# Federal court rejects "Don't ask, don't tell" . . . kindasorta . . .

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-court-rejects-dont-ask-dont-tell-kindasorta/450264>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 22, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-court-rejects-dont-ask-dont-tell-kindasorta/450264 "2008-05-22T16:43:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-court-rejects-dont-ask-dont-tell-kindasorta/450264/1 "2008-05-22T16:43:59Z")

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Air Force flight nurse Major Margaret Witt, discharged last year for having a lesbian relationship, [may proceed with her lawsuit.](http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/22/military.gays/)

> [@](#):
>
> The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals let stand the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which bars the military from discharging gay or lesbian service members as long as they do not reveal their sexual orientation.
> 
> Yet the appeals court said the government may only “intrude upon the personal and private lives of homosexuals” to “advance an important governmental interest,” such as maintaining troop readiness or improving morale.
> 
> The decision came in the case of Maj. Margaret Witt, who was discharged after a career of nearly 20 years on the grounds that she had a six-year relationship with another woman, a civilian.

So . . . how exactly is the military supposed to meet and prove that standard, in Witt’s case or any other?

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**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-court-rejects-dont-ask-dont-tell-kindasorta/450264/2 "2008-05-22T18:42:48Z")

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Not meaning to hijack, but while we’re on the subject . . . can anyone tell me what Obama or McCain’s views on “don’t ask, don’t tell” are? If they oppose it, the whole thing may soon become a moot issue (except for those like Major Witt who’ve already been discharged under the policy, I mean.)

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**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-court-rejects-dont-ask-dont-tell-kindasorta/450264/3 "2008-05-22T18:52:54Z")

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McCain [supports continuing the current policy](http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/mccain-on-dont-ask-dont-tell/). Obama wants to [change it.](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/04/11/2008-04-11_obama_ill_end_dontask_donttell-1.html)

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-court-rejects-dont-ask-dont-tell-kindasorta/450264/4 "2008-05-22T19:35:47Z")

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[QUOTE=tim314]  
Not meaning to hijack, but while we’re on the subject . . . can anyone tell me what Obama or McCain’s views on “don’t ask, don’t tell” are? If they oppose it, the whole thing may soon become a moot issue (except for those like Major Witt who’ve already been discharged under the policy, I mean.)  
[/QUOTE]

Not neccesarily. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a law, which means Congress will have to change it.