Rather than plead guilty and accept fines, White House chain-males Lt. Dan Choi and Cap. Jim Pietrangelo both just plead not guilty and will have a trial. It’s been set for April 26. Choi, walking into court in handcuffs and Army fatigues, tells the judge: “not guilty, not ashamed, and not finished.” Oh snap! Both men have been uncuffed and are being released.
Statement after their release: “There was no freer moment than being in that prison.”
Choi at courthouse:
[photo via]
How about we take this to the next level?
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Hyhybt
(subscribing without comment)
That Bitch Téa Delgado
Fierce!
Cam
Good for him! Of course now Joe Somonase will spend half his $400,000 salary to try to discredit this guy so he doesnt’ look weak, kiss-assy, and ineffective. Be on the lookout for articles attacking Choi, namecalling him for not sticking with HRC’s gladhanding lobbying efforts etc… you’ll know where they’re coming from.
DR
Good for them. Now we see what, if anything, the military does…
Kieran
How sad, pathetic, and disgusting is it that instead of fighting Al-Queda, Dan Choi has to fight his OWN government for the right to serve America?
Chris
EXCELLENT point, Kieran.
bystander
I agree DADT should be repealed, but Dan Choi is just an attention whore. Chaining himself to the Whitehouse fence doesn’t help the cause at all. It just makes gay and lesbian service-members look like self-important crazy people.
Disgusted American
hey Bystander No#7…as another commentor pointed out on another site…..would you call the 4 young black men back in the early 60’s who “refused to leave the Woolworth’s lunch counter” (until they were arrested) because They weren’t being treated fairly….attention whores?
Disgusted American
here’s the article:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Courage-at-the-Greensboro-Lunch-Counter.html
terrwill
@bystander: What do you suggest, more begging like the Gays have done for like forever???That has seen so very successfull…not There is now a face of a decorated Luietenent who was kicked out of the military simply for being Gay. We need more faces out there showing, patriotic, strong, able bodied soldiers who simply want to serve to be seen and heard………….
Disgusted American
chk out the vid that goes with it…
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/multimedia/videos/Restaging-the-Greensboro-Counter-Sit-in.html
Cam
Repost from the other thread..
In the article in the Local DC gay paper “DC Agenda” about the Dan Choi situation, look what one of HRC’s supporters and a former employer said to the paper…in the middle of the article.
http://www.dcagenda.com/2010/0…..e-protest/
“”Phil Attey, a gay D.C. activist who attended the HRC rally, expressed particular distaste with Choi’s march to the White House and called it “politically unsophisticated beyond belief.”
“It’s a shame that our community needs to be educated about the political process and they don’t get it,” Attey said. “They don’t understand that Congress needs to be moved on this issue and that people across the country have the power to do that. And if they’re going to get them to yell and scream at the president, we’re going to fail, we’re going to lose.””
———-
So in the middle of an article on the Choi situation, this guy would rather take time out to attack other activists than to talk about winning the repeal of DADT. I think that shows you right there that HRC’s strategy seems more to be, to attack any other organization or people out there not working with them, rather than advocating for our rights. If they can kill every other group, then they feel they can get a bigger share of the gay money I guess.
Eric
Heros! And as expected, more Queerty readers view and comment on corny photos of a naked-ish model than a solid civil rights demonstration.
Kieran
Where is the phucking Lamestream Newsmedia to cover this Civil Rights issue? How much more dramatic can you get? A gay American Iraqi War Hero chains himself to the White House fence to protest DADT, is arrested and thrown in jail where he is kept without bail. If this were a GLBT protest at the St Patrick’s Day parade it would be getting full coverage.
jeffree
@CAM: you called this one right! thanx 2 u and also Disgusted American for the links.
HRC strategy is to *play nice* & thats not been working 2 well at all. maybe Choi & Peitrangelo will inspire other people. Or maybe get haulled off to jail. either WAY, Hrc looks desparate to look relevent and be noticed so they dont seem weak. which they are!
DR
@Eric:
I know, sad, ain’t it? I commented on that problem in another thread yesterday. This is why we have no rights and no real movement in this country. We think because we can date freely and openly, we are “free”. Forget about the fact we are second-class citizens, most gay men only wanna know when the next circuit party is.
Eric
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYw6xIIfQWg
He inspired me Raise these men up, Queerty!
