NYT editorial: Obama administration dithering on DADT

[Bluebear]

The Obama administration professes to oppose the odious and misguided policy of banning gay soldiers from serving openly in the military. So it was distressing to hear that the Justice Department plans to appeal a federal court order that the military immediately stop enforcing the law that is used to drum out gay service members once their sexual orientation becomes known.

We believe the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law was wrong from the day it was passed 17 years ago. But, in any case, circumstances have changed radically. As Judge Virginia Phillips pointed out when she ruled it unconstitutional, the original premises for the policy have been proved wrong, and there is no longer any good reason for continuing to ruin people’s lives by enforcing it...

The breadth and vigor of Judge Phillips’s ruling provided a welcome jolt to an issue that had been stagnating. The best solution by far — because it would reflect political consensus — would be for Congress to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” as President Obama has requested. The House voted to do that, but Republicans have blocked action in the Senate. The climate is apt to get worse for civil rights after the elections.

The next best solution was Judge Phillips’s injunction, which ordered the military to drop any investigation or discharge proceeding mounted under the law against any gay service member anywhere. The injunction would provide immediate relief to gay men and women while the political and judicial wrangling over whether to repeal the act moves sluggishly forward....

Now that the administration is expected to appeal Judge Phillips’s ruling unnecessarily, we hope the appeals court lets it take force immediately. It is unfair to persecute valued service members under an outmoded and harmful law that should have been scrapped long ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/opinion/14thu1.html

[Renew Deal]

1. Funny how often I read the word "dithering" since Cheney used it.

Must be a coincidence.

[HughMoran]

2. Sickens me

[FreeState]

3. Are you implying this is a GOP hit piece?n/t

[Bluebear]

8. Certainly sounds it.

[MrScorpio]

4. Barney Frank stated yesterday that the best thing that the Administration can do is "Nothing"

And wait for Congress to reconvene and square away everything in the lame duck session before anything else is done.

I happen to agree with Frank, since he's the one taking the lead on the Congressional side.

I find it odd that the editorial doesn't mention Frank's name at all and only makes a single mention of Congress.

Sounds like piling on the President to me.

[Starry Messenger]

5. Looks like the bat signal went up.

[QC]

7. Well, you know what they say....

[ruggerson]

6. Well I guess the Gray Old Lady doesn't know much about the constitution

;)

[Bluebear]

9. .