Lt. Dan Choi Takes "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Directly to Obama

Last evening, in an act of daring befitting a West Point graduate and veteran of Iraq, recently discharged New York National Guard Lieutenant Daniel Choi defied the orders of dozens of crowd control police and stepped into the 'no protest zone' street to ceremoniously salute his Commander in Chief, Barack Obama, who was out of site at a star-studded fundraiser at the posh Beverly Hilton hotel.

(Photo by Linda Milazzo)

While the Lieutenant's respectful salute was extemporaneous, the effort that generated the Lieutenant's appearance at last night's pro-gay rights/pro-equality rally outside the Beverly Hilton hotel, was anything but impromptu. It was a meticulous plan spearheaded by
Rick Jacobs, one of the progressive movement's most effective organizers. Jacobs, Founder and Chair of the Courage Campaign, which boasts a membership of 700,000, is a co-founder of Brave New Films and a director of Liberty Hill Foundation. When I asked Jacobs what the tie-in was with Daniel Choi playing such a prominent role at last night's event, he offered the following:

The Courage campaign seeks to make California more progressive and more governable. The state cannot possibly be progressive if we can use the Constitution to take rights away from people. So nearly two weeks ago we saw Daniel Choi on Rachel Maddow, when he "came out." He's an Orange County California native... So we got in touch with him and said, 'Hey we'd like to run a campaign to help support you, to prevent the president from kicking you and others out of the military. So we put up a letter on line. It's very simple. It says:

Dear Mr. President,

The time has come to end discrimination in our armed forces. We the undersigned ask you to stop the discharge of Dan Choi and any other soldier as a result of Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. We ask that you uphold your pledge and push Congress to quickly put a bill on your desk to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Sincerely, the undersigned 140,860 people.

And you can see this at Courage Campaign if you scroll down to "Don't Fire Dan." A friend of ours is going to present this letter to the President inside tonight and we also are here. We're hoping the President will send a representative outside to see what we have to say. We have four big boxes - that's a lot of people - 140,000 people in a week. So the tie-in is very simple, this is all about equal rights. It's all about equality. We can win our equal rights in California but they mean nothing if we don't get them federally, so when we look at a young man like Daniel Choi who is willing to sacrifice his life for the country and gets thrown out of the military for saying I love a man, there's a problem. We elected President Obama based on a spirit of hope, bringing the country together and we expect him to do that.

Later at the rally, Jacobs proudly holds up the letter being delivered to Obama:
(Photo by Linda Milazzo)

President Obama has been adamant about ending "don't ask, don't tell", but the longer he languishes, the more seasoned, talented specialists like Arabic speaker Lt. Choi will be victims of this discriminatory policy. It was this calculus that led Rick Jacobs and Equal Roots Coalition co-founder Matt Palazzolo, a co-organizer of last night's rally, to bring Lieutenant Choi close enough to the President to confront the issue directly, albeit not face to face.

Outside the hotel on Wilshire Boulevard across from the Beverly Hilton, Lieutenant Dan Choi was surrounded by several hundred gay rights/equal rights supporters who hung on his every word.

(Video by Linda Milazzo)

His message was one of power and resolve:

We can't wait for somebody else to give us rights. We have to stand up. If we want our rights. We gotta fight for them... Let me tell you a little bit about 'don't ask, don't tell.' It is a deadly poison. It is the most toxic. That's military talk. Civilians try to call it the closet but it's toxic poison. Do not force that toxic poison. Do not inject that toxic poison in them anymore. Let them out of the closet! [triumphant applause]

It's not about my career. It's not about my pay grade. It's not about money. It's not about elections. It's about telling them [gay service members], you are not alone. So I gave a message to President Obama. Repeal 'don't ask, don't tell.' Stop forcing them to lie. Stop forcing our soldiers to lie. Stop forcing our soldiers to hide. Stop forcing our soldiers to be injected with the closet. And let them be free to serve! (more applause)

While Lieutenant Choi was still addressing the crowd, guests from the Obama event began exiting to their waiting cars from the front of the building. Many of the well dressed glitterati clearly supported the values of equality and civil rights held by the protesters who stood on the other side of Wilshire Blvd. Indeed, as documented in this video, one attendee charged across the street through traffic to join up with the rally:

(Video by Linda Milazzo)

Among the crowd on the rally side of the street was actor and human rights activist Hal Sparks, who made a lasting impact on the gay community as the character Michael in the five year Showtime series, Queer As Folk, a drama about the lives of a group of gay men.

