"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

More Questions Than Answers

This post by Victor Maldonado at Pam's House Blend is, as is pointed out in the comments, a little off. It concerns Witt v. United States Air Force, a challenge to DADT that has just had a decision by the Ninth Circuit that looks like a win for Witt: the administration will not appeal that ruling and will allow the case to be retried at the District level, with the requirement that the government produce evidence that Maj. Witt's sexual orientation itself produces problems for her unit.

However, Maldonado is giving Obama too much credit here, as pointed out by commenter Michael Bedwell. It's not Obama who is giving Witt her day in court, but the court itself. Yes, the administration could challenge that ruling, but I suspect it doesn't want to drag this before the Supreme Court yet. Yet.

What bothers me about it is that Obama -- or his Justice Department -- are not only throwing this issue to the courts -- the right's favorite target on alternate Wednesday -- but that they are promsing to defend DADT. Yes, I know Obama's supposed to uphold the law, but he has plenty of options for not doing so when it's a bad law.

Of course, this could be Bush holdovers in Justice -- notoriously politicized under Bush -- running amok.

Interesting to see how this plays out, particularly given the fact that the MSM has finally noticed gay issues. (But really, that's probably only because they see it as a way of sticking it to Obama, yes? Otherwise, they could give a s**t.)

No comments: