Egypt Election: Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Could Face...
-
Bradley Manning Faces Life Sentence, While Criminals WikiLeaks Exposed Have Suffered No Consequences–Glenn Greenwald
We speak with constitutional lawyer and Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald about the military pretrial hearing now underway for alleged U.S. Army whistleblower Bradley Manning, who has been accused of releasing classified U.S. documents to WikiLeaks. Greenwald comments on the possible strategy being put forth by Manning’s...December 19, 2011 | Story -
"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Ban on Gay and Lesbians in the U.S. Military is Lifted
"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" is no more. The military’s longstanding ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers officially expired at 12:01 a.m. EDT earlier today. Congress passed a repeal of the ban last year, but President Obama had deferred its implementation until military leaders gave their approval....September 20, 2011 | Story -
Obama Withdraws Support for Anti- LGBT Defense of Marriage Act
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it will no longer defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages. Glenn Greenwald, a constitutional law attorney and legal blogger for Salon.com, who is openly gay, talks about the significance of this decision and how DOMA affected his...February 24, 2011 | Story -
In Historic Move, Senate Votes to Repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"
The Senate voted 63 to 31 on Thursday to repeal the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy. Eight Republicans joined with Democrats to approve the repeal and send the measure to President Obama for his signature. The bill passed in the House last week. We speak with former Navy commander Zoe Dunning....December 20, 2010 | Story -
With New Limits, US Military Reinstates "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"
The military’s seventeen-year-old ban on openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people from joining the US military is back on the books. But based on a new directive, only five senior military officials will be able to discharge service members for violating the policy. The change makes it harder for the military...October 22, 2010 | Story -
Does Opposing "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Bolster US Militarism? A Debate with Lt. Dan Choi and Queer Activist Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
We host a debate on whether the queer rights movement should be focused on repealing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law between Lt. Dan Choi and queer antiwar activist and writer Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore. Celebrating the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Sycamore says, only makes progressive movements in...October 22, 2010 | Story -
While Celebrating Halt to "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," Gay Rights Movement Confronts Teen Suicides, Homophobic Electioneering and Violent Attacks
The Nation's Richard Kim joins us to discuss some of the major issues facing the gay rights movement in America today, including Tuesday's decision by a federal judge to end the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy; the surge in gay teenagers committing suicide; the homophobic remarks of politicians...October 13, 2010 | Story -
In Landmark Ruling, Judge Rules "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Policy Is Unconstitutional
A federal judge has ruled the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy toward gay and lesbian members of the military is unconstitutional. Judge Virginia Phillips said she will issue an injunction that will halt the enforcement of the policy that allows gay men and lesbian to serve in the armed forces as long as...September 10, 2010 | Story -
"Why Did Obama Fire Dan Choi?." By Amy Goodman
Dan Choi was an Iraq War veteran, a graduate of West Point and a trained Arabic linguist. I ran into Choi the day after he received his official discharge for violating the military’s so-called "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy.August 04, 2010 | Blog Post -
"I Have No Regret to Anybody in the Military. This Is Clearly a Failure of Our Government"–Iraq War Vet Dan Choi Discharged Under "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"
“As we mark the end of America’s combat mission in Iraq,” President Barack Obama said this week, “a grateful America must pay tribute to all who served there.” He should have added “unless you’re gay,” because, despite his rhetoric, weeks earlier the commander-in-chief fired one of those Iraq vets: Lt. Dan Choi....August 04, 2010 | Story -
Progressives Divided over Obama’s Nomination of Elena Kagan to Supreme Court
President Obama is nominating Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. He is scheduled to make the announcement this morning at the White House. Kagan would replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens on the bench. If confirmed, the fifty-year-old Kagan would be the Court’s youngest member. She would become the...May 10, 2010 | Story -
In Historic First, Military Leaders Call for Repeal of Ban on Openly Gay Servicemembers
For the first time, the Pentagon’s top leaders have called for an end to "don’t ask, don’t tell," the military policy barring gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military. We get reaction from Alexander Nicholson, a former Army intelligence officer who was discharged for being gay, and...February 03, 2010 | Story -
"Lt. Choi Won’t Lie for His Country." By Amy Goodman
Lt. Dan Choi doesn’t want to lie. Choi, an Iraq war veteran and a graduate of West Point, declared last March 19 on “The Rachel Maddow Show,” “I am gay.” Under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” regulations, those three words are enough to get Choi kicked out of the military.October 14, 2009 | Blog Post -
"Love Is Worth It": Iraq War Vet Facing Discharge for Violating "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Helps Lead Massive Rally for Gay Rights
President Obama has once again pledged to repeal "don’t ask, don’t tell," which bars openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the military. But many queer activists are frustrated with Obama for neither following through on previous vows nor offering a new timetable. We speak with West Point graduate...October 13, 2009 | Story -
The Fight for Equality: A Look at the State of the Gay Rights Movement
Tens of thousands took to the streets of Washington, DC on Sunday to continue the nationwide fight for equal protection for LGBT people in all matters governed by civil law. It’s been described as the largest demonstration for gay rights in the nation’s capital in over a decade. We speak with attorney and longtime...October 13, 2009 | Story -
As Criticism of Obama Mounts within Gay Community, Gay Rights Pioneer Cleve Jones Calls for March for Equality on Washington
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed a memorandum to extend some, but not all, benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Comprehensive healthcare, for example, is not included. President Obama’s promise to work to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, Wednesday came one week after his administration filed a controversial legal brief supporting DOMA, an action which...June 19, 2009 | Story -
Former Army Secretary Clifford Alexander Calls on President Obama & Congress to Repeal Military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Policy
As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama vowed to work to overturn the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy on gays and lesbians in the military. But since taking office, Obama has made no specific move to do so. Last week, the Supreme Court decided not to hear a challenge to "don’t ask, don’t tell." In a brief, the Obama administration had said the “don’t...June 19, 2009 | Story -
Soldiers Prevented From Returning Home Sue Over "Stop-Loss" Policy As Others Forced Out of Military Sue Over "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Policy
Eight soldiers stationed in Iraq and Kuwait are filing a lawsuit against the Army’s stop-loss policy while 12 former soldiers forced out of the military are filing a lawsuit against the Pentagon’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy. [includes rush transcript]December 07, 2004 | Story -
Despite Increased Post-9/11 Need, Military Fires 37 Arabic Translators For Being Gay
The military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy has led the Pentagon to fire 37 Arabic translators at a time when the military needed them more than ever. We talk to Nathaniel Frank, senior research fellow at the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California, Santa Barbara. [Includes transcript]December 05, 2003 | Story -
Judge Tells Former Air Force Captain He Must Pay for Admitting He Is Gay
This week in San Francisco a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that former Air Force captain and psychiatrist JohnHensala owes the US Air Force more than $71,000 for his education because he failed to fulfill his military serviceobligation. Hensala was automatically discharged in 1994 under the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy when hetold the Air Force that he...June 01, 2001 | Story
Job Openings
Columns
By Amy Goodman with Denis Moynihan
Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, spoke Wednesday at the Pentagon, four stars on each shoulder, his chest bedecked with medals. Unlike Allen, many decorated U.S. military veterans left the streets of Chicago after the NATO summit without their medals.
Web Exclusives
In an extended interview, David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, discusses the history of the company, why they put sustainability and social justice ahead of profits, the organic and GMO labeling movements, the U.S. war on hemp, and why they refuse to sell out. [includes rush transcript]
Human Rights Watch’s Kenneth Roth examines why the U.S. has not pressured Bahrain to release pro-democracy activists. He also discusses Syria and the conditions in Israeli jails and courts that prompted 1,550 Palestinian prisoners to go on a hunger strike. [includes rush transcript]
