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20 Oct 2010 11:20

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U.S.: Oh yeah: Boy Scouts still legally allowed “Don’t Ask” policies

  • Don’t ask, don’t tell – Boy Scouts edition: Jon Langbert, the father of a 9-year-old Cub Scout and a leader within his local chapter, was removed from the position because he’s gay. Apparently, other members of the Dallas, Texas chapter complained, and the complaints eventually got really loud. The organization, by the way, does not allow gays or atheists to be in leadership positions, but says it would have let Langbert stay in his position if he chose not to publicize it. The Supreme Court, by the way, allowed this in a 2000 court decision. With all the attention that gay suicides are getting right now, we have a feeling that this will eventually become a tough position for the organization to hold onto culturally. (BTW, we were in scouting as kids.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Oct 2010 20:56

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U.S.: Gay (back) in the military: Welcome back to the Army, Dan Choi.

Hey Dan Choi, welcome back to the Army. Your public-face-of-the-movement fighting really helped keep this issue in the front burner. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Oct 2010 17:06

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Politics, U.S.: A civil rights double-play, and a good day for progressives

  • arizona’s immigration law When Arizona enacted a draconian immigration law last April, civil rights groups filed suit against it. This prompted Jan Brewer, the governor, to challenged the lawsuit in court. Today, a federal judge struck down her challenge, allowing the lawsuit to proceed.
  • don’t ask, don’t tell In 2004, the pro-gay GOP group Log Cabin Republicans filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department, arguing that DADT was unconstitutional. The (federal) judge agreed, and today issued an injunction against the policy, halting its enforcement. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Oct 2010 16:15

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U.S.: Breaking: Federal Judge issues injunction against DADT

  • a federal judge in Riverside, CA has issued a nationwide injunction against the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. The ruling is the result of a lawsuit filed by the Log Cabin Republicans, and once the injunction takes effect, enforcement of the policy will be halted. The Department of Justice has sixty days to appeal the ruling; however, they are not obligated to do so. They may just let it stand, as that would allow the Obama administration to claim a civil rights victory whilst side-stepping Congress and the military. Anyway, this is a big deal! source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 2 Comments • Permalink

21 Sep 2010 18:10

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Politics: Republicans: We’d rather defund the military than let gays serve in it

  • 3 votes short of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the Senate
  • SENATE DEMOCRATS FAILED to overcome a Republican filibuster of the annual Pentagon authorization bill, which contained a repeal of DODT. Since the bill’s passage is required in order fund the US military, it will likely be brought up again at a later date. Two Democrats, Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, voted against the bill, as did the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (for parliamentary reasons). source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 1 Comment • Permalink

21 Sep 2010 12:43

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Politics, U.S.: Sen. Susan Collins votes her conscience. Just kidding!

  • then Susan Collins, the moderate Republican Senator from Maine, previously voted to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell when the bill was in committee.
  • now Collins still opposes the policy, but because Sen. Harry Reid, the Majority leader, won’t allow unlimited amendments on the bill, she’ll be filibustering the repeal effort.
  • “I think it’s the right thing to do.” That’s how Collins feels about repealing DADT, the controversial policy that prohibits openly gay citizens from serving in the military; ending it is “only fair,” she said today. But Reid is limiting the number of amendments that can be added to the bill containing the repeal, and so she’s voting against it. Funny; if you think the bill does “the right thing,” shouldn’t the procedural stuff be a secondary consideration? After all, you came to the Senate to enact effective policy, not uphold Senate procedure. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 2 Comments • Permalink

21 Sep 2010 10:24

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Politics: John McCain plans to hold defense bill hostage over “Don’t Ask”

  • This is turning legislation related to our national defense and military preparedness into a vehicle to force a partisan agenda through the Senate, often on a party-line vote. Their desperation – because they see a Nov. 2 election coming up – is palpable.
  • Sen. John McCain • On his plans to filibuster the defense bill wending its way through the Senate because it includes a measure to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.” While McCain and the rest of his family supports repealing the measure, along with three-quarters of Americans, he feels that it should be done after the Pentagon completes its review of the impact the change would have on the military. Democrats are unsure if they have the 60 votes to override McCain’s appeal. They also claim he’s playing politics. Funny, because he claims they are. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

20 Sep 2010 20:59

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Politics: Lady Gaga says pretty much the greatest sentence ever

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Sep 2010 00:07

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U.S.: California federal judge: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” unconstitutional

  • In order to justify the encroachment on these rights, defendants faced the burden at trial of showing the don’t ask, don’t tell act was necessary to significantly further the government’s important interests in military readiness and unit cohesion. Defendants failed to meet that burden.
  • Judge Virginia A. Phillips • In a decision by a California federal judge that does for “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” what Judge Vaughn Walker did for Prop 8 earlier this summer. The suit was brought by the gay conservative group the Log Cabin Republicans, who are thrilled about the decision. The Family Research Council, however, isn’t so thrilled. “It is hard to believe that a District Court-level judge in California knows more about what impacts military readiness than the service chiefs who are all on record saying the law on homosexuality in the military should not be changed,” said FRC president Tony Perkins. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 May 2010 12:18

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Politics: Robert Gates: Give us feedback on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

  • Every man and woman in uniform is a vitally important part of this review. We need to hear from you and your families so that we can make these judgments in the most informed and effective manner. So please let us know how to do this right.
  • Defense Secretary Robert Gates • In a video regarding the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, a bill which is currently making its way through Congress. Eventually, if and when it passes (which is likely), Gates is going to have to have his people deal with it directly. There is a big compromise involved here. The bill basically says, “OK, military, you guys decide if this makes sense for you,” and then they’ll decide. Which means the weight’s on Gates and the rest of the military. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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