Another strike against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

A federal judge tonight declared the U.S. military ban on openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members unconstitutional, saying the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy violates First Amendment rights. Read more. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey responded:

It’s long past time to close this shameful chapter in our nation’s history, and finally allow courageous men and women to serve openly, honestly, and to great benefit of our country. Today’s ruling affirms what so many of us already know: ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ should end, and for good reason: It is discriminatory, outdated and unfair. The vast majority of people know that it is wrong to discriminate against patriotic people willing to risk their lives by serving in the military. Thousands of qualified service members have already been drummed out of the military for nothing other than bias and prejudice, and thousands more live in fear of losing their military careers. Our nation’s political leaders must end this unjust law once and for all. The lives and livelihoods of dedicated service members hang in the balance.