Topic >> Iraq

Supreme Court refuses to hear case challenging Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

lgbt, politics No Comments »

U.S. Supreme CourtThis 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.


Decorated Army Ranger: “Gays and lesbians serve honorably in War on Terror”

activism, lgbt, politics No Comments »

hughesdadtIn the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal today, Army Ranger sergeant and Iraq war vet Brian Hughes, makes the case that gays and lesbians have served honorably in the War on Terror, and presents a clear and cogent argument on why the Obama administration needs to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

I was a line infantryman in the Army’s Ranger regiment from 2000-04, earning a promotion to sergeant within three years. In that time, my platoon performed dozens of combat missions on the front lines. Our lives depended on complete mutual trust.

Several of my colleagues knew I was gay. We lived in the closest possible conditions. When there were showers, we showered together. When we were out overnight on the cold, bare mountains of Afghanistan, we slept huddled together for warmth. It should go without saying that there was nothing remotely sexual about these situations. We had uncomfortable experiences — we were at war, after all — but my buddies were never uncomfortable with me.

Today the strongest resistance to overturning “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” may not come from the military, which polls show mostly supports repeal, nor from social conservatives, who are not in power. Rather, there are many Democratic leaders and strategists who blame the issue of gays in the military for damaging the beginning of Bill Clinton’s presidency. They fear it could have the same effect on Mr. Obama.

The truth is that public opinion has moved dramatically on this issue. Public support for repeal consistently polls above 75% — well above Mr. Obama’s approval ratings. The fact that support is above 90% for men and women aged 18-29 should put to rest any worries that repeal could interfere with recruitment.

Here at home, every government service is integrated, including the paramilitary sections of the CIA that work hand in glove with the armed services. The presence of gays in these organizations is a nonissue. The idea that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines would have any greater difficulty adjusting is an insult to their professionalism.

Democrats have an opportunity to burnish their national security credentials by strengthening the military. It’s time for Congress and the Obama administration to order the full integration of gays and lesbians in the armed services.

Hughes served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, and was awarded the Commendation Medal twice for his service. While serving he participated in the rescue operation that brought Jessica Lynch home. Hughes received an honorable discharge when he came out in 2004.


“Mother of all Believers” used rape to recruit suicide bombers

religion, video 2 Comments »

Iraqi woman Samira Jassim confessed to organizing the rape of more than 80 women, and then convinced them to be suicide bombers to escape their shame.

28 times.

[flvplayer /video/iraqiwoman.flv 440 320]


People do the most horrible things because their “belief system” demands it… and this is the worst I’ve heard in a very long time. Put succinctly by PZ Meyers over at Pharyngula, “This is where a pathologically religious culture can end up: with parasites like this who exploit the fear and hatred to create more fear and hatred.”

Full story.


And the World Holds its Breath: Election Day

politics 1 Comment »

Two years is a lifetime to wait for change. But finally the day is upon us. From eighteen. To two. To ONE.

Many of us have been waiting longer than 2 years. Much longer. Sometimes patiently, and sometimes with tremendous urgency, we waited for a sign, some moment in time that would begin to ease the weight of the past years transgressions, and begin to move us to a better place. I remember that moment for me back in 2004 where there was a whiff of hope, a suggestion that things could truly be different, and better.

“.. alongside our famous individualism, there’s another ingredient in the American saga, a belief that we are all connected as one people.

If there’s a child on the south side of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child.

If there’s a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for their prescription and having to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandparent.

If there’s an Arab-American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties.

It is that fundamental belief — it is that fundamental belief — I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sisters’ keeper — that makes this country work.

It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family: “E pluribus unum,” out of many, one.

Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes.

Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America.

There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.

The pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue States: red states for Republicans, blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states.

We coach little league in the blue states and, yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the red states.

There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq, and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq.

We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism, or do we participate in a politics of hope?”

So here we are on this final day. And the world is holding its breath, watching us, waiting to see what will happen next.

Do they wonder if we will elect our first African-American president?

No.

Do they wonder if our next president will finally bring the war in Iraq to a close?

No.

Do they wonder if our next president will lead the way on the issues that matter most in this new century, like terrorism, poverty and climate change?

No.

They wonder if we will choose hope.

Vote.