Because in an open letter to President Obama, the former first lieutenant says he’s going to “refuse to pay your claim” for the $2,500 or so the Army sent him a bill for, asking cash back for “the unearned portion” of his contract. You know, the part where he was paid, but didn’t complete service because he was, uh, discharged for being gay.
reason
They should have tied up that loophole during repeal, but I can see how it would have been contentious granted that they did break standing law to get kicked out. Then there is the whole thing about people that have been kicked out and payed the government back; to reimburse them they would have to pass a congressional resolution to provide those funds. That also could open the door to Pandora’s box. Dan should realize that we are moving forward from DADT not looking back and trying to kick up old poisonous dust that can ensnare the whole process and create bad blood up on capital hill as if there isn’t enough already. He broke the law and got kicked out justly/or unjustly, if he doesn’t pay the bill he risk ruining his credit, damaging his ability to apply for government grants, and risk the threat of being sued or even imprisoned. Keep your ring on your finger, pay the bill, and move forward.
[email protected]
Ah, UNreason, demonstrating what a Good Little German he is again. “Ya, Frau Goldstein, you have to pay for the bullets we used to kill your husband. It’s the law. You could have married a Christian.”
Pitiful, just pitiful.
And, no, you stupid fuck, congressional action would NOT be required to compensate/reimburse gays discharged. IN FACT, the ACLU is SUING your unrequited boyfriend, Barry, over just such an issue.
It was filed last November because, in violation of the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection and due process, the DOD under Obama continues to follow a 1991 “half-pay” policy that denies gays the full separation pay that nongays automatically get upon discharge.
None of this is related to DADT. Per federal law, *”Separation pay is granted to military personnel who served at least six years but were involuntarily discharged, part of an effort ease their transition into civilian life,” But, the DOD was left free to create policies however they wanted to administer it, sou under DOD policy 1332.29, IF YOU’RE GAY you only get 50%; putting gays in the same category as similarly denied alcoholics and drug addicts. Thus, for example, despite having served his country for NINE years, after being outed, gay Air Force Sgt. Richard Collins was cheated of over $12,000.
That he was discharged under Bush is irrelevant as *”the ACLU and the SLDN first contacted the Obama Defense Department in November 2009 [and several times thereafter] to request that the separation-pay policy be revised to eliminate the discrimination against gay and lesbian service members [and that Collins and others like him be fully paid], but the department has refused to do so. THE SEPARATION PAY ISSUE IS ENTIRELY WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION’S CONTROL. The administration can at least take a preliminary step toward backing up its rhetoric with action by addressing this issue promptly and protecting gay and lesbian service members from needless additional discrimination.” [At last Feb. 2nd’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sen. Levin asked Secretary Gates to look at the practice among those issues Gates promised to get back to the Committee about 45-days later. Nothing changed.]
ACLU/SLDN letters to Secretary Gates and the demonstrably homophobic Undersecretary of Defense Clifford Stanley [who is also in charge of “implementation” of “repeal”] can be read at:
http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/collins_demand_20100830.pdf
Further, in December, while the Pentagon Working Group report recommended no monetary compensation of any kind to those discharged under DADT, they said anyone, WITHOUT “congressional resolution, could petition for “redress through the Service Boards for the Correction of Military Records or Service Discharge Review Boards under the procedures and standards set forth by statute.” TRANSLATION: “Good luck with that.”
Is it not enough that the President had the unequivocal legal power under federal law 10 USC 12305 to stop Dan’s discharge in the interests of national security—AND the discharges of HUNDREDS of other gays discharged since he became President/Commander-in-Chief—yet CHOSE to do nothing about Dan or any other discharge HE personally described as both immoral and damaging to national security throughout his campaign for President and at the “Stonewall” celebration at the White House A YEAR BEFORE Dan was discharged?
Is it not enough that the DOD denied Dan permission to reenlist when he applied during that brief window before Mr. Obama’s Department of Justice blocked the LCR court ruling—a suit they continue to incomprehensibly fight even post passage of the “repeal” bill?
Now, Dan’s effectively received a Bill for Being Honest, just as, under Bush, Inc., Anthony Woods was sent a bill for $35,000 and Mara Boyd was sent one for $30,000, both for tuition payments, even though both, like Dan, wished to continue to serve.
Obama made Bush’s War in Afghanistan HIS war.
Bush’s “Patriot Act” HIS “Patriot Act.”
Bush’s Gitmo HIS Gitmo.
Bush’s refusal to treat honorably discharged gays the same way he treated discharged straights HIS refusal.
Ad nauseum.
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AndrewW
It’s just another cry for attention in the hopes it will revive Choi’s speaking business.
I agree with Reason – enough, already Dan. Grow up. Find a job. get on with your life.
It is also very telling when [email protected] is your biggest advocate.
Markie-Mark
@[email protected]: I find your posts to be very well informed, well written and well thought out. Thank you. I agree with you.