This is hardly a surprise, considering the current makeup of the Supreme Court… From AP News:

Without comment, the nation’s highest court denied a review of an appeal from former Army Capt. James Pietrangelo II, who was in the Vermont National Guard when he was discharged in 2004.

“I think this decision is an absolute travesty of justice and I think every judge on this court should be ashamed of themselves,” said Pietrangelo, who served six years in the Army, seven years in the Vermont National Guard and fought in Iraq in 1991. “It’s nothing short of rubber stamping legalized discrimination.”

“The Supreme Court is not infallible, they get things wrong, and they got it wrong this time,” added Pietrangelo, who now lives in Ohio.

In court papers, the government said a Boston-based appeals court ruled correctly when it threw out Pietrangelo’s case because the policy is “rationally related to the government’s legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.”

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council approved of the court’s actions, “Military service is a privilege, not a right, and anything that detracts from the ability of our service personnel to fulfill their mission should be prohibited.”

This is the first time a case asking to overturn Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has ever reached the Supreme Court. The Obama administration has refused to take steps to repeal the ban despite promises made during the campaign, preferring to leave it in the hands of Congress to overturn.

A new Gallup poll shows conservatives and weekly churchgoers now in favor of allowing open gays and lesbians to serve in the military, up 12 and 11 points respectively  since 2004. From Gallup:

The finding that majorities of weekly churchgoers (60%), conservatives (58%), and Republicans (58%) now favor what essentially equates to repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy implemented under President Clinton in 1993 is noteworthy for several reasons. First, the data show that these traditionally conservative groups are shifting on this issue, supporting it to a far greater extent than they support legalized gay marriage. Second, it suggests the political playing field may be softer on this issue, and President Barack Obama will be well-positioned to forge ahead with his campaign promise to end the military ban on openly gay service members with some support from more conservative segments of the population. To date, it is estimated that more than 12,500 servicemen and servicewomen have been discharged under the policy, including more than 200 since Obama took office.

The question Gallup asked was:

“Do you favor or oppose allowing openly gay men and lesbian women to serve in the military?”

I wonder if moving the word “open” to later in the question would have affected the outcome of the poll…

“Do you favor or oppose allowing gay men and lesbian women to serve “openly” in the military?”

Just curious… In the mind of a wingnut…would it make a difference? I suspect it might.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has vehemently denied allegations by Daily Beast reporter Jason Bellini that they had lobbied to delay DADT in favor of ENDA and hate crimes legislation. HRC responded with the following statement:

“This story is not only an outright lie, it is recklessly irresponsible. HRC never made such a deal and continues to work with congress and the administration on a full range of equality issues including a swift end to the military’s shameful ban on lesbian and gay servicemembers.”

However in an interview with Sirius radio host Michael Signorile several weeks ago, the allegations against HRC seem to be confirmed by Dr. Aaron Belkin, Director the Palm Center, a research institute which focuses on sexual minorities in the military. Belkin addresses the issue in the interview with Signorile at around the 2:20 mark.

The anti-gay lobby must be having a good laugh at our expense.

A Fresno hospital denied Teresa Rowe access to her partner Kristin Orbin who suffered a seizure and collapsed after Meet in the Middle 4 Equality march on May 30th.

The discrimination began shortly after the paramedics arrived. Orbin described her ordeal on Examiner.com.

“By that time, I was going in and out of consciousness.  The paramedics wanted nothing to do with Teresa and she had to practically fight them to be allowed to ride in the ambulance.  I remember one of them was very nice and agreed to let her ride with me in the back.  Once we got to the hospital, they wheeled me into a hallway and left me, refusing to allow Teresa to be with me.”

Orbin said the paramedic told the nurse on duty that she had collapsed after marching 14 miles for civil rights, and the nurse gave her a dirty look and said “ooooh.”  She continued, “I asked if Teresa could come back with me, but the nurse told me I was in a no visitor zone. When I asked her why everyone else had visitors, she said ‘those people are different’.”

They refused to take my medical cards from her.  They refused Teresa’s offer to have my advance directive and power of attorney faxed over from UCSF.”

Orbin said she asked the nurses several times if Rowe could join her, but each time they refused.

“They just kept looking at my Marriage Equality shirt and giving me dirty looks,” she said.

Orbin and Rowe were not reunited until a doctor intervened a few hours later.

As a result of the incident the couple is considering legal action and has contacted the ACLU for advice.

There are laws on books here in California that protect not just gays and lesbians from this kind of discrimination, but everyone. Except apparently, in Fresno.