STAFF EDIT: Don’t ask, don’t discriminate

A federal judge in California declared the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy unconstitutional on Thursday, claiming that it "infringes the fundamental rights of United States service members in many ways."

A vast majority of Americans have been saying that very thing for years. A May 25 CNN poll reported that 78 percent of Americans favor a repeal of the policy, with dozens of other recent polls echoing this sentiment.

It is almost impossible to think of another issue in the news today on which such a vast majority of people agree. In a time of divisive issues such as the "Ground Zero mosque" controversy, with legislation such as the health care reform bill passing only after months of partisan squabbling, seeing so many people unite on one side of a topic makes it seem clear what action should be taken.

The "don't ask, don't tell" policy is archaic, and more importantly, is completely against the heart of American ideals. The first amendment to the U.S. constitution guarantees everyone the right to freedom of speech. And yet with this policy, the government and military are directly infringing the rights of the very people who fight everyday to protect the rights of others &- those serving in the military. How can the government claim to uphold the constitution when it doesn't even allow the men and women in the armed services to speak freely?

The argument made by supporters of the policy is the same argument that was made in years past to exclude blacks and women from the military &- that integration threatens military cohesion. It is an argument that has been completely discredited by the fact that people from a wide variety of backgrounds have served together in the military for years and that the contributions of women and minorities have made the armed forces a stronger, more productive organization.

Everything about the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is unreasonable. According to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, more than 13,500 service members have been discharged from the military since the policy was enacted in 1993. An estimate by the Government Accountability Office pins the cost of the law to the military at more than $363 million because of the loss of trained soldiers and the constant need to replace them.

The fact that the military has the legal ability to dismiss soldiers who are willing to sacrifice for the benefit of our country merely because of their sexual orientation is not only a bad logistical decision, but is completely contradictory to the basic American values of freedom and equal treatment under the law. The only logical solution is to repeal the law immediately.