(Photo by Linda Milazzo)

Hal has been an activist for gay rights and the fight against AIDS since the early days of AIDS Project Los Angeles - one of the pioneering organizations to assist AIDS victims soon after the epidemic first hit Los Angeles. Hal spoke openly with me last night about his many passions, including why Lt. Choi's appearance at the rally was so critical in the struggle for human rights:

I'm here because I believe it's a civil rights issue. We cannot argue that this country is the freest country in the world and then limit the freedoms of people we don't agree with and are not like us or make us uncomfortable. That seems absurd to me... I think there's some work that needs to be done and you can't argue with that fact.

Regarding Dan Choi, Hal goes on to say:

First of all, how many great soldiers, translators, officers have we lost simply because people are uncomfortable with the idea of gay. How un-macho does that seem that I don't want gays around me 'cause it's icky. Here's the ironic part. One of the reasons that they used to make being gay in the service and in the DOD [Department of Defense] and the government illegal was because it was so shunned in the public circles that you could be blackmailed easily. The cure to that is not to make it more illegal or more shunned. The cure is to open it up. Nobody can blackmail a state official for being gay if nobody cares. That seems to be the logical thing. We'd take their weapon away. But we've been too afraid to do that up until now. Obviously the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is a necessary moment and I do believe Obama's moving toward that.

One contrast worth noting last night was the obvious separation between those who rallied earlier in the day against the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those who rallied later in the day on the issues of gay rights and equality. The organizers of the gay rights and equality rally scheduled their event for 6PM, so as not to conflate issues with the peace activists and keep each group's messages separate and distinct.

The rationale for clarity of message is understandable. Certainly all groups want their message understood. And sadly, both groups, the peace movement and the pro-gay marriage/anti-Prop 8 movement, have at times fallen short in their messaging.

As for the failure to stop Prop 8 in 2008, Matt Palazzolo of Equal Roots Coalition, frames it this way:

I think what propelled Prop 8 to be supported and to pass were two things. The first was a series of some lies and then just some heavily shrouded information from the YES on 8 side. And you know every side of a campaign has propaganda but they got really dirty and played tricks. And the other part is the blame on the NO on 8 campaign that they did a very poor job in the community... with people of color and the center of the state and because of that we failed to move enough of these people.

Why Proposition 8 passed in 2008 will be the subject of much discussion as the 2010 and 2012 elections approach - just as the question of why the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have not yet ended will similarly be hotly discussed. Still there is strength in numbers.

One can be certain that amongst the thousands who marched Tuesday night through California and across the nation in opposition to the Supreme Court ruling to uphold Proposition 8, that there were many who've been active in the anti-war movement. After all the suppression of the weak by the strong, sorrow and injustice are hallmarks of LGBT inequality, and of war. Perhaps as the LGBT struggle for humanity and civil rights moves forward, and the common struggle for humanity and civil rights to end war also moves forward, a greater harmony will develop between these two groups - with clarified goals and a universal message that unity wields more power than division.

Comments

[edwarvir]

Why do we have to know that Choi is gay,
if he really wanted serve his country just do it
and keep your mouth shut..

[JackNasty]

When heterosexual couples never marry their spouses, never list their spouse on a form, never file joint taxes with their spouses, never introduce a spouse at a company social event, never have a photo of a spouse on a desk, or never mention a spouse or an engagement in public, then we gay Americans will do the same. .

All of the above are grounds for dismissal from the military if a gay person does them. Don't Ask needs to be repealed.

Until then, why don't you shut your mouth?

[kittyarmy]

That is a great picture, and poignant gesture by Lt. Choi.

[mesends]

The top picture (Officer Choi saluting his president) - i think it will become as iconic as some of the great civil rights photos... at some level visual images have power over our collective consciousness that words cannot (or can, but in a different way). It makes me weep to see such courage, and such patriotism, from a person whose own country has treated him such a cowardly way. I disagree with those posters who state that he did not break the law - in fact, he followed in the steps of such other leaders such as Mahatma Gandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela by engaging in civil disobedience. Such non-violent action inherently breaks those laws that are wrongful, but at the same time acknowledges the legitimacy of the law - and a person choosing civil disobedience bravely, tragically takes the punishment attached to the violation of such laws as one powerful way to illustrate why any particular law needs to be changed. So many of us who are not LGBT understand the issue, but those who do not may find themselves having to reconsider when they face the consequences and see the courage of soldiers like Officer Choi.

