One More Victory

It looks like the Gay and Lesbian community has won yet another victory. Yesterday U.S. district judge Virginia A. Phillips ruled that the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is unconstitutional. Hopefully this isn't an early celebration because the Justice Department has until September 23 to submit objections. This decision means that all gay and lesbian soldiers will be able to openly talk about their significant others and will not have to hide their relationships. That is something that straight military personnel take for granted. This decision partnered with the repeal of Prop 8 in California brings great big steps in the approach to full gay and lesbian rights. Again, people are claiming this is a moral issue. It is funny to me how they are quick to classify homosexuality as amoral but they go around having sex out of wedlock and cussing and generally having no concern for any moral values except when it comes to homosexuality. As an example, my nephew makes post on his facebook page using the word God and quite a few curse words in the same sentence. It is appalling to me that they are willing to deny rights to people by standing behind God. I know there will be lots of struggles for gays and lesbians in the military even with DADT repealed because people are just ignorant. I heard on a radio talk show that the Marine Corp is already talking about separate barracks (does this segregation sound familiar - 'hey you gays get to the back of the bus'). It is funny how a group of men can share barracks as long as some don't know that others are gay but when they know all of a sudden that there are gay men there they think they are going to be attacked or something - it is just irrational. But I digress, the important point here is that there are other people out there who are working on equaling the rights of gays and lesbian. As I read about this decision I came across the photos below.
These photos are by Jeff Sheng and are part of his "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Series. Here is his take on the photos . . .

The photographer elaborates, “Ultimately for me, these photographs underscore the silence permeating the unsung heroism of gay and lesbian military personnel. The photos are about the men and women who continue to fight and serve despite the heartbreaking invisibility they suffer.”

Here are some links related to this decision by the courts.
DADT Defeated: Serve with Pride
Judge Rules DADT Unconstitutional
Log Cabin Republicans v. United States of America
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Unconstitutional, Federal Judge Rules
Photographer Jeff Sheng: Don't Ask, Don't Tell