Lady Gaga addressed her "fellow Americans" and the Senate this morning in a dramatic YouTube video as part of her ongoing effort to see the controversial Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which prevents gays from serving openly in the military, overturned and asked her fans to join her and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network in repealing it. "It is my belief that no one person is more valuable than another," Gaga says in the over-seven-minute long, black-and-white video, flanked by the American flag.
Video after the jump.
"Our fight is a continuum of the ever-present equal rights movement," Gaga adds before urging her enormous fan base (a staggering 6.3 million on Twitter and over 18 million on Facebook) to contact their senators and singling out John McCain's moves to stop a vote from taking place.
The call-to-action is perhaps the singer's most forward step into the political arena. In her ever-growing role as an activist, Gaga has partnered with Human Rights Campaign, spoke at the National Equality March Rally, criticized Arizona's discriminatory new immigration enforcement law and, most recently, brought four veterans discharged from the military under DADT as her dates to the Video Music Awards.
(FILES)Lady Gaga wears her controversial meat dress, as she arrives in the Press Room after winning eight 2010 MTV Video Music Awards including "Video of the Year" at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sepetember 12, 2010. Animal rights activists put a fork in Lady Gaga's meat dress September 14, 2010 but supporters rallied around the bizarre singer, saying her outfit was absolutely sizzling. The professional provocateur upstaged the MTV music video awards late Sunday not just by walking away with eight prizes, but taking that walk in enormous shoes and a nifty dress made entirely of raw steak. AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Lady Gaga accepts the Best Pop Video award onstage during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Lady Gaga arrives at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Lady Gaga arrives at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Lady Gaga arrives at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Lady Gaga arrives at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Singer Lady Gaga arrives at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga
I'd certainly listen to Lady Gaga before those nutjobs the repukelicans love like Christine O'Donnell and Sarah Palin. Now those are DUMB women! Sorry.
Dear Ga, By what stretch of that emply peanut shell you call a brain do you think anybody with an IQ higher than 50 gives a rats behind what you think?
I have not been a fan of Lady Ga Ga until recently,she seemed a bit odd. Now however after watching her perform I do think that she is a very talented person!I personally do not care who stands up against this lame policy that the military has but at least she is useing her voice to make a differance.Her fan base is way younger then I am for sure, so I really hope that the youth of today will make this world a better place for all of those after me and not end up sounding like some of you people that post on these things....
Right on Lady GAGA she is right Don't Ask Don't Tell should be repealed I always thought it was lame to have that rule shouldn't matter who like if you want to serve than more power to you.
I really don't understand what the big deal is. Why should a person tell everybody their sexual orientation. That should be your business. I don't want to know if you're straight, bi, or gay. It's really none of my business.
I have a question.....Just how is being openly gay going to help the military? Does being gay give you special powers that other soldiers don't have? A soldier is a solder and is define by his work and dedication and not by what his sexual preferences are. Stop being silly folks, this has just gone way too far. Same thing with the gay Bishop. The title is Bishop, spiritual leader however sexual preference is place as a title before Bishop. Something is really wrong with that. You can't serve Two masters and you cant define yourself as a solder if you prefer to be identified by the way you like to have sex.
Freaking awesome. It doesnt matter if you agree or not, but everyone should have equal rights. And the fact that shes not just another pretty face singing and making millions, shes using her fame to do good and give back, just like all of the service men and women do, regardless of orientation. My children (and I) love gaga, not always appropriate for my younger ones, but I dont think shes meaning to be. But always someone to be proud of.
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does anyone else think that this woman needs a serious nose job?
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I'd certainly listen to Lady Gaga before those nutjobs the repukelicans love like Christine O'Donnell and Sarah Palin. Now those are DUMB women! Sorry.
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Exactly..
Lady CaCa you are the bomb. and we wonder why there is a Jihad on America....
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Dear Ga, By what stretch of that emply peanut shell you call a brain do you think anybody with an IQ higher than 50 gives a rats behind what you think?
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Kinda the same way Sarah Palin thinks anyone give a rats behind what she thinks...
And why should any of us much less the senate give a rats behind what she says? Report something worth reading.
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Who wants to know anything about Lady Gaga? She is trash!!!!
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I have not been a fan of Lady Ga Ga until recently,she seemed a bit odd. Now however after watching her perform I do think that she is a very talented person!I personally do not care who stands up against this lame policy that the military has but at least she is useing her voice to make a differance.Her fan base is way younger then I am for sure, so I really hope that the youth of today will make this world a better place for all of those after me and not end up sounding like some of you people that post on these things....
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Gaga is an idiot - and WRONG!
DADT works despite what the media claims.
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Don't Ask Don't Tell hasn't worked so your wrong MTM it has always been a bad rule and it should be repeal.
Except Palin knows what she's talking about - Ga Ga is clueless about everything - no wonder she's taking on a liberal agenda item.
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Right on Lady GAGA she is right Don't Ask Don't Tell should be repealed I always thought it was lame to have that rule shouldn't matter who like if you want to serve than more power to you.
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Who cares!
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I really don't understand what the big deal is. Why should a person tell everybody their sexual orientation. That should be your business. I don't want to know if you're straight, bi, or gay. It's really none of my business.
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I have a question.....Just how is being openly gay going to help the military? Does being gay give you special powers that other soldiers don't have? A soldier is a solder and is define by his work and dedication and not by what his sexual preferences are. Stop being silly folks, this has just gone way too far.
Same thing with the gay Bishop. The title is Bishop, spiritual leader however sexual preference is place as a title before Bishop. Something is really wrong with that. You can't serve Two masters and you cant define yourself as a solder if you prefer to be identified by the way you like to have sex.
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The media uses the word "gay" to describe the person,it's not part of their professional title.
Freaking awesome. It doesnt matter if you agree or not, but everyone should have equal rights. And the fact that shes not just another pretty face singing and making millions, shes using her fame to do good and give back, just like all of the service men and women do, regardless of orientation. My children (and I) love gaga, not always appropriate for my younger ones, but I dont think shes meaning to be. But always someone to be proud of.
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FIVE POSTS AND NO, NO EMAIL WAS EVER SENT TO MY LIGIT EMAIL ADDRESS,,,,,,, THIS THING IS FIXED!!! MUST BE RUN BY HOMOSEXUALS AND LESBIANS
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My dog doesn't give a d**** about Gaga's input...and neither do I.
Entertainers are simply just that (emphasis on "simply.")
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