[hotdogger55]

The LAPD is not well-known as a pro gay ally. Lt. Choi and his backers were quite daring in their attempt to catch President Obama's attention. The President is (obviously) quite busy, but, DADT is a life-changing piece of legislation. Keep silent about your life, life when you go out after work, silently wave goodby from afar, mourn away from the crowd.
I applaud Lt. Choi. Equality is not given--it must be grabbed. And confronted on many fronts--from the quick letter, to the news-making protest--all need to be done.

[Awake-and-Sing]

I was at this demonstration and the one the night before.

Lt. Dan Choi is a star. He is charasmatic and an incredible speaker.

He will be a major leader in the struggle for gay equality.

Social justice rarely operates under a politically convenient timetable. He won't be able to ignore gay issues for 4 years, because there is a court deadline looming. President Obama will need to decide to defend DOMA in court by June 29th. He will have to make a decision that will determine if he will keep his campaign promise to us or not. If he chooses to defend DOMA, that would be a major betrayal of our community.

Coincidentally, June is also the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, an important event in gay history and American civil rights history. It would be a wonderful gesture if the President traveled to Stonewall to commemorate the occasion and announce he would stop-loss all gay soldiers being discharged under don't ask, don't tell and that his administration would not defend DOMA in court as per his campaign promise, and then call on Congress to repeal both DADT and DOMA and institute federally recognized civil unions.

At least that's what a "fierce advocate" for the gay community would do.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

I think you do not get to decide the actions it takes in order for a person to be a "fierce advocate."

I think the President is showing that he is an advocate for gay rights. He believes in civil unions. Further, the President has committed to repealing DADT and has stated this himself and through the Press Secretary multiple times. The President has recent ensured that gay diplomats receive benefits for their families. The President has the DOD studying the impact repealing DADT will have on the military. When the Pentagon rep said otherwise, the Pentagon rep either lied or mispoke. The Secretary of Defense had him clarify and he now admits that the President has been in ongoing discussions with the Pentagon to repeal DADT.

In all of 4 months, the President is showing his support. It is unfortunate that you demand so much more and fail to recognize the progress that has been made.

[Awake-and-Sing]

"When the Pentagon rep said otherwise, the Pentagon rep either lied or mispoke. The Secretary of Defense had him clarify and he now admits that the President has been in ongoing discussions with the Pentagon to repeal DADT."

----------­----------

Please provide a link. I have not seen this AT ALL

You do not get to decide what makes someone a "fierce advocate" for our civil rights is either.

I do not dictate what is sufficient progress for your civil rights, so do not lecture to us about the civil rights of the gay community.

By June 29th, we will know for sure what the President's intentions are with regards to his promises to the gay community. He will either decline to defend DOMA or stab us in the bank. There is no triangulation on this one.

The 40th Annniversary of Stonewall is upon us and we will give it everything we've got to push for equality.

[wonketteRAWKS]

Perhaps that is what 0 is planning to do. You know politicians and their "timing." It makes them look good. Unfortunately, if that is what he is intending to do, then it's downright disgusting that he is extending this discrimination longer for political gain.

[jcwtts1]

Ok, here is something that I've been trying not to say for a while...

How about instead of this odd way the LGBT community seems to have lobbying people by attacking them, the LGBT community changes tacts. They work to bolster President Obama's popularity, bolster his capital instead of screaming and protesting every single week since his election. First it was that 8 passed and it was the fault of blacks and Obama. Then it was rick warren, then it was 8 again and that Obama hadn't come out and supported the law suit, then it was rick warren and how people were going to wear sheets to the inauguration to teach obama a lesson, then it was LGBT in the cabinet, then it was lgbt in the sub cabinet,. then it was DADT then it was DOMA, then it was Rick Warren again, then it was keep your word, and then there was the inauguration. Are you starting to get the picture. All of that before he was even sworn in. I have to tell you, if I were running Obama's white house I would never take another LGBT call. Not one single call.

[Awake-and-Sing]

What makes you think he was going to take our phone call before?

We have yet to see any actions that indicate he intends to keep ANY of his promises to our community?

We've learned the hard way. Silence = Death.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

You really have to get over past disappointment and not paint this president or judge this president with what happened in the past.

I wont' repeat here the progress the Prez has made on DADT, I just ask you to become more informed.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

I agree with you, in part. He would take the calls because this President represents all the people even those who seem to go off the deep end at every issue and every moment.

