Army discharges critic of 'don't ask' policy

[cory777]

Source: Washington Post

One of the most vocal critics of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy has been honorably discharged for being in violation of it.

Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Army National Guard first lieutenant, said he learned of the decision on Thursday. "It's painful, mostly -- not that my career is coming to an end, but really that it's been a very difficult year," he said in an interview.

Choi announced that he is gay during a March 2009 interview on MSNBC. He has since served as a leading Pentagon critic.

He has been arrested several times, most recently on Tuesday in Las Vegas at a rally calling for the passage of the Employment Non Discrimination Act. In March, he was arrested for handcuffing himself to a White House fence; prosecutors dropped charges against him last week.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/22/AR2010072205960.html?wprss=rss_nation

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Cutting Edge Uncensored Alternative News!!! - http://activistnews.blogspot.com/

[SoapBox]

1. Thank you for your service Dan.

[Zenlitened]

2. Choi: "It's the absolute duty of my life to fight this"

From the New York Daily News:

"After 11 years since beginning my journey at West Point, and after 17 months of serving openly as an infantry officer, this is both an infuriating and painful announcement," said Choi, of Manhattan.

"It hurts, but then you remember what your service really meant," he told the Daily News. "Wearing the uniform is not about symbols or rank. It's about fighting for freedom and justice.

"It's the absolute duty of my life to fight this," he said.

Link:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/07/22/2010-07-22_army_discharges_lt_dan_choi_gay_soldier_and_critic_of_militarys_dont_ask_dont_te.html

[seattleblue]

3. I hope he finds a venue to continue this fight.

[rbixby]

4. It sucks that it happened

But since he's had so much publicity, his dismissal will help give all those working to overturn DADT a rallying point. I think his expulsion was inevitable, I'm just glad that he was able to generate so much publicity about this, and I'm sure he'll be making the rounds at some primetime news shows (Rachel Maddow at least) and helping keep this issue in the public's eye.

Does it suck for him? Sure it does, but he knew it probably was going to happen like this going into it, and the idea was more to force the conversation about discrimination by sexual orientation to continue, when so many people would prefer that it just go away.

I guess from my point of view of not having any direct experience with the military, I don't know if there are a large number of homophobes in the military, or what sort of effect repealing DADT would do. Whatever the immediate result is though, I definitely think it will force people to move one step closer to finally getting over this whole homophobia thing that doesn't make any sense at all.