A DC8 FREIGHTER ON TAXI OUT WAS ADVISED OF THE UPPER ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT INOP. CREW ADVISED DISPATCH AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL.

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I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY FROM ILN TO BFI ON NOV/XA/98 IN DC8 ACFT XYZ. I ACCOMPLISHED A 4 ENG START AND AFTER PUSHING OUT OF THE BLOCKS; GND CTL ADVISED US THAT OUR TOP ANTI- COLLISION LIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING. I CHKED THAT THE SWITCH WAS IN THE 'ON' POS AND THAT THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS HAD BEEN RESET AFTER BEING PULLED FOR THE REFUELING PROCESS. I BELIEVED THAT WE COULD CONTINUE SINCE WE HAD THE BOTTOM ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT FULLY OPERATIONAL AND SINCE WE HAD ALREADY PUSHED OUT OF THE BLOCKS; I ELECTED TO CONTINUE. WHILE TAXIING TO THE RWY; GND CTL ADVISED THAT OUR TOP ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT WAS STILL INOP. AT THIS TIME; I HAD THE SO REVIEW THE DC8 MEL FOR THE ANTI- COLLISION LIGHT. AFTER LISTENING TO IT; DISCUSSING WHAT IT SAID; I BELIEVED THAT I WAS CORRECT IN THAT THE MEL ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE WITH ONE LIGHT INOP AND I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT WITH THE LIGHT INOP. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE RWY; GND CTL ADVISED US TO CONTACT OUR DISPATCHER. WE CALLED OUR DISPATCHER WHO SAID SHE HAD NOTHING FOR US. WE ADVISED HER OF OUR INOP LIGHT; THAT WE HAD REVIEWED THE MEL AND THAT WE WERE CONTINUING WITH THE FLT. SHE SAID THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT MAINT AND ADVISE THEM. DURING OUR TKOF ROLL; TWR CALLED US; I ACKNOWLEDGED WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND 'TKOF ROLL.' THEY SAID 'DISREGARD.' WHEN CLRED TO DAY APCH; THEY ASKED US TO CONTACT FLT CTL. WHEN WE CALLED FLT CTL; THEY ALSO SAID 'DISREGARD.' DURING THE FLT TO BFI; I AGAIN REVIEWED THE MEL AND AFTER DISCUSSING IT AGAIN; BELIEVED THAT I WAS STILL CORRECT WITH MY DECISION. AT BFI; I CONTACTED FLT CTL FOR DEBRIEF SINCE WE WERE 47 MINS LATE IN DEPARTING. THOUGH FLT CTL HAD NOTHING FOR ME; IE; I ELECTED TO CONTACT THE CHIEF PLTS OFFICE TO DISCUSS WITH THEM AS WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED DURING THE DEP. I TALKED TO A DC8 CHIEF PLT; DESCRIBING WHAT HAD OCCURRED. INITIALLY; HE AGREED WITH ME AS TO THE DECISION I HAD MADE. BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE MEL AND DISCUSSING IT; STATED THAT I MAY VERY WELL BE IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL PROC. ON DEP FROM BFI; WRITE-UP ON THE INOP LIGHT HAD BEEN CLRED AS HAVING THE BULBS RELAMPED. SECOND; AFTER YOU HAVE PUSHED OUT OF THE BLOCKS AND DISCOVER A DISCREPANCY; YOU CAN CONTINUE WITH THE FLT IF; AFTER A REVIEW OF THE MEL FOR THAT ITEM; YOU COMPLY WITH ITS GUIDANCE AND/OR ALL RESTRS. I HAD ORIGINALLY CONTINUED; GOING ON BELIEF THAT I COULD. I LATER REVIEWED THE MEL FOR THIS ITEM AND DISCUSSING IT WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS; BELIEVED THAT I WAS CORRECT IN BEING ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WITH THE FLT WITH AN INOP LIGHT.