Something Is Wrong With This Picture
Something is Wrong With This Picture
It was reported this week that a Navy captain and former astronaut who plead guilty to felony burglary and misdemeanor battery charges was sentenced to one year of probation.
[Lisa] Nowak confronted her romantic rival, Colleen Shipman, in the parking lot of Orlando International Airport in February 2007 after driving from Houston. Shipman had begun dating Nowak's love interest, former space shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein.
Wearing a wig and trenchcoat, Nowak followed Shipman to the parking lot and tried to get into her car, then attacked her with pepper spray. Shipman was able to drive away.
Police arrested Nowak a short time later in the parking lot near a trash can where she was seen getting rid of a bag. In Nowak's bag police found a steel mallet, a knife, a BB pistol, rubber tubing and several large garbage bags.
So let’s make sure I have this straight: a gay service member who was outed is discharged while a captain who faces life in prison, and who violates the UCMJ for adultery and assault, gets off with a virtual slap on the wrist? And as if that weren’t bad enough, she continues to collect paychecks and will likely be able to retire with benefits. Something is wrong with this picture.
11-13-09 By Liz Feuerbach, Communications Intern |
11 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Mike Gorman in Stockton, Ca on November 21, 2009 at 08.29 pm
Because people and politicians that support DADT, are sponsored by the “moral majority”. Those are people like Gerry Falwell and Elaine Donelly who answer to the church. These are also the same people who slammed the Mathew Shepard Act saying they shouldn’t be responsible for hate they preach to their congregations.
Sharon Flanigan in Pennsylvania on November 17, 2009 at 04.22 pm
Ok, but all I hear from the people who are against over turning the DADT is that their rules are working for our service memebers??? Can someone please explain that one to me???
Rich on November 17, 2009 at 02.11 pm
The time isn’t right? We’ve only been waiting 15 years since DADT was first enacted, through Republican majorities in Congress and a Republican President that made any repeal of DADT impossible. Now, after waiting all that time and watching the rest of society progress beyond the discriminatory attitudes that created DADT, we are supposed to let this current opportunity pass by and wait until the “right time?”
When will the right time be? After the Republicans regain control of the Congress in next year’s referendum on the unemployment situation?
We’ve already taken too long to seize this opportunity.
Martin in DC on November 17, 2009 at 02.07 pm
Unfortunately these things do take time. Every representative counts, please don’t negate the support.
It is important to lobby…lobby….lobby and continue to lobby.
The government is very busy right now, more so then usuall. And with a large opposition, as sad as it is, I still feel the time isn’t right.
Rich on November 16, 2009 at 07.12 pm
I gather from the lack of hearings that the can is being kicked down the road yet again. The only voice advertising the hearings in the Senate was Sen. Gillibrand—a freshman with no influence whatsoever on any other Senators. A freshman is not ever going to set the Senate agenda. Meanwhile, that’s the sound of crickets you hear from the Senate leadership.
In the House, Rep. Barney Frank is promising a repeal in the next defense authorization bill. Never mind that Rep. Frank isn’t a member of the House Armed Services Committee and holds no sway over that legislation. Also, try to pretend that the annual defense authorization doesn’t come up for its vote in the late September/early October time frame each year. Does anyone honestly think our cowardly politicians are going to vote to repeal DADT a month before mid-terms?
The delay tactics have been successful, and the opposition to wins again. If the economy stays in the tank and next year’s elections become a referendum on incumbents, forget seeing DADT repealed anytime in the next several years.
Shaun on November 16, 2009 at 06.38 pm
Whatever happened to having hearings on this issue in November? Does anyone know if that is still a plan or are they “pushing it down the road”
martin in DC on November 15, 2009 at 01.11 pm
Okay, I get how that is frustrating. We do have waivers, it dosen’t mean those waivers are unjust. It is sad that there is a law like DADT, frustrating.
Also Clinton moved to make it illegal to discharge someone for being gay. He called upon legislative members of the country to stop the unnecissary discharge of homosexuals. The blame dosen’t lay with Clinton.
Representatives, can’t simply act on their own views and opinions. They must act within the realm of the majority opinion of the citizens they represent.
It’s frustrating, why dose know one try to appeal to the population that enforce the law. The chaptering out starts at the lowest command levle.
Mike Gorman in Stockton, Ca on November 15, 2009 at 12.40 am
Make sure all this makes it to the senate hearings. These old school brass are always the ones who bark loudest, but turn around and violate the UCMJ. Talk about a set of laws that’s less enforced than civilian laws.
Leo in iraq on November 14, 2009 at 12.04 am
What garbage is that!?
I blame Clinton for all of this unfair justice…
Calen C Chrzan in Fort Worth, TX on November 13, 2009 at 11.59 pm
Hey SSgt, add a hitman for a drug cartel, a statutory rapist, and an accomplice to robbery and murder of a Florida couple raising special needs kids. Unbelievable.
SSgt_For_Equal_Rights on November 13, 2009 at 02.21 pm
A crazy, stalker astronaut, a religious extremist murderer, a drug addict, a child abuser….ANYONE (literally) but a gay or lesbian servicemember. What a shame it really is. There’s something more than wrong with this picture, it’s completely broken. It’s incomprehensible.