Trashing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

Judge Virginia Phillips of Federal District Court for the Central District of California, has just issued a federal court injunction to suspend the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. It's about time. Phillips noted that the policy “infringes the fundamental rights of United States service members and prospective service members” and that it violates due process and freedom of speech of homosexual military men and women.
The permanent injunction prohibits the government from enforcing or applying the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Act against any person under their command, as well as ordering the immediate suspension of any investigations or proceedings under that Act, aimed at dismissal of members of the U.S. armed forces.
Phillips issued an 85-page ruling in which she wrote: “The act discriminates based on the content of the speech being regulated. It distinguishes between speech regarding sexual orientation, and inevitably, family relationships and daily activities, by and about gay and lesbian service members which is banned, and speech on those subjects by and about heterosexual service members, which is permitted.” In other words, Phillips is declaring that it is time for the U.S. military to become more consistent in its dealing with personnel. What's good for the heterosexual goose, has got to be good for the gay gander, as well. As I noted before, official condoning of inconsistency by any government in the treatment of members of its armed forces is a dangerous road to travel.
Those men and women willing to face the dangers of deployment to a war zone in the service of their country deserve the luxury of honesty about themselves. Every single one of them does. It should be alright for everyone to talk openly about their dreams and desires, their loves and their families, in their barracks. Especially since anyone of them deployed in a place like Afghanistan could be sharing those thoughts on what might turn out to be their last night on earth, they should not have to deny who they really are just to keep the intolerant happy.