"Lesbian U.S. deserter case must be reviewed: court"

[mariomike]

"Lesbian U.S. soldier wins key court victory in asylum bid":
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2248490

"The Federal Court says the refugee board must reconsider the case of a lesbian who deserted from the U.S. army and fled to Canada.":
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/11/20/refugee-board-soldier-lesbian.html

"Lesbian U.S. soldier wins bid for asylum: OTTAWA — A lesbian soldier who deserted the U.S. army won a key court victory Friday when a judge ordered the refugee board to reconsider her failed asylum claim and take into account compelling evidence that she was persecuted and that her sexual orientation could mean stiffer punishment for going AWOL."
http://www.canada.com/life/Lesbian+soldier+wins+asylum/2246070/story.html

 

[Love793]

It seems to me she deserted to avoid deployment to Afghanistan. Plain and simple. She's using a loop hole in the US DOD policy as an excuse to desert and praying on the left wing thought process of the smaller courts in Canada to stay. I'm pretty sure the US Army takes death threats pretty seriously as well as harassment complaints, so I'm guessing that route was not attempted.
She's under no physical threat if returned to the US (as in won't be executed) and filling the rest of her contract at Ft Leavenworth will do her good.  I hope she gets the same treatment as the rest of the leaches that attempted to defraud the US Govt and fled here.

 

[unclefrank1961]

I hope she gets the same treatment as the rest of the leaches that attempted to defraud the US Govt and fled here.

The issue here seems to be whether she feels her life is threatened by being returned to the US. She is a deserter and nobody has threatened her life, only her lifestyle. If she wanted the benefits of being a soldier in her army, I agree she should have taken them with the hardships that may have been attached to her military contract.

However, I don't think that this woman fits the bill of your blanket statement. I don't see how we can call her a leach since she is trying to accomplish what so many before have accomplished. A personal attack on her like that could be construed as an attack against her lifestyle choice.

 

[George Wallace]

Forget her sexual orientation, and all she is, is nothing more than a "leach" just like all the others.  She is different from all the others only in the twist she is trying to spin in her claim. 

 

[Kat Stevens]

It's not like the US military has kept their policy of homosexuality a secret.  If you join, you agree to abide by those policies.  It's not up to the Canadian courts to impose our views onto their policy.  Send her home, full stop.

 

[unclefrank1961]

Well... I guess we won't need all those courts anymore then.

 

[George Wallace]

Well... I guess we won't need all those courts anymore then.

Let me see now.......America is at war.  A person signs up to join the US Military, in essence signing a "legal contract" to serve their Nation.  That person then decides to renege on this "legal contract" to serve.  Is this the type of personal ethic and morals that we should encourage to allowed to be in our country?  Would you hire anyone with those morals or ethics to work for you? 

I'm sorry, but these people, no matter what their Race, Colour, Creed, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Age, whatever; who can not honour their contracts/obligations are definitely not on my "most desireable" list of immigrant/refugee/employee/neighbour.  They are a proven commodity now; one that we do not need in our society. 

There is no need for them to burden our courts with their trivial personal problems.  They are a burden on our system with these constant "complaints" in our Legal System.  If they had any courage and backbone, they would do this all at home in the US.

 

[Tollermann]

Oh brother, another case of not following through with a pledge she made.  I am not aware of anyone currently serving in the U.S. Army that was forced to join.  I believe she just wants out because she does not want to go on her deployment.  Well I wasn't particularly jumping up and down about my current deployment, the 2nd to Iraq, however I volunteered.  So be it....besides this whole homosexual thing is stupid anyway.  The Army has rules set down by congress (UCMJ) and no matter how much smack BHO talks, even getting skin in the game requires congree to rewrite the UCMJ, no a liberal judge.  Besides if it passes I am going to lobby for co-ed showers and I want camp followers too   

 

[bilton090]

The courts in Canada are a joke , she is a ....besides this whole homosexual thing is stupid anyway

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

Not only is she a lesbian and discriminated against, she is a conscientious objector.  Sounds like she's covering all bases.

I heard a US colonel on the Roy Green show not long ago say that soldiers could turn down a deployment and accept a less than honourable discharge.  I am not sure how this translates in practice.

The attached link says that the only penalty received by 94% of actual deserters is dishonourable discharge.  This isn't quite on the same scale as waterboarding.

http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/pdf/s51.pdf

I'm not sure of her trade but my guess is that the odds of having to kill someone is pretty slim so the conscientious objector thing is flimsy. 

 

[Love793]

I'm not sure of her trade but my guess is that the odds of having to kill someone is pretty slim so the conscientious objector thing is flimsy.


Even clerks leave the wire from time to time.  The threat there is 360 degrees and everyone must be prepared to kill someone if it comes down to it.  This isn't a NATO ex in the western portion of Germany.

 

[GAP]

Not only is she a lesbian and discriminated against, she is a conscientious objector.  Sounds like she's covering all bases.

I heard a US colonel on the Roy Green show not long ago say that soldiers could turn down a deployment and accept a less than honourable discharge.  I am not sure how this translates in practice.

The attached link says that the only penalty received by 94% of actual deserters is dishonourable discharge.  This isn't quite on the same scale as waterboarding.

I'm not too sure what the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge does to a person's job prospects here in Canada, but in the U.S., it's huge. Unless you have a really, really specialized talent that does not involve government (and what doesn't) you are essentially in the Macjob market.

 

[mariomike]

Dishonorable Discharge D.D.:
"A dishonorable discharge (DD), like a BCD, is a punitive discharge rather than an administrative discharge.  It can only be handed down to an enlisted member by a general court-martial.  Dishonorable discharges are handed down for what the military considers the most reprehensible conduct.  This type of discharge may be rendered only by conviction at a general court-martial for serious offenses (e.g., desertion, sexual assault, murder, etc.) that call for dishonorable discharge as part of the sentence.
With this characterization of service, all veterans' benefits are lost, regardless of any past honorable service.  This type of discharge is universally regarded as shameful, and the social stigma attached to it makes it very difficult to obtain gainful post-service employment.  Additionally, US federal law prohibits ownership of firearms by those who have been dishonorably discharged. In most cases, a person who receives a dishonorable discharge forfeits the right to vote and the privilege of receiving governmental assistance of any kind. They cannot obtain a bank loan and they are unable to find work at the state or government level. Finding gainful civilian employment is also an arduous task for someone with a DD as most states now require employers to conduct background checks and the results of military records and discharges are often disclosed. Going to college is another pitfall because government loans and grants are unavailable for anyone with a DD. This is a permanent record that will follow the individual for the duration of their lives anywhere in the world.  In some US states, the United Kingdom and other countries this may be for the duration of his/her sentence, elsewhere this may be permanent."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_discharge#Dishonorable

 

[medaid]

Her sexual orientation has NOTHING to do with anything.

I am SICK and TIRED of homosexuals who flaunt their sexual orientation like a "Oh poor me, look at me, I deserve a break" flag. If you WANT equal rights, and equal treatment, and be as you be, then QUIT using your sexual orientation as a fracking excuse for everything you don't like.

You want to be treated the same? The suck it up and soldier on. Go back and face your lumps.

 

[Journeyman]

Go back and face your lumps.

That would be the masochists, not the lesbians.
Kids today, can't even get their debaucheries straight....so to speak