But in taking those calls, the President would say to the LGBT community what he has said to all critics. I hear you. Now hear me: He would remind the LGBT community of the following:

1. President has committed to repeaing DADT and had stated this himself and through the Press Secretary multiple times.

2. The President has recent ensured that gay diplomats receive benefits for their families.

3. The President has the DOD studying the impact repealing DADT will have on the military. When the Pentagon rep said otherwise, the Pentagon rep either lied or mispoke. The Secretary of Defense had him clarify and he now admits that the President has been in ongoing discussions with the Pentagon to repeal DADT.

And, the President would note that all of 4 months have passed. He would ask for patience.

[bilmardre]

I think you are onto something. Instead of treating him like an ally and accentuating their common ground, there knee jerk reaction is to make him an adversary. Doesn't help him, to help them.

[JackNasty]

Not a single call? That's because every time you mention gay Americans in this forum you reveal your irrational fear and hatred of us acquiring equal protection under the law, and your contempt for our urgent need to do so now. .

It's disgusting to see people who are already protected from discrimination by state and federal laws, argue that there is no need to repeal immediately the unjust laws that require the federal and state governments to discriminate against gay men and women.

[Joel Redman]

Silence is death for civil rights. Until Obama sees that we are real people with real issues nothing gets done. If we don't protest and demand our civil rights, nothing will happen.

Until every American knows someone who is gay or lesbian, and attaches a face to these issues nothing will happen. Harvey Milk had that much right. So by protesting and showing that we are real people and not just scripture passages, we are keeping our face on America.

If the authors of the DOJ brief knew gay people, they would have written that it is the same a pedophilia and incest. If the authors of DOMA had known gays, they would have realized the pain it caused to our community. If the witch hunters in the military knew gay people in their lives, they would realize that we are not any problem for morale except to bigots who don't represent America's interests.

This is why we are protesting. This is why we want to be seen by the President. This is why our voices need to be heard

[fya]

Why aren't the Veteran organizations at these protests? To repeal DADT you need the support of the military community. Where are they? Where's Vote Vets.org? Where's Paul Reickoff (I think that's his name, sorry if I'm wrong). Choi was aware of the consequences of coming out while active in the military. Before coming out on national television, he should have tried to contact someone in the White House (staff, advisors, etc.) to have a better strategy than this.

[PlaceboStudman]

How do you know he didn't try to contact the white house? Do any of us really know the actions of he and his fellow soldiers in the group Knights Out ?? Obviously Rachel Maddow had had some contact with him and the group before his appearance on his show, and the fact that yes, of course he knew what the consequences would be. But, that isn't to say he intentionally did it to strong arm the president. He did it to bring a human face and a name to the fight. Once you personalize something like this, it's much harder for (most) people to fight it when there are real human lives at stake, and not just some ambiguous anonymous names "over there"

[fya]

Are you sure that he tried to contact the White House? I can only comment on the behavior he displays. Going on Rachel Maddow doesn't make his experience real to me. I'm not suggesting that he's tying to strong arm the President. But tell me what he's accomplished by "outting" himself on national televison? I already had empathy for soldiers putting their lives on the line to defend our country. I believe DADT should be repealed. Sometimes when you personalize things you don't allow yourself to think critically. But you didn't answer my question. Where are the Veterans and Military orgainizations supporting Choi?

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Choi seems to like ignoring the law. Here, Lieutenant Daniel Choi defied the orders of dozens of crowd control police and stepped into the 'no protest zone' street." And he violated DADT by announcing his homosexuality on national TV.

Is he truly about getting DADT repealed or is this about childish defiance? Is he truly interested in getting DADT repealed or is this about childish impatience?

Choi dared the President to uphold the law and he lost.

DADT will be repealed but not because of the histrionics of people like Choi.

[AnotherTry]

Just because you are a police officer, doesn't mean you are allowed to create 'no protest zones'. There is no such thing as a no protest zone.

[TheronMarx]

If you actually knew anything about Constituional law, you would know that the court's rountinely uphold the constitutionality of "no protest" zones. Indeed, our government can regulate the time, place, and manner, but not content, of expression. While I support your position on the legalization of gay marriage in the state of California, you may want to enlighten yourself with regards to constitutional law so that you do not continue to make inaccurate statements that hurt your cause.

[JackNasty]

Is someone with courage standing up to injustice always so upsetting to flag draped bigots?

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Just because someone disagrees with you on this issue, don't engage in name calling.

Presumably we all want equal rights and the repeal of DADT.

[jmpurser]

Yes, he was a civil right's hero just like Rosa Parks wasn't he? Good to see not all Americans are afraid to stand up for what's right.

