Federal judge declares 'don't ask, don't tell' unconstitutional
A federal judge in Riverside, CA, declared the U-S military's ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional yesterday, saying the "don't ask, don't tell" policy violates the First Amendment rights of gays and lesbians.
In her 86-page ruling, U-S District Court Judge Virginia Phillips said the policy banning gays did not preserve military readiness, as many DADT supporters have argued, but instead, evidence shows the policy in fact had a "direct and deleterious effect" on the military.
The case was filed in 2004 by the Log Cabin Republicans, the largest...
Quran-burning status by Jones now suspended rather than canceled
Late on Thursday, Pastor Terry Jones attended a press conference outside his small World Dove church, where he canceled his plans to burn the holy books, because he had received “a sign from God”, after a conversation with Imam Muhammad Musri, who implied that individuals connected to the planned mosque in lower Manhattan were willing to move the site.
Evidently, Jones misunderstood his sign from God, since Musri did not make any guarantee of a change of plans for the mosque, but rather the commitment to join him in a trip to New York for a discussion.
Musri, of the Islamic...
Are conservatives like Palin and Beck to blame for the Koran burning controversy?
Pastor Terry Jones has at least temporarily suspended his planned Koran burning rally in Florida, but some fear the damage may have already been done. Headlines concerning the rally have already made their way around the world, and terrorist propaganda artist will surely spin whatever happens next into a "the West hates Islam" narrative. It is becoming increasingly clear that Pastor Jones and his rhetoric constitute a threat to American military forces and civilians. Last week, mere rumors of the event generated protests in Afghanistan. Protesters called...
