Given that we are in the middle of Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing and keep hearing all sorts of complaints from the Right about “judicial activism” and “legislating from the bench” and whatever, I just wanted to highlight this article from Focus on the Family because it perfectly demonstrates just how bogus this entire talking point really is:
A new front just opened Monday in the political tug-of-war over “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – a Clinton-era policy prohibiting people who are openly gay or lesbian from serving in the military.
U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips in Riverside, Calif., agreed to hear a case that challenges the military policy. The lawsuit was filed by the Log Cabin Republicans, a fiscally conservative, gay-activist group within the Republican Party.
Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for CitizenLink, is concerned the proceedings could become a show trial – with the underlying intent to solidifying the concept that gay members of the military are a victimized class and in need of special protections.
“Once again, gay activists want to use the courts to impose social change rather than leaving this issue to the democratic process,” said Hausknecht. “There never seems a lack of judges who will jump at the chance to legislate from the bench.”
Hausknecht is angry that the Log Cabin Republicans are trying to use to the courts to impose this change instead of allowing the democratic process to take care of it. At the same time, Focus on the Family is vehemently opposing efforts in Congress to repeal DADT, which is the very “democratic process” they say should be used.
So what happens if Congress does manage to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?
Robert Maginnis, senior fellow for national security with the Family Research Council, doesn’t make much out of this case, as he believes Congress will succeed in repealing the policy well before the November election – and before the court can rule.
“The real decision’s going to be made by the Congress,” said Maginnis, “and then we have a fight after that – if, in fact, they do repeal.”
Hmmm …. is FRC suggesting that they will go to court to fight the repeal of DADT?
But what about the sanctity of the “democratic process”? What about using judges to impose decisions contrary to the will of the people? What about legislating from the bench?
So apparently the Religious Right is opposed to using the courts to try and repeal DADT … but entirely willing to use the courts to try and repeal any repeal of DADT.
