"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Ruled Unconstitutional

Given the way court rulings have gone recently I can't say I'm terribly surprised:

A federal judge in Southern California on Thursday declared the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment rights of gay and lesbians.

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

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

The lawsuit was the biggest legal test of the law in recent years and came amid promises by President Barack Obama that he will work to repeal the policy.

Government lawyers argued Phillips lacked the authority to issue a nationwide injunction and the issue should be decided by Congress.

The injunction was sought by the Log Cabin Republicans, a 19,000-member group that includes current and former military members.

I'm having a hard time understanding how he found a First Amendment right to serve in the military, but judges have been finding mysterious things in the First Amendment for years. Earlier today a court ruled that cities can't ban tattoo parlors because that would violate the First Amendment.