Breaking: Judge orders lesbian reinstated to Air Force

[Contrary1]

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon

TACOMA, Wash.—A federal judge says the Air Force violated the constitutional rights of a highly decorated flight nurse when it discharged her for being gay, and ordered that she be given her job back as soon as possible.
U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton issued his highly anticipated ruling Friday in the case of former Maj. Margaret Witt. She was discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays serving in the military and sued to get her job back.

In 2008, a federal appeals court panel ruled in her case that the military can't discharge people for being gay unless it proves their firing furthered military goals.

After a six-day trial, the judge said testimony proved Witt was an outstanding nurse and her reinstatement would do nothing to hurt unit morale...

More: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_16162048

[GrantDem]

1. This is great news...

K&R

[azmesa207]

48. Suck

on that MCCain you Lying sack of S***

[bullwinkle428]

2. Let this open the floodgates...

[Oceansaway]

3. wooooohoooooo !!...nt

[BlueIris]

4. Yay for SANITY. nt

[truedelphi]

5. Thank you for posting this. K & R. n/t

[blondeatlast]

6. Wonderful news! nt

[Jeffersons Ghost]

7. K&R

[handmade34]

8. great news

we need it to keep coming...

[Nikki Stone1]

9. K & R.

.

[boston bean]

10. Excellent news!!!

[David Zephyr]

11. Civil Rights are Civil Rights.

And equal protection under the law is equal protection under the law.

K&R. Thanks, Contrary1, for breaking the story here. :)

[elleng]

12. BEAUTIFUL!!!

[Romulox]

13. Well decided Judge Leighton! nt

[backscatter712]

14. YES!!!!

SUCK IT, FUNDIES!!!

Where's your imaginary asshole in the sky now?!

[Terra Alta]

15. This is good news.

Hopefully DADT will be repealed once and for all soon.

[Irishonly]

16. Great news

I wish our legislative and executive branch would catch up with the judicial branch. In my world equal rights are a no brainer and I am flummoxed as to why it is taking so long.

[stevenleser]

17. K&R

[laughingliberal]

18. Big K & R! nt

[myrna minx]

19. K&R

:applause:

[gratuitous]

20. Motion for stay and notice of appeal to be filed in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1

By the fierce advocates.

[LonePirate]

21. Surely the Obama administration wouldn't appeal or do something contrary to what Obama and Gibbs say

That never happens, especially not on this issue or any issue that is so near and dear to the minds and hearts of progressives.

[QC]

23. Don't worry--plenty of people will tell you that appealing is actually

not only a good thing to do, but indeed the only thing to do in such a case as this one, and besides, you never truly loved him anyway.

[etherealtruth]

22. Excellent

[Ohio Joe]

24. K&R - nt

[Ignis]

25. B-b-but the Senate...

Yeah. Change can happen, if you want it hard enough. But it takes action, not simply words.

Here's a hearty :yourock: to this judge for upholding the Constitution.

[TexasObserver]

26. Recommend

[katandmoon]

27. K&R

[ruggerson]

28. recommended n/t

[terrya]

29. Congratulations to Major Witt....and I thank her for her service to our country.

[HockeyMom]

30. I think the majority of the country,

as much as the religious right denies it, has come to accept the gay citizenry as human beings and AMERICANS in daily life, and if they are doing the jobs they were hired to do, deserve to be treated just like everyone else. They younger generation sees this even more so, and are they wave of our future.

Kuddos to the nurse from the Mom of a lesbian daughter.

[VMI Dem]

31. 1000x rec.

[Starry Messenger]

32. k & r

!!!

[HuckleB]

33. K & R!!!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

34. It's a good day...

We're hearing the death rattle of an unjust policy. The judge's ruling is a powerful statement.

[defendandprotect]

35. Encouraging .... !!

[EFerrari]

36. K&R

[democrank]

37. Terrific!

[happygoluckytoyou]

38. DAMN GAY AGENDA.... 1)wake up 2)heal people 3)wear comfortable shoes

[Cherchez la Femme]

42. & a terrarist fist-jab to you!

:fistbump:

[Bluebear]

39. I'm sure the DOJ appeal is being written as we speak. nt.

[Cherchez la Femme]

44. Argh, you're very probably right. No fist-bump for you!

How about a :hug: as a brother?

[Bluebear]

45. My pleasure.

:hug:

[QC]

49. Bluebear never really loved him!

:cry:

[DirtyDawg]

40. I realilze that...

...the original article used the same headline, but I find it - the headline - somewhat less than 'respectful' of who this woman is and what this as all about. Nothing wrong with being a lesbian or being called a lesbian, but this is about the judge ordering the Air Force to reinstate a 'Major' and a decorated flight nurse. That she happens to be lesbian isn't the story or at least shouldn't be the 'gist' of the story as a headline is supposed to represent. Plus, the word 'lesbian' never appeared in the body of the article and, I'll bet, in the judge's order in the first place. That's just how this struck me and I wanted to mention it.

[rusty fender]

43. Being a lesbian was the ONLY reason she was dismissed!

:wtf: That IS the story.

[Alcibiades]

41. An 18-year career gone in a blink of an eye

Finally, a measure of justice for Major Witt. Hopefully, the military will hold to the standard set in this ruling.

[ooglymoogly]

46. KR the good news. nt

[pleah]

47. K&R