Obama administration: Gay DADT victims will only get half their separation pay

[Bluebear]

WHO RUNS THIS ADMINISTRATION?

This isn't even separate but equal. It's separate and unequal.

I'll let the ACLU describe the hideous position the Pentagon - that would be Barack Obama's Pentagon - just reiterated today:

Congress made a judgment that military personnel who serve their country for at least six years and are honorably discharged should get separation pay. The Department of Defense decided to cut that separation pay in half for any service member who is discharged for "homosexuality." The ACLU has filed a class action lawsuit challenging that discriminatory internal policy of the Department of Defense as unconstitutional. The separation-pay policy is not part of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the Department can change it immediately without waiting for congressional approval.

The lead plaintiff in the case is Richard Collins, a decorated former staff-sergeant in the U.S. Air Force who served for nine years until he was discharged from service under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Mr. Collins's superiors learned that he is gay when two civilian co-workers observed him exchange a kiss with his civilian boyfriend. Mr. Collins received an honorable discharge from the Air Force but discovered after the discharge had been completed that his separation pay had been cut in half on the grounds of "homosexuality."

How hard is it for someone in the White House to stand up and run this country? President Obama is commander in chief. He has the power to change this bigoted policy. And for some reason, he won't. And coming on the news that Dan Choi and other gay vets are basically being fined for their own discharges, you really have to ask yourself what is wrong with this administration?

http://gay.americablog.com/2011/01/dod-says-today-that-gay-dadt-victims.html

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[BzaDem]

2. Nevermind

[chollybocker]

3. Only half? Not even 3/5ths?

:eyes:

And then they mail a fucking bill to Dan Choi, for him to pay for his own expulsion - at the standard military rate, I guess.

Why is William Gates?

[Catherina]

9. You beat me to it. n/t

[Bluebear]

12. +

[IntravenousDemilo]

4. A gay soldier is apparently only three-fifths of a soldier.

... oh, whoops, my mistake -- not even three-fifths!

[struggle4progress]

5. ... The policy began in 1991 ...

ACLU suing Pentagon over separation pay for gays
By Ed O'Keefe
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/11/aclu_suing_pentagon_over_separ.html

That is, the policy began twenty years ago, in the Bush I era, continued through the entire Clinton era, and continued through the entire Bush II era, but now the wedge-drivers have decided to tar Obama

[GodlessBiker]

6. Why doesn't he change it?

Others didn't claim to be our fierce advocate, but he did.

[struggle4progress]

8. Mighta kinda made more sense to promote it as an issue before DADT was repealed,

but if you've just gotten interested in it, why not just write a nice letter to the WH asking for what you want?

[Dappleganger]

7. What the fuck???

I will say it again...


What. the. fuck?

[Catherina]

10. Insult added to injury. Rec'd n/t

[struggle4progress]

11. ACLU link is dated 10 November, not "today." DADT discharges had stopped in October,

and repeal passed 22 December. Mr Collins was discharged in 2006; I hope he wins his lawsuit, but the material issue for him has nothing to do with the current president