Color me pissed...

The Supreme Court has rejected the challenge to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy - at the request of the President.

I am...so disappointed. Part of me is hopefully that the Administration is detouring off this path so as to pave a new one once there are more of those pesky empathic judges on the Court or to approach the repeal of DADT from the executive order way.

But there is another part of me that remains skeptical that the most ludicrous law ever will remain on the books despite Obama's promise to the contrary.

(FWIW, this is not something the Congress officially has any say in, but they wouldn't be Congress if they didn't try to step in via the "power of the purse strings".)

I fail at policy today - I had it stuck in my brain it was an executive order when in fact it was passed by Congress. I still believe that any legislation on this issue won't move until Obama presents it to the Congress. No way Congress would do this on it's own.

EDIT #2 - I just had the ah-ha moment on this. If the Supreme Court had taken up this case, it would've put the Obama Administration in the awkward position of having to defend the policy. As the case is filed against the US government, the Solicitor General would've handled the case and thus the Administration would've officially gone on record as having to defend DADT and the ousting of gays from the US military.

I still think he needs to take a much grander stand on this, but it does seem to make sense in an oddly DC political way.

(and now I see the article I linked to says kind of the same thing...)

Lt Col Victor Ferenbach and DADT

To follow up on my previous post on my disappointment with Obama and his non-engagement on DADT, here is an interview with Lt Col Victor Ferenbach on Air America about his discharge from the Air Force after being outed by a civilian.

It is an incredible insightful piece with a man who loves to fly, loves the Air Force, and decided to fight his discharge when he heard Obama said he would fight DADT. And now he is out on the limb by himself and feels let down by Obama.

A few things to note:

1) When this became public, his commander told everyone that private lives are private and they have a mission to do. Ferenbach also said he has received primarily support from his fellow Airmen.

2) He said that if DADT was repealed, it really wouldn't affect anyone at all.

3) He addresses how kicking out gays is making the US military less effective - he is 6th in combat experience in his squadron - and how he's being discharged has upset the unit and made them trust others less because of what has happened to him.

4) The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has a petition to keep him in as the Sec of the Air Force has the final say. They also have much more information on DADT.

FWIW, part of why I find this issue so incredible is my own experience as an Air Force brat. When I was 11, a woman who use to babysit me was outed as a lesbian. The Air Force started proceedings to kick her out and my parents both went on record as disagreeing with the decision and how she was an excellent Airwoman and even better human being. I remember listening to them talk at night about how it was unfair and simply wrong. I've never forgotten that. Ever.

In the end, she was dishonorably discharged as this was before DADT. I will always remember as the woman who baked beer bread with me and taught me how to apply eyeshadow. Hell, when my mom and dad were both called away for a week, she was in charge of us. So for me, I can't shrug this off as an issue because it is so very real for me. And if my parents can say it's wrong when they are in the Air Force, I can certainly say it's wrong a few blocks away from the White House.

**Speak your mind even when your voice is shaking**