“The message was very clear to all the people who think that equality can be purchased with a donation or a cocktail party or with tokens that are serving in a public role.”
terrwill
The Gay community has not learned a history lesson that has already been played out for us. If the women in the early 1900’s had only used words they still wouldn’t be voting in United States elections. It was only once they took to the streets and showed some woman kickass things started to change. If the Blacks hadn’t begun to scare the white man a few more shades of white realizing that words and peacefull protests were not gonna get them anywhere, they would still be sitting in the back of the downtown bus. Each group needed to say enough is damm well enough. If you are not going to give us the same damm rights and opportunities that you are we are going to start disrupting your lives, to force you to pay attention and start making genuine progress towards equality………
Jimmy
I think we are in the midst of the something in the movement that makes for good reading in history books, because the narrative is being told in the context of human stories. Real people, like Constance McMillen and Dan Choi, are making a stand in the same way Rosa Parks did; and, in the same way Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood, the two black students who stood bravely against a defiant Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s attempt to keep the from entering the University of Alabama, did. These names became an indelible part of history and show us that one person can, when the moment presents itself, make a difference.
D'oh, The Magnificent
Dan Choi, DA MAN.
You get far more through strength than begging like little bitches for it.
AndrewW
This Fall our community will be asking wtf happened? This publicity stunt will be part of the answer to this question.
Choi is a good guy and we all respect his service to our Country and his efforts regarding LGBT equality. But, this STUNT was dumb. It didn’t change anyone’s mind and it didn’t inspire people to stand with us. he’s a little more famous and we’re a little further from equality.
Winning needs to replace whining. Soon.
AndrewW
@Jimmy: 50 years ago people had to take a stand to create attention. We have ENOUGH attention, we need results. This does not contribute to results.
D'oh, The Magnificent
Got there are a lot of HRC trolls on this site. No one is buying what you peddling because if you were producing “results” Dan Choi would not be out there getting arrested. He would be building his career in the military.
Suzy Goo
To Lt. Dan & Cpt Jim-You Go Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now for the rest of us, where do we chain ourselves to and can I use my strand of peals instead of the good, strong macho chains like the ones Lt. Dan uses. By the way, I prefer the term “SODOMITE!”
Jon
@AndrewW: several years ago I was laying down on the pavement so that some guy could draw chalk around my body. Tell us how and why what you think this is a “publicity stunt” that won’t get any results . .I’ll revoke my card & go to a coctail party.
bobo
well, if you don’t agree with Choi’s tactics, that’s definitely your right to say so. Hopefully, critics will have their own plans on how to best take down DADT and/or address LGBTQ civil rights issues, and are working with their friends on it. there’s room for a homo-malcolm x AND a homo-MLK. but sitting around and arguing about who deserves to be more famous or who deserves to be a star in the civil rights strugglem, or how HRC are a bunch of posers or are hyprocritical is boring and a waste of time. If you don’t like HRC or Choi, don’t give them your money and do your own thing. We have too many things that need to be crossed off on our civil rights to-do list, and we are wasting precious time. but to say that Choi didn’t inspire anyone to also take a stand is just plain wrong, b/c i’ve talked to folks who were inspired by what he did.
schlukitz
Dan, we are all just so proud of you. You put a face on the gay movement and become a spokesman for all LGBT people, something that we have lacked for so long now.
Thank you for bravely and honestly speaking out.
Ted B. (Charging Rhino)
Is Lt. Choi taking a stand, …or just taking a stage bow?
With this illconceived stunt, I’ll suggest the later. He has already been returned to drill with his unit in New York. His “fame” has outweighed his judgment, and this stunt while in uniform should end any hope he had for a military career.
Hero, or tool?, …I’ll vote “tool”.
jakob
@AndrewW: I find it to be one of the most inspiring actions I’ve ever seen in association with Gay Rights. His speech afterwords was one of the best I’ve ever heard on behalf of Gay Rights.
D'oh, The Magnificent
I think the best policy at this point is to assume anyone attacking Mr. Choi personally is probably a troll.
Mark
It’s tedious to hear from those who sit on the sidelines to criticize and complain about Choi and others who DO something. Choi has courage and conviction to get involved. The complainers just complain and judge and peddle negativity and offer no ideas… Petty.
Robert, NYC
Bystander, just remember, if it weren’t for civil disobedience, African Americans wouldn’t have their equality today. I see Dan Choi’s actions no differently. At least he has the courage to do it unlike many of us. If every gay man and woman across the country did that, we’d have our equality too, sooner, rather than later. The squeaky wheel gets more done than remaining passive and expecting politicians to the right thing voluntarily out of the goodness of their hearts, HRC et al notwithstanding.
