Judge’s Ruling Prevents Military From Enforcing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy
A federal judge in Riverside issued a worldwide injunction Tuesday stopping the enforcement of the military’s “don’t ask,don’t tell” policy. U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips made the ruling, essentially ending the military’s 17 year old ban on openly gay troops.
The injunction came as a result of a lawsuit brought against the military by the gay rights group Log Cabin Republicans. The judge citied violations of gay service members 1st and 5th amendment rights. The ruling is something local gay activists have been fighting since the “don’t ask,don’t tell policy” became law in 1994. “This is an amazing day, it may finally end a chapter of a long history of discrimination against gay and lesbian people in the military,” said George Zander, Field Manager for the Equality California office in Palm Springs. “Over 13,000 people have been thrown out of the military since 1994 for no reason at all. All they want to do is not live a lie and defend their country.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has 60 days to appeal the ruling. Legal experts say the department is under no legal obligation to appeal and could let judge Phillips’ ruling stand.
