tagged w/ gays in military
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A federal judge on Monday tentatively refused to lift her worldwide injunction ordering the U.S. military to immediately cease enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" law governing gay and lesbian service personnel.
U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips said during a hearing in her Riverside court she would finalize the tentative ruling by today.
Phillips said in court that the government's arguments were vague, late and insufficient to meet any legal burden of turning back her injunction.
Attorneys for the Justice Department already have said they will immediately take the matter to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals if Phillips ultimately upholds the injunction she issued last week. http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_dontask19.20f56dc.htmlA federal judge on Monday tentatively refused to lift her worldwide injunction... more
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News regarding queer (gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, friends, family, and allies) military issues. Not restricted to U.S. militaryNews regarding queer (gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, friends, family, and... more
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Top US Marine rejects Obama plan to repeal gay ban
Feb 25 06:15 PM US/Eastern
The head of the US Marines said on Thursday he opposed ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military, the first top officer to break openly with President Barack Obama over the issue.
General James Conway told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he disagreed with Obama's plan to repeal the ban.
"My best military advice to this committee, to the (defense) secretary, and to the president would be to keep the law such as it is."
Conway said the current policy worked and any bid to lift the ban should answer the question: "do we somehow enhance the war fighting capabilities of the United States Marine Corps by allowing homosexuals to openly serve?"
Conway's public rejection of his commander-in-chief's stance is sure to fuel debate in Congress on the issue and reflects apprehension among some senior military officers about changing the 1993 law.
The chiefs of the US Army and Air Force also expressed doubts about lifting the ban at congressional hearings this week, saying they were concerned about putting the military under further strain in the midst of two wars.
But Conway went further, making it clear he opposed lifting the ban that requires gay service members to keep quiet about their sexual orientation or face expulsion from the military.
His comments contrasted sharply with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, who has spoken forcefully in favor of ending the ban.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has called for a review of the issue to survey service members and examine the possible effect of changing the law, known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
Senator Joe Lieberman disagreed with Conway, saying he believed the review would show that allowing gays to serve openly would bolster the military's battle readiness.
"This has to pass the test of military readiness. I believe it will based on my knowledge of what's happened in other militaries," he said, citing British and Canadian forces who serve alongside American troops in Afghanistan.
Copyright AFP 2008, AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any mediumTop US Marine rejects Obama plan to repeal gay ban
Feb 25 06:15 PM US/Eastern... more
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested there's no time to debate the end of the military’s discrimination against gays against a backdrop of economic crisis, duo-war, and unemployment. That's bunk, yet he’s right in one respect - we could save a lot of time by repealing DADT now.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested there's no time to debate... more
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