Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Page #8

I had hoped all my life it

would be passing in review

in a parade of some kind.

Colonel, why didn't you lie?

Because as an officer, as

a human being, I don't lie.

I'd rather take the

consequences for being honest.

Thank you.

Colonel Cammermeyer, what plans

do you have for the future?

What plans do you have

for the future, Colonel?

What does this country

need with people like you?

You're nothing but

dirt-digging troublemakers.

- Grethe, you don't have to go over there.

- Yes, I do.

The America I love and

I'd give my life for.

- I almost did.

- I wish you had.

He was in the Air Force for 30 years,

protecting this country

against people like you.

- That's not what he was protecting it from.

- You make me want to vomit.

You call a press conference

just to cause problems.

- I'm trying to enlighten.

- Just to make trouble.

Trouble. That's what it's for.

Shame.

What's your name, sir?

She hates me without even knowing me.

Did you think you were

gonna change her mind?

- What did you do that for, Grethe?

- Because I'm a soldier.

- Where's Mom? She said she'd pick me up.

- Hi.

She was doing an interview.

It ran long. Hop in.

All safe?

- What happened?

- It's not that interesting.

- Did you win or lose?

- Won.

- Great. Want an ice cream?

- Yeah.

Okay, let's go.

Did you know that Walt Whitman was gay?

So was Michelangelo.

So is Elton John.

- So is Gertrude Stein.

- Who?

Tom.

Is there anything you want

to ask me? Because you can.

I'll give you an answer.

If someone's mother is gay,

does that mean he is, too?

- Is that what your friends said?

- They're not friends.

Listen.

Some people are gay. Most people aren't.

And it's been that way as long as

people have walked on the earth.

I mean, nobody knows why.

Maybe it's biology or environment or both.

But...

But gay parents don't make gay children

any more often than straight parents.

Okay?

So stop worrying.

You'd probably know by now, anyway.

Did you ever wish you were straight?

I can't imagine life without your mother.

- Don't tell her we talked, okay?

- No. Okay.

I need to see the Colonel,

and I know she's back there.

Dr. Cammermeyer, there's a patient here.

She sees me.

Excuse me.

What can I do for you, Frank?

Do you know what the most important

thing is to an infantry man?

- His weapon.

- His buddy.

And you can be my buddy and share

my foxhole any time, Colonel.

- Did you clean it?

- Yeah.

Well, you don't need stitches.

You know, I'm supposed to

be the soldier, not you.

I never thought...

I didn't expect to drag you into it.

- You did what you had to do.

- Yeah, did I?

You were right, Mom.

- Did you kick his butt?

- Yeah.

- Am I done?

- Yeah.

I lost my job because

of an archaic regulation

that says I can't exist.

I still love the military, not for

what it is but for what it can be.

That's why I'm suing the Army.

And to get back in.

Yeah, my kids will tell you.

I like to finish what I start.

- You're about to meet a woman...

- You're missing it.

I'll see the tape. Are we taping it?

Yeah, yeah.

Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer is

the highest-ranking military officer

ever to be discharged for homosexuality.

Now that Grethe's secret is out in the open,

so is a relationship with Diane, an artist.

And Grethe, who used to think

of the military as her family,

finds her own children

are her greatest allies.

I remember her saying, I don't know why...

I'm sorry.

It was supposed to be from a distance.

I didn't know they

were gonna show my face.

They gave my name!

- Only your first name.

- Oh, right. "Diane, the artist. "

- I warned you.

- Yes.

But I didn't expect to be

outed on primetime television!

Hey, dud, it's your sister.

Tell her I died.

Tell her yourself.

Diane, is that you?

She wasn't crazy about my hat.

That's it?

She always knew.

She was afraid to say

anything because I never did.

You know, you think people are never

gonna figure it out, but they do.

They even survive.

I thought I looked

rather nice in that hat.

- Yeah. So did I.

- Yeah.

You know, this is the best thing that

ever could have happened to us, Diane.

- What we were meant to do.

- Yeah.

No matter what happens.

Grethe Cammermeyer received a wildly

enthusiastic reception this afternoon

when she spoke at a heavily

attended gay-pride rally in Seattle.

I feel very humbled being here today.

Thank you.

People ask, who are we?

We are their daughters, their sisters,

their sons, their nurses,

their mechanics, their

athletes, their police.

We're your doctors, your fathers,

your politicians, your soldiers,

your mothers, your friends.

We live with you, care for you,

help you, protect you,

teach you, love you and need you.

All we ask is that you let us.

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