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Immediate end to ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ urged AND OTHER
NEWS
(San Francisco) Gay rights advocates on Monday filed a challenge to a request
by the Obama administration to keep the repealed “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
in place while the Pentagon prepares for an end to the ban on allowing gays to
serve openly in the military.
In a brief filed in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court
of Appeals in San Francisco, lawyers for gay political group Log Cabin
Republicans said keeping the policy in place was “absurd.”
At issue is the constitutionality of Congress allowing the policy to stay in
effect to give the Pentagon time to train troops and take other steps outlined
in December when lawmakers repealed the 1993 law that put the ban in place.
Under the new policy, the restrictions remain until the Pentagon certifies that
the change won’t damage combat readiness.
The repeal came several months after a federal district judge issued an
injunction barring enforcement of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” declaring in
September that the policy was unconstitutional.
The Obama administration request to keep the policy in place was made in its
brief challenging the injunction. Dan Woods, who is representing the Log Cabin
Republicans, replied in the brief filed Monday.
“Even though a judge found this to be unconstitutional and the administration
is not disagreeing with that, they are still investigating and able to discharge
people,” he said.
Earlier this year, the administration said it would no longer defend the 1996
federal law that prohibits recognition of same-sex marriages.
President Barack Obama had concluded that any law that treats gay people
differently is unconstitutional unless it serves a compelling governmental
interest, Attorney General Eric Holder said when discussing the administration’s
reasoning for that decision.
Lowest number of DADT discharges in 2010
,
contributing editor,
365Gay Blog 250 soldiers discharged in
2010. Although 2010 was the year “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” fell (caveats understood), there were still 250 military personnel
discharged due to the policy. The numbers were released by Servicemembers
United, and cover Oct. 1, 2009, to Sept. 30, 2010. It was the
lowest number of dismissals, and none were filed since the past October (as
confirmed by Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez). However, 250 is still too
many. “These numbers underscore the need to accelerate the time line for
training and repeal,” said Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director of the Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network. “The reality is that investigations continue
and service members are still in danger of being discharged.”
contributing editor,
365Gay Blog 250 soldiers discharged in
2010. Although 2010 was the year “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” fell (caveats understood), there were still 250 military personnel
discharged due to the policy. The numbers were released by Servicemembers
United, and cover Oct. 1, 2009, to Sept. 30, 2010. It was the
lowest number of dismissals, and none were filed since the past October (as
confirmed by Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez). However, 250 is still too
many. “These numbers underscore the need to accelerate the time line for
training and repeal,” said Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director of the Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network. “The reality is that investigations continue
and service members are still in danger of being discharged.”
- RIP Geraldine
Ferraro.
- Happy birthday! On April 1 the Netherlands will celebrate a decade of marriage equality. Unless
I’m missing out on something, fish haven’t married cows, and the country hasn’t
fallen off the face of the earth.
- Another Republican comes out for DADT. You have to give
Republican presidential wannabes credit. They go on Bryan
Fisher’s radio show, kiss his ring, and promise if they ever move
into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue DADT will return. Gov.
Haley Barbour was the most recent Republican to offer his opinion.
“You look at the data and it is the foot-soldier, it is the person who is out
there, boots on the ground, who is most against this. And it’s because they live
or die with this. And that’s who we ought to be listening to, that’s who we
ought to be caring about, and that’s why I am against it. I think it ought to be
rolled back.”
- Uganda anti-gay bill stalls. Right now it looks like the
Uganda Parliament’s “Anti-Homosexuality Bill,” or AHB,
will not get a vote. According to news sources, the country’s Information
Minister Kabakumba Matsiko was on television saying the bill would not be passed
because much of the legislation is already on the books. Matsiko suggested some
parts of the “kill the gays” proposal could be added to the Sexual Offenses Act,
but gave no indication which parts would make the cut.
- Hudson
Taylor is the man. This ally, who now is the wrestling coach at
Columbia University, has created non-profit called Athlete Ally. The
group’s mission? To “[encourage] all individuals involved in sports to respect
every member of their communities, regardless of perceived or actual
sexual-orientation or gender identity or expression, and to lead others in doing
the same.”
