Bethany Smith, a private who deserted the U.S. Army, is seeking refugee status in Canada.
Smith says she feared for her life because of the treatment she suffered as a lesbian. "I had to endure not only verbal and physical harassment, but death threats and harassment letters on my door every day," she said, according to the CBC....
If Smith is forced to return to the United States, Liew says she may face military charges of indecency for homosexual conduct as well as charges for desertion and being absence without leave.
Military cases are decided by tribunal members from the accused's own unit, which means that the same people who assaulted Smith could decide her fate.
[For the full article, see here.]
It seems that DADT is selectively used, and used after the person has served her/his role as possible cannon fodder for a military stretched too thin, in part given our war-mongering.
For a Gay person in the United States to seek asylum in another country with a better human rights record when it comes to LGBT people, is a tremendous indictment of the human rights record in our country that boasts itself to be "the land of the free and the home of the brave."
2 comments:
Why any LGBT person chooses to enter the military under DADT is beyond me. That they'd put their lives at risk for a nation that not only won't let them serve openly and will discharge them on a whim, but doesn't even give them full human rights, is insane AFAIC.
Hi Buffy: I absolutely agree with you! However, for those who have made the military their career, for whatever reason, it's essential that repeal of DADT occurs. And the tragedy is that the self-styled "progressive," Obama, could, with the mere writing of a memo, rescind DADT. However, he has shown himself to be indifferent, if not hostile, to Gay rights issues, DADT merely being one of those issues. He has blatantly betrayed LGBT people! Best wishes, Jerry.
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