Free Republic

Vancouver, Washington: The archaic, confusing and discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" policy of the U.S. military apparently will linger indefinitely. A noncommital U.S. Supreme Court and a reluctant President Obama are seeing to that. On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear a legal challenge to the policy that attempts to ban known homosexuals from serving in the military. According to The Washington Post, the Obama administration "had urged the justices not to hear the appeal against the policy, even though Obama is on record as opposing it." The president opposed don't ask, don't tell during the campaign last year,...

Give credit to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who at least has been honest about shelving President Obama's campaign promise to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell ban on gays in the military. Most gay rights groups, the rest of the Obama administration and congressional champions are pretending that repeal is still on anyone's agenda. Obama budget details out today provide money for continuing to enforce the policy, even as it becomes ever more obsolete with five states now sanctioning gay marriage. The military had made clear that it has no appetite to move on repeal.

In December of 1992, even before he began his first term as President, Bill Clinton announced a controversial policy related to the service of homosexuals in the military called, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT). At the time, the Clinton administration was seriously lobbying Congress to change federal law which prevented openly homosexual individuals from serving in the United States Armed Forces. Clinton's plan was met by furious criticism from political conservatives as well as military members who said such tampering with federal law and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) would negatively impact the nation's ability to defend itself....

At private powwow, clinton discusses LGBT issues Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke to a group of about 40 LGBT leaders and elected officials last Wednesday at a meeting organized by Gary Parker, founder of the Greater Voices coalition of New York City’s progressive LGBT political clubs. In a fairly informal Q&A discussion, Sen. Clinton said she would work to repeal the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, she would support the New York State legislature if it legalized same-sex marriage, and that she thought using the terms "civil unions" or "domestic partnerships" instead of "marriage" was the best strategy for getting...

Supreme Court upholds college military recruiting law By Gina Holland The Associated Press WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that colleges that accept federal money must allow military recruiters on campus, despite university objections to the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays. Justices rejected a free-speech challenge from law school professors who claimed they should not be forced to associate with military recruiters or promote their campus appearances. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the decision, which was unanimous. Law schools had become the latest battleground over the "don't ask, don't tell" policy allowing gay men and...

If you’re an "undocumented" illegal immigrant, and you need medical attention–well, get on the "gravy train" for free healthcare compliments of our government, and struggling taxpayers to the tune of $1 billion smackeroos, set aside for your medical costs in six states. There’s only one small hurdle, but I’m sure you’ve already had a lot of practice in getting past the hurdle before. It is quite simple: just don’t admit that you’re an illegal immigrant. And to help you beat the system, and get by with your illegal activity–congress has ordered the "don’t ask" policy to hospital staffs throughout the...

WASHINGTON — At first, it seemed to Army Spc. Tommy Cook to be just another hateful comment. "A soldier we all knew was gay had walked by our truck," said Cook, who at the time was about to be deployed to Iraq. "My sergeant said, `If I ever find out anyone in my crew is gay, I would kill him.' " But when Cook, 22, thought more about it, he decided it was time to come out of the closet after working for three years under the military's controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. Cook, from Angleton, reported the incident...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A National Guardsman who pleaded guilty to killing a 17-year-old Iraqi soldier said he shot the young man after they had consensual sex in a guard tower, a newspaper reported Saturday, citing court-martial records. Pvt. Federico Daniel Merida, 21, pleaded guilty to murder without premeditation and other charges during a court-martial in Iraq in September. Merida was sentenced Sept. 25 to 25 years in prison and reduced in rank and will be dishonorably discharged. He is being held at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., a Leavenworth spokeswoman said. Army officials at Forward Operating Base Danger, where the court-martial was...

I do stand up comedy. Jeff Foxworthy has his "You Might Be A Redneck..." I have "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". I began writing this when I thought how Bill Clinton threw the gay movement a bone to shut them up.

Citing the precedent set by the US Supreme Court ruling in the Texas sodomy case, a decorated Vietnam Combat Veteran filed suit late yesterday with the US Court of Federal Claims challenging the constitutionality of the 'don't ask, dont tell' policy.The challenge filed by LTC Steve Loomis, who was ousted from the Army for being gay just 8 days prior to his 20 year retirement date in 1997, also challenges the federal anti sodomy statute covering the military.The lawsuit is based on the recent US Supreme Court opinion in Lawrence v. Texas which declared that the Texas Sodomy Statute violated...

<p>ATLANTA — During his keynote address at a black-tie dinner here Saturday, U.S. Sen. John Edwards (search) voiced his support for adoptions by gay parents.</p> <p>The North Carolina senator, one of nine Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination, isn't the only one courting gay voters. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (search) has touted a law he signed allowing civil unions for gays and lesbians. U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, a decorated Vietnam veteran, makes has said gays should be allowed to serve in the military.</p>

ATLANTA (AP) — During his keynote address at a black-tie dinner here Saturday, Sen. John Edwards voiced his support for adoptions by gay parents. The North Carolina senator, one of nine Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination, isn't the only one courting gay voters. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean has touted a law he signed allowing civil unions for gays and lesbians. U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, a decorated Vietnam veteran, makes has said gays should be allowed to serve in the military.Bill Clinton made history in 1992 by openly courting gay voters en route to the White...

Saddam Hussein's forces have been routed, and the fighting is wrapping up in Iraq. Now other missions begin in earnest: Rooting out terrorists, tracking down chemical and biological weapons and destroying Iraq's arsenal of missiles - all while helping the Iraqis build a new government. There already have been successes. Exhibit No. 1 is the capture of terrorist ringleader Abu Abbas, the Palestinian murderer who organized the 1985 Achille Lauro hijacking. New Yorkers remember that atrocity well. Four men dispatched by Abbas commandeered the Italian cruise liner and separated the Jews from the other passengers. Manhattanite Leon Klinghoffer objected to...

Gays in the military 'Don't ask, don't tell' being fought again 2/11/03 By LEAH ETLING NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER Vicki Wagner is a lesbian comedian whose act is about getting kicked out of the military, something that really happened to her. Her jokes get big laughs, but there's an underlying seriousness to the message. The outrage Ms. Wagner has about her own dismissal from the Air Force kicks in when she thinks about a possible war. "This is a volunteer military. If a gay person wants to volunteer to give up their life that's their right to serve their country and...

<p>Harvard Law School has lifted its longstanding ban on military recruiting on its campus, saying that it had ''no reasonable alternative'' in the face of the Department of Defense's stepped-up enforcement of a six-year-old law.</p> <p>The law school's ban, a protest of the military's policy against gays serving openly in the armed forces, risked costing Harvard University an annual $328 million in federal funding, according to law school Dean Robert C. Clark.</p>