Kieran
Let’s see, Dan Choi is an Asian. He’s a Gay veteran. A Gay Hero of the Iraq War. He’s not femme, shrill, or bitchy. He’s eloquent, tough and looks like he could easily kick some homophobic ass in a fight. Well there you have it. No wonder the newsmedia is ignoring this story.
AndrewW
Demands without a viable threat are meaningless. The only garner some attention (which we have plenty of already) and they don’t create any results.
If we’re going to march around making “demands” or chaining ourselves to government fences and increasing the volume of our demands – what’s the threat?
Without a threat, demands are useless.
Robert, NYC
Imagine if “every” gay voter in this country withheld their vote for the Democratic Party. I think we’d see a different party altogether. Without us, they’re power is diminished even if they win elections without large majorities. I think the party will see fewer gays voting for them come November and beyond, serves them right. They’ve delivered on precious little and all they do is delay, delay, delay to avoid doing anything, a mirror image of the republican party. Showing up at an HRC Gala to give a pep talk on repealing DADT for instance doesn’t work for me. Action speaks far louder than words. All we’ve heard are empty words since 2008. This is not what I voted for and won’t vote for more of the same. They’ve yet to earn my vote, deliver the goods or else, go away, don’t bother me for money when its convenient to get re-elected, then shaft me once you’re in power, no thanks.
D'oh, The Magnificent
It is a well known fact that if you play nice and say nothing you always get what you want.
jeffree
If any one opposes what Lt. Choi did, then let them suggest a better alternative strategy.
Its so easy to say NO THAT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO but harder to suggest alternate ideas. I am SO TIRED of hearing the criticisers who offer nothing but NO NO NO & yet have got nothing else to say or reccommend!!
Lincoln Rose
We don’t even have to go all the way back to anyone else’s civil rights struggles to learn from this…or does no one else remember ACT-UP!? I know a bunch of folks like HRC would love to re-write history and make us all think that we got as far as we did with the AIDS crisis because of all the political lobbying. But it was because we felt a sense of death, urgency, and pain too deep to bother trying to mask politely.
I thought that sense of urgency had left us for good. Now, between Lt. Choi and the ENDA 4 (5? 8?), I’m starting to regain more pride in how we roll nationally. I’m glad people are remembering now.
hephaestion
THANK YOU DAN CHOI!!! At last a hero for justice and equality!
I want to buy a poster of Dan Choi to hang on my walls. If HRC had any sense, they’d be selling posters of Choi and other heroes of our movement.
AndrewW
There are plenty of alternatives to GetEqual’s publicity stunts. Find a local organization and get involved.
It is fair and necessary to question tactics in an effort to determine if they are effective. Every business, every sports team, every organization regularly analyzes their tactics and strategies. The LGBT Movement hasn’t done that in +40 years. We will now.
Hyhybt
@jeffree: Doing the wrong thing can be far worse than doing nothing at all. I don’t know whether this will help or harm us long-term, but there IS such a thing as counterproductive.
mark
@That Bitch Téa Delgado:
perfect discription
D'oh, The Magnificent
There is no right thing here. Do whatever is necessary. Until you get that, you will not have your rights.
Observer1000
The only reason the press is not covering this is because Gen Sheeman’s comments on Srebenica were so “way off the mark” they’ve overshadowed Lt Choi. But, in the end, they’ll all be part of the same snapshot in time.
D'oh, The Magnificent
@Observer1000: True.
grayyoung
am in the military. dan chois actions are much more severe than civil disobedience here. is the full point of what we are arguing for that members of the military are more mature than what radical conservatives are saying. choi just gave so much fodder to the crazy right wing conspiracy who will use him to show that “gays in the military cant be trusted and will be out of line with military good order and discipline.” seriously, that is the exact line in the law that bans homosexuals. that it would be bad for good order and discipline to have homosexuals in the military. wait, so being out of good order and discipline and chaining yourself to the whitehouse fence in a MILITARY uniform is how we make the case that we should be allowed to openly serve. great, choi, you prolly just derailed this singlehandedly.
Read more: http://www.queerty.com/phil-attey-was-fine-with-outing-gay-priests-but-dan-chois-white-house-stunt-was-too-radical-20100320/comment-page-1/#comment-283481#ixzz0ipRh8h9D
D'oh, The Magnificent
@grayyoung: People like you have been popping up claiming to be in the military , including on sites like Daily Kos, attacking Dan Choi. Just thought others should know.
toyotabedzrock
Why didn’t someone bail him out?