Press Releases
A Countdown of the “Top 10 ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Stories of 2006”
Washington, DC – Frontlines, the official blog of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), today will begin a 10-day countdown of the “Top 10 ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Stories of 2006.” Blog authors will re-visit a significant story from the past year each day, counting down to the most important event related to the military’s gay ban on Friday, December 15th. ...Read More
Prominent Social Scientists Tell First Circuit No Evidence Exists to Exclude Gay Military Personnel
WASHINGTON, DC – In a brief filed last week with the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the American Sociological Association (ASA) and five distinguished social scientists indicate there is no evidence supporting the exclusion of openly gay military personnel from the armed forces. Those signing the brief, filed in support of the plaintiffs in Cook v. Rumsfeld, a constitutional challenge to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” include Dr. Aaron Belkin, Professor of Political Science at the University of California at Santa Barbara and Director of the Michael D. Palm Center (formerly the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military); Dr. Melissa Embser-Herbert, J.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology at Hamline University; Dr. Elizabeth Kier, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington; Dr. Robert MacCoun, Professor of Public Policy, Professor of Law and Affiliated Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley; and Dr. David Segal, Professor of Sociology and Affiliate Professor of Government, Politics and Public Affairs at the University of Maryland. ...Read More
Senior Military Leaders Ask First Circuit to Overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
WASHINGTON, DC – Fourteen senior retired military leaders have filed a brief urging the First Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a lower court ruling regarding the federal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. The leaders’ brief was filed November 22 in support of the plaintiffs in Cook v. Rumsfeld, a constitutional challenge to the law. Those signing the brief include Colonel Graham Beard, USA (Ret.); The Honorable Carolyn Becraft, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, USA (Ret.); Captain Joan E. Darrah, USN (Ret.); Captain Robert D. Dockendorff, USNR (Ret.); Colonel Paul W. Dodd, USA (Ret.); Brigadier General Evelyn "Pat" Foote, USA (Ret.); Captain Sandy Geiselman, USNR (Ret.); Admiral John D. Hutson, USN (Ret.), President and Dean of Franklin Pierce Law School; Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr, CSMR (Ret.); Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawrence J. Korb, Ph.D; Colonel E.A. Leonard, USA (Ret.); Captain Robert M. Rankin, USN (Ret.); and Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman, USPHS/USCG (Ret.). ...Read More
Renowned Constitutional Scholars Ask First Circuit to Consider “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Challenge
WASHINGTON, DC – A group of renowned constitutional scholars has filed a brief asking the First Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a District Court ruling and allow a lawsuit to move forward in an appeal by twelve military veterans battling the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law prohibiting military service by lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans. The nine recognized experts filed the amicus brief, in support of the service members in Cook v. Rumsfeld, last week. Those signing the brief include Akhil Reed Amar, Southmayd Professor of Law at Yale Law School; C. Edwin Baker, Nicholas F. Gallicchio Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School; Erwin Chemerinsky, Alston & Bird Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science at Duke Law School; Owen M. Fiss, Sterling Professor of Law at Yale Law School; Pamela S. Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law at Stanford University; Andrew Koppelman, Professor of Law at Northwestern Law School and Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School; Kathleen M. Sullivan, Stanley Morrison Professor of Law and Former Dean at Stanford Law School; Laurence H. Tribe, Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard Law School; and Tobias Barrington Wolff, Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis Law School and Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. ...Read More
Lesbian & Gay Military Veterans Appeal District Court Ruling on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
BOSTON, MA - Twelve lesbian and gay veterans of the war on terror yesterday filed a brief in the First Circuit Court of Appeals, in Massachusetts, challenging the constitutionality of the federal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel. The case, Cook v. Rumsfeld, was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) and the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP. The appeal challenges an April decision by the District Court which dismissed the lawsuit. ...Read More
SLDN Statement on Mid-Term Election Results: New Leadership Provides New Opportunities
WASHINGTON, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and related forms of intolerance, released the following statement today regarding the results of the November 7th mid-term Congressional elections: ...Read More
Washington’s Blowoff Party to ‘Honor Every Veteran’ on November 11
WASHINGTON, DC – ‘Blowoff,’ a Saturday night dance event at Washington’s 9:30 Club, has announced it will join Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) in saluting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender veterans during its Veterans Day event on November 11. Blowoff will be part of SLDN’s Honor Every Veteran campaign, recognizing the contributions of LGBT service members and veterans. Attendees with military I.D.s will be given free entrance to the event. ...Read More
LGBT Military Personnel Cautioned About Online Use as Armed Forces Increase Monitoring of Blogs…
WASHINGTON, DC – Amidst new reports that the armed forces are increasing their surveillance of online usage by military personnel, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today cautioned service members to be especially careful when using the internet or posting information online. ...Read More
Army Releases Soldier Convicted in Connection with Anti-Gay Murder
Former Army Specialist Justin Fisher, who was convicted of conspiracy in the murder of Private First Class Barry Winchell at Fort Campbell, Ky., has been released from prison after serving seven years of an original 12 ½ year sentence. Winchell was attacked by Calvin Glover, a former soldier based at Fort Campbell, in July 1999, in what was later revealed as an anti-gay hate crime. An investigation by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) found that Winchell had been the target of constant anti-gay harassment in the months leading up to his murder. In response to the Winchell case, Pentagon leaders adopted a 13-point ‘Anti-Harassment Action Plan,’ meant to protect troops from such harassment. There is no evidence, however, that the plan has ever been implemented. ...Read More
SLDN Statement on the Passing of Former Congressman Gerry Studds
WASHINGTON, DC – Former Congressman Gerry Studds (D-MA), the first openly gay member of Congress, passed away early Saturday in Boston, according to his husband, Dean T. Hara. He was 69. ...Read More
