Gay Veterans Announce
Appeal of
District Court Ruling
on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
Challenge
Press Release, SLDN
from the Web, May 16, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC. May 15 --
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) announced it intends to appeal a
court decision dismissing its constitutional challenge to the military’s “Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel. The
organization announced the appeal during its annual fundraising dinner in
Washington, D.C., on May 13. The suit was filed in December 2004 on behalf
of lesbian and gay veterans of the war on terror who were discharged under the
military’s ban. In April, the District Court for the District of
Massachusetts dismissed the lawsuit, granting a motion to dismiss brought by the
federal government.
“SLDN intends to appeal the recent court decision granting the government’s
motion to dismiss our lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell.,” SLDN executive director C. Dixon Osburn said. “The men and
women in SLDN’s lawsuit are among the best and brightest America has to offer.
They have diligently fought for the right to serve our country and defend our
ideals. All of us at SLDN are enormously proud of their determination and
we work to honor them every day.”
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are represented by SLDN and the law firm of Wilmer
Culter Pickering Hale and Dorr. Together, the plaintiffs have served more
than sixty-five years in the armed forces. Two have served in direct
support of operations in the Middle East. Among them, they have earned
more than five dozen awards, medals and commendations.
“Overturning ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will be a watershed moment for lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender Americans just as racial integration of our armed
forces was a pivotal moment in the civil rights fight for African Americans,”
Osburn said. “When our federal government stops discriminating, state
governments, local governments, private corporations and the courts and
twenty-five million veterans from every corner of America will follow suit. ...
Then, we will have won the battle.”
For more information on the SLDN lawsuit, and profiles of the plaintiffs in the
case, visit
www.sldn.org/press.
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