[jcwtts1]

Look, I am willing to take a lot of stuff but Rosa Parks was a woman taking a stand with no ability to redress grievance, no ability maintain her lifestyle if things went badly, as likely to be jailed as let go, as likely to do time as not. Choi risked being in the military and I don't want to minimize it, but there was a chance that Rosa Parks would be lynched... murdered, tortured. That her home would be burned down, that she would lose her job and be unable to get another one. Choi gets a separation form the military and becomes a hero. This isn't a good comparison.

J

[PlaceboStudman]

Lt Choi's actions were simple civil disobedience, nothing more.

[cminca]

So were Rosa Parks'.

[truthartbeauty]

go away

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Choi is a hypocrite. He intentionally and willfully violated the law on national TV.

Further, the President has committed to repeal DADT and had stated this himself and through the Press Secretary multiple times. The President has recent ensured that gay diplomats receive benefits for their families. The President has the DOD studying the impact repealing DADT will have on the military. When the Pentagon rep said otherwise, the Pentagon rep either lied or mispoke. The Secretary of Defense had him clarify and he now admits that the President has been in ongoing discussions with the Pentagon to repeal DADT.

[AnotherTry]

You can't violate a law that is unconstitutional.

[jcwtts1]

do we know the law is unconstitutional? Why haven't we had a challenge make it to the Supremes? Personally I feel it is unconstitutional as well but we need someone to say it. I have heard multiple people say that the LGBT community doesn't want to head to court on some of these issues specifically because the law is against them.

[jmpurser]

You don't know what Hypocrite means do you?

[PlaceboStudman]

Simple civil disobedience, Nothing more

[JackNasty]

So according to you, Rosa Parks is a hero for her act of civil disobedience violating a law requiring racial segregation but Daniel Choi, who violated a law requiring anti-gay discrimination as an act of civil disobedience, is not.

It sure sounds like a double standard to me. Could it be homophobia?

[apoyo]

Do people understand that the presidential term is 4 years long?

How do they expect one man to fix everything in 4 months?
Give it a break already.
Have some empathy.
It will happen.
Give him a chance for pity's sake.

[jmpurser]

Empathy and pity should flow from the high to the low. Not the other way around. President Obama has the power. It's time for him to understand and fulfill his promises.

[PlaceboStudman]

do people realize that I've typed versions of a statement rhat we'd like to hear President Obama make, dozens of times, and each time it took less than a minute??

"To my LGBT citizens and allies, I am here to reaffirm my commitment to press Congress to repeal DADT and DOMA. Please, be patient. These issues are complicated, and will take some time to negotiate through the complexities of such an emotional issue. But, we are working on it, and I promise, again, to stand by your side in the fight for all American citizens to have your right to equal protection under the law, as guaranteed by the constitution"

[jcwtts1]

That is a bad idea man, a bad idea. Do you know what kind of madness that would start. Every group would want a statement. Every group would want to know, when will he promise me... bad bad bad idea. Instead of making him do that how about having faith in the guy you voted for. How about doing everything in your power to move the senate from 59 where we are to 60 where we should be, and in 2010 winning 7-9 seats in the senate.

[pinellas]

Agreed about the 4 yrs thing, but how will our prez know how impatient people are w/ no protest? Demonstrating is a form of communication.

[qxav949]

If Choi is so convinced that the President will not repeal DADT on his (Choi) schedule, he is free to run for President so he can achieve his goal on January 21, 2013.

[JackNasty]

Under the circumstances, Choi would have my vote.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

then you are a one issue person and not properly informed.

The president has commited to repealing DADT. He is following the law that is currently the law. Choi broke the law, regardless of what he says his motives were.

[demfriend]

One of the soldiers recently on the mental health ward where I work told me a little story. "My daddy taught me the Pledge on his knee and told me like my prayers I had to say it loud and proud so God and everyone could hear it. He told me he went to Vietnam not because he wanted to but his number came up and he went scared but was proud he could help those people he found there. He caught a bullet but he wasn't one to show the scar. His daddy went to Japan and was there after the bombs. He was so very sad by what had been done but he knew the price had to be paid one side and the other both lost too many good people". But the thing making this soldier I was with the most upset was after all that history and having served with a few guys that their bedrooms choice wasn't his but no one told on them because everyone was more than glad to have them take their backs on patrol. This guy has PTSD bad. He said he didn't know what his dad would have said about the government not letting these guys be proud and serve without fear of discovery.