Judge orders 'don't ask, don't tell' injunction

[one...two...tree 2,762]

SAN DIEGO – A federal judge issued a worldwide injunction Tuesday stopping enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, ending the military's 17-year-old ban on openly gay troops.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips' landmark ruling was widely cheered by gay rights organizations that credited her with getting accomplished what President Obama and Washington politics could not

"This order from Judge Phillips is another historic and courageous step in the right direction, a step that Congress has been noticeably slow in taking," said Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans.

He was the sole named veteran plaintiff in the case along with the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights organization that filed the lawsuit in 2004 to stop the ban's enforcement.

U.S. Department of Justice attorneys have 60 days to appeal. Legal experts say the department is under no legal obligation to do so and could let Phillips' ruling stand.

Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said the government was reviewing Phillips' ruling Tuesday and had no immediate comment.

Legal experts say government attorneys are not likely to let the ruling stand since Obama has made it clear he wants Congress to repeal the policy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101012/ap_on_re_us/us_gays_in_military

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Judicial activism ftl.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Judicial activism ftl.

Yeah, screw equality, civil rights, all that stuff is just elitist liberal-speak.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Yeah, screw equality, civil rights, all that stuff is just elitist liberal-speak.

Did I say that? No, I said it's judicial activism. An individual court is writing law on its own, which is does not have the authority to have. A judge does not have the authority to "suspend" the law at will.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Did I say that? No, I said it's judicial activism. An individual court is writing law on its own, which is does not have the authority to have. A judge does not have the authority to "suspend" the law at will.

Yes Paul, sometimes our laws need to be interpreted because society is eternally changing. The horror.

[Wayne and Claudia 40]

Yes Paul, sometimes our laws need to be interpreted because society is eternally changing. The horror.

Interpreted? No interpretation to it. Law is law, black and white.

[evli1966 88]

Interpreted? No interpretation to it. Law is law, black and white.

Not necessarily.

I agree we need judicial intervention in a lot of the BS laws being passed.

There are a lot of BS laws being made out of ignorance, hatred and anger which are affecting not only gays but other adults and now our children.

While this particular law affects Gays making them 2nd class US citizens there are a rash of new laws making people and children 2nd class citizens.

These Judiciaries are protecting citizens which is where I differ in opinion on where they need to step in.