Lt. Dan Choi, Freedom Fighter

On Thursday, West Point graduate, Iraq War veteran and New York National Guardsman Lieutenant Dan Choi (above, photo from Qweerty.com) powerfully concluded a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) rally, featuring comedienne Kathy Griffin, to repeal the abhorrent and failed Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy with direct action: he and Captain Joe Pietrangelo II, who unsuccessfully tried to take his discharge as a result of DADT to the Supreme Court, chained themselves to the White House's gates. According to Qweerty's report, GetEQUAL co-founder Robin McGehee was arrested for helping Choi lock himself to the gates. HRC head Joe Solomonese and Griffin allegedly agreed to accompany Choi to the White House, but neither did. Griffin also supposedly had cameras on the HRC rally premises, for her show, but it's unclear if they captured Choi's protest.

From YouTube user goodboydc (John Aravosis), video of Lt. Dan Choi handcuffing himself to the gates:


From Lt. Choi's press release:

“Hello. My name is Lt. Dan Choi. I am being discharged from the US Army because I am gay and dared to say it out loud.

Today, I am here on a mission with Capt. Jim Pietrangelo, and we are asking you all to join us. We’re calling you to action because we are at a turning point — a moment in time where talk is no longer enough, and action is required.

Equality is not going to happen by itself.

You have been told that the President has a plan. But Congressman Barney Frank confirmed to us this week that the President still is not fully committed to repealing Don’t

Ask, Don’t Tell this year.

And if we don’t seize this moment it may not happen for a very long time.

Some may tell you that I am one of the lucky ones. I have been welcomed back by my unit with open arms. And it would be easy for me to stay quiet and hope that change will happen.

But what I was taught at West Point and learned in war is — hope is not a strategy. As officers, James and I both find it a dereliction of our moral duty to remain silent while thousands of our brothers and sister are not allowed to serve openly and honestly.

Capt. Pietrangelo was honorably discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2004 and I will be subject to the same shortly. As officers we are here today fighting for those in the ranks, and we need our Commander in Chief to do the same.

Our fight is not here at Freedom Plaza, it is at the White House. We are walking to the White House right now to send the President a message. So…take out your cell phones and your cameras.

Document this moment. Join us as together — we make history.”

Choi and Pietroangelo were also arrested and spent a night in jail, but Choi was not allowed to speak with or telephone his lawyer. He and Pietroangelo were subsequently released after pleading not guilty to failing to obey a lawful order. Their trial will occur at a later date.

Despite pledging to repeal DADT, President Barack Obama has moved at a glacial pace on this and other issues. Leading military figures in his administration, including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Admiral Mike Mullen, and General David Petraeus, have called for allowing out gays and lesbians to serve in the military, but as Choi noted on the day of his arrest, Congressman Barney Frank told him that the President still wasn't fully on board. Why? Why during this past year hasn't he even issued an executive stop-loss order? Would that have been so difficult? Since the implementation of this terrible compromise under Bill Clinton, this policy has done tremendous damage to the lives of LGBTQ servicepeople and, though it's often not articulated fully, our military as well. I refuse to offer excuses for this president, so someone else can do that. I don't doubt that if the House passes the Senate health insurance reform and reconciliation bills this weekend we'll hear that Obama can now dedicate more time to the issue. But between him and Congress, there must be action, and with dispatch. Lesbian, gay and bi soldiers' lives and career, and the effectiveness of the US military, hang in the lurch.

Lt. Dan Choi knows this as well as anyone; despite exemplary service, he is now facing discharge for coming out. President Obama surely must know this, and if he doesn't he needs to grasp it. Quickly.