Rosemount Soldier Andrew Wilfahrt's Parents Attending White House Ceremony

The parents of a Rosemount soldier killed in Afghanistan earlier this year have been invited to attend a military family recognition ceremony at the White House today.

Andrew Wilfahrt, the 31-year-old son of Jeff and Lori Wilfahrt, was killed Feb. 27 by an insurgent’s bomb in Kandahar Province.

Andrew Wilfahrt, who was openly gay, went back into the closet two years ago in order to join the U.S. Army, and he was killed months after the U.S. Senate repealed the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

The policy, however, remains in effect until military leaders and the president certify that its repeal won’t harm the nation’s military readiness.

Because the policy officially remains in effect, Friday’s White House ceremony, being hosted by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, initially excluded the families of gay and lesbian service members, CBS-TV reported last month. 

However, critics of the exclusion pointed out that the White House event is not an official military event, and said the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy does not apply. Organizers of the event agreed, and Jeff and Lori Wilfahrt subsequently received an invitation.

Jeff Wilfahrt would not comment Thursday on the ceremony, and would not talk about his son.

“I’ve said all I have to say on the floor of the Minnesota House and Senate,” he said. “Nobody’s listening to me. I have nothing else to say.”

Wilfahrt testified this week before the Minnesota House Civil Affairs Comnmittee – and last week before the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee – first asking lawmakers, without success, to defeat a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would ask voters to decide whether same-sex marriage should be legal.

This week, Wilfahrt appealed specifically to veterans on the House panel.

“I daresay, veterans living in Minnesota are not going to take kindly to the notion that our state Constitution is about to be put to ballot to embrace a definition that implies an ‘ironclad’ exclusion and removal of a civil right for a minority group,” Wilfahrt told the House committee.

Wilfahrt’s appeal did not sway the Civil Affairs Committee, which approved the bill 10-seven on a party-line vote.

In late March, the Wilfahrts released a YouTube video paying tribute to their son.

Here are the remarks made this week by Jeff Wilfahrt to the Minnesota House Civil Affairs Committee:

My name is Jeff Wilfahrt. I am the father of a KIA in Kandahar, February 27, 2011.

Given the failure of my attempt to use reason and logic to open minds and hearts last Friday on behalf of our state constitution and the supposition now that this House, like the Senate, is also a stacked deck, I will make no direct appeal to defeat this bill to the members of this body. You march in lockstep to a cadence of denial of reason.

I speak now directly to every Minnesota veteran from this chamber. I speak to you over and beyond the political right and left, especially beyond those who are pushing this constitutional amendment initiative on marriage for the 2012 election. This is tantamount to a game of “three card Monte” about freedom and privilege.

A right is being palmed and taken off the table.

The Armed Forces are probably the best example of a melting pot in this country.

As veterans, you know regardless of rank, regardless of creed, regardless of sexuality, you leave no fallen behind. You know the military does not give up their dead easily; and having lost our eldest son in military service we now know this firsthand. Unlike these politicians, you know what the dignity and decorum of a ramp ceremony means.

As veterans, you seem to have a deeper sense of fraternity and inclusion than the civilians you served to protect. As veterans, you take the Constitution very, very seriously. I daresay veterans living in Minnesota are not going to take kindly to the notion that our state Constitution is about to be put to ballot to embrace a definition that implies an “ironclad” exclusion and removal of a civil right for a minority group.

I turn to you now, veterans, and I say to you that the Constitution is being toyed with, that for political gain, and with the intent to subvert freedoms; there are shenanigans afoot.

You veterans don’t show up at military burials with crucifixes, Bibles, Torahs or Qurans; you show up with American flags, the symbol of unity; the symbol of inclusion; the symbol of freedoms and rights.

Veterans, this is a call to act in civil affairs; it is time to remind this body politic of who has, is, and will shed blood for freedoms and rights.

Please, contact your representatives and tell them what you think about messing with the Minnesota Constitution. This dead soldier’s father needs some help here.

I’m having a hard time showing these politicians where the boundary is between freedoms and religion. Friday, and presumably today, I will have lost twice in this battle. Please do not leave me on the field alone.

Thank you for your service, thank you for your commitment to defend and honor freedom and equality under the flag and Constitution of these United States.

I suggest this legislative body tread very lightly on our veterans’ sense of patriotism. Their service is deeply rooted in the Constitution of rights they swear to protect. Rile these veterans, and you’ll have a lot more to deal with than a minority whose rights are already curtailed under civil law.