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L aser S urgery Companion Pet Clinics M -F ri 8am • 6pm S a t 8am • 5pm W est L inn Sun )1am-4pm Ham Portland \ Salem \ Vancouver W est L inn 19343 W ta n e tte Dove • (503) 635-3115 C lackam as 16317 s e 82 nd D n*e • cso3> 057-9225 T igard 13500 S W Paohc Hwy • C503) 670 9707 B eaverton 14292 sw/vien Bivd • (503) 6419151 82 nd A ve N E 3150 N E 82nd Axe • €503) 546-1044 ervicememhers Legal Defense Net­ work launched its promised chal­ lenge to the anti-gay military policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” Dec. 6 with a lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston and a news conference in Washington, D.C. The dozen plaintiffs are from around the country and served anywhere from several months to more than 14 years before being kicked out for being gay. The lawsuit charges that “don’t ask, don’t tell” violates their rights under the First, Fourth, Fifth and Ninth Amendments to the Constitution. All are seek­ ing to he reinstated in the military. “They have all served during the war on ter­ rorism, three in direct support of operations in the Middle East," said C. Dixon Osbum, Serv- icemembers Legal Defense Network executive director. “Together, they have served more than 65 years in the armed forces. Among them, they have earned more than five dozen commenda­ tions, medals and awards." They represent more than 65,000 gay and lesbian servicememhers on active duty and more than a million queer veterans. “We hope to end, once and for all, the han on gays in the military," Osbum said. “ It is unconstitutional and contrary to our national security interests.” C3shum bases his optimism for success on the U.S. Supreme Quirt's Lawrence vs. Texas deci­ sion, which threw out state sodomy laws. The 2005 opinion “declared that gays and lesbians have a fundamental right to privacy, free from interference from our government.” Several of the earlier adverse decisions affirming the constitutionality of “don’t ask, don’t tell” were based in part tm the court’s 1986 Bowers vs. Hardwick decision, which upheld state sodomy laws. But the Lawrence decision explicitly reversed that earlier precedent, stating: “Bowers was not correct when it was decided, and it is not correct today. It ought not to remain bind­ ing precedent. Bowers vs. Hardwick should be and now is overruled." Tins lawsuit, known asQ xik vs. Rumsfeld, is one of the first to revisit the issue of “don't ask, don’t tell” in light of that legal underpinning being knocked down. “There is no other law quite like [‘don’t ask, don’t tell’]. It is the only law in the history of our nation that requires the firing of an employee— j 1 j ; i ; | j \ 1 from our nation’s largest employer— simply because they are lesbian, gay or bisexual,” said Sharra E. Greer, Servicememhers Legal Defense Network legal and policy director. “Servicememhers are muzzled in violation of their First Amendment rights. They are denied due process. They are denied equal protection of the law. They are forced to serve as second-class citizens and denied the opportunity to serve their country for no gcxx.1 reason at all. “It is this law— and not the lesbians, gay men and bisexuals who serve their country— that undermines gtxxJ order, discipline, unit cohesion and morale. There can he no doubt that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is blatantly unconsti­ tutional,” she said. Two of the plaintiffs participated in the news conference. Lt. j.g. Jen Kopfstein joined the Navy in 1995, winning honors as a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and as a weapons officer aboard ship. She told the story of her grandfather who fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II and of being on a warship that left port on 9/11 not knowing if the country would he under further attack. “I am his hlcxxl, and 1 was ready and willing to fight for my country in time of crisis.” Her commander fought for her retention when Kopfstein was under investigation for being a lesbian, hut the investigators paid little heed. Monica Hill was “forced to chixise between serving my country as an Air Force physician and caring for my terminally ill partner, Terri Cason.” She requested a delay in reporting for duty in order to care tor Cason. “1 watched Terri die in her hospital rixim as the World Trade Center towers fell and the Pentagon burned, and 1 never felt more help­ less. 1 could not stop the cancer from taking Terri, nor was 1 at Andrews [Air Force Base near Washington, D.C.| helping with the casualties from the attacks.” Hill’s request resulted in “a long and humili­ ating interrogation” and eventual termination from the Air Force. The military later sought recoupment, or repayment of the money it had paid toward her medical education. That prixiess is ongoing. “Last month, 1 35 servicemen and women were killed in Iraq. No one can ever know how my presence as a physician could have altered “It’s the funnest eye exam I’ve ever had” Shelby Wickorst. O.D. O ptometiuc P hysician Phone (360) 944-1911 Fax (360) 944-5255 1901 NE 162nd Avenue Suite D102 Vancouver WA 98684 www.vision162.com ^ V h s io r ìl6 2 u tu *U L »m t n U -r ~ - Don’t Miss the Rate Your Schedule is My Schedule • • • • Free Consultations Interest Only No Down Payment Options First Time Home Buyers Russell Leggroan • cell: 503-750-3350 • Lrussell5@msn.com 503-722-3842 • 888-635-5446 415 17th Street, Suite 5, Oregon City, OR 97045 M e too