any choice.

There wasn't any choice.

The regulation has an

escape hatch built into it.

"Unless there is a further finding

that the member is not a homosexual. "

What if we found that?

You could have been

having a mid-life crisis

or some sort of post-trauma syndrome

or short-term mental breakdown.

- You could take it back, Grethe.

- Recant.

You don't have to do Joan of Arc here.

- If I said it wasn't true, I'd be lying.

- I'm not suggesting you lie.

But couldn't you have had

a moment of sexual confusion

and gotten over it?

- No.

- Fine.

I can't lie about who I am.

I'd rather lose my

uniform than my integrity.

And you will, you know. You're

throwing away your career.

I could win.

You could commit murder and have

a better chance of staying in.

What are you doing?

- Come on.

- What is this?

- Where's the D?

- Go.

- Hey, Mom, what are you doing?

- It's the last three minutes.

I need to talk to you.

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