Payday letter to Stephen Funk
May 03, 2003

Dear Stephen,

I write on behalf of Payday, an international network of men which has a website called "Refusing to Kill" (www.paydaynet.org) and which joins the Global Women's Strike in demanding "No War - Invest in Caring Not Killing." We fully support your principled refusal to become the killer the military trains people to be, a training which for men generally begins from very early, when in childhood we're constantly taught that 'caring is for girls' and 'men have more important things to do.'  Your courage and example are a beacon to all of us, inside and outside the military, in the global movement against war and for investing society's resources in caring for people and the planet, in Iraq and everywhere.

All of us - and myself in particular as a gay man and 'Nam war draft dodger  -  salute your courage in coming out as a gay refusenik. This can only encourage others to do likewise. We agree with you that the  "antigay sentiment" cultivated by the military is part of the general "hatred against all that are different either culturally, ethnically, or otherwise" that it promotes in order to dehumanize the so-called "enemy". With our sisters in Wages Due Lesbians, we press for gay people to come out of the military.

From our experience we know how poverty and military recruiters' lies coerce and con young people into the military.  Lesbian and gay people are among those with the fewest resources, especially when we are of color.

We have publicized your battle in our international network, including on our website and at the daily anti-war picket organized by the Global Women's Strike in London (http://womenstrike8m.server101.com). We are gathering messages of support which we will send you very soon. We would be delighted to publicize something directly from you, and to be updated on the development of your campaign.

Please keep in touch and tell us how best we can help. There are more and more men who refuse to kill in Israel, in Greece, in the UK, in the US, everywhere. Together we are contributing to our own survival as communities of women, children and men everywhere.

Power to the sisters and therefore to all of us to stop war and change the world.

Dean Kendall
Payday