BREAKING: Federal judge rules DADT unconstitutional!

[source: GetReligion]

Once again: YES!

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A federal judge in Southern California has declared the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips on Thursday granted a request for an injunction halting the government's "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military.

Phillips says the policy doesn't help military readiness and instead has a "direct and deleterious effect" on the armed services.

Of course, two quick things to point out, here. First, as with the Prop 8 ruling, merely declaring that the policy is unconstitutional does not actually remove it from effect at the very moment, and with the possibility of future appeals, the fate of DADT is still far from certain at this point. And second, some are arguing that the federal judge doesn’t have the authority to make such a ruling on a nation-wide military policy and that the case actually has to go before Congress before any concrete outcome can be reached.

But nevertheless: It’s a hell of a good start to finally see a serious direct challenge to that wretched bit of legislated bigotry and discrimination. W00T!

Will keep you abreast of more info as the case progresses. (And, of course, of wonderful crank reactions from the usual suspects, who are surely taking to their keyboards as I write this. Especially curious to see whether Vox Day will manage to equate this to a rise in bestiality again. ’Cuz that’s just so stupid, it’s funny.)

Tags: Don't Ask, Don't Tell • DADT • Virginia Phillips • gays • LGBT rights • US Military