'Don't ask, don't tell' policy under fire during Air Force nurse's trial

[unhappycamper]

'Don't ask, don't tell' policy under fire during Air Force nurse's trial
By Rob Carson | The (Tacoma) News Tribune
Posted on Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Maj. Margaret Witt, the lesbian flight nurse fighting to get her Air Force job back, got her day in court Monday, and it turned into a free-for-all assault on the government's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Witt's attorneys and four witnesses who testified in her behalf said homosexuality is a non-issue in today's military and Witt never should have lost her job in the first place.

"The time for 'don't ask, don't tell' has ended," said Sarah Dunne, the legal director of Washington ACLU and the leader of Witt's legal team. "America is in a different place, and so is the U.S. military."

Witt was suspended in 2004 for being a lesbian and was honorably discharged. She challenged the constitutionality of her dismissal, and a 2008 appeals court ruling sent the case back to U.S. District Court in Tacoma for a determination by Judge Ronald B. Leighton.

In her opening statement, Dunne rejected the notion that Witt's presence caused morale problems in the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord, a unit that she said has a 30-year history of tolerance.

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[HillWilliam]

2. K&R number 5

Perhaps DADT will be deemed unconstitutional a second time? Could lightning strike twice.

Anything's possible. Neither Congress nor the WH have gotten off their dead arses. Perhaps a stream of decisions favorable to us will finally rock the boat far enough.

I can hope.