When CNN interviewed discharged military Lieutenant Dan Choi about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this weekend, Choi said he has no reason to endorse Obama for re-election.
Of course, Dan Choi would rather support any of the mostly anti-gay GOP presidential candidates other than Obama, especially since Obama is still prosecuting Choi’s White House protest in court and wants Choi to pay for his own DADT discharge.
So which elephant would Choi ride to equality? Maybe he’d be down for Michelle Bachmann or openly-gay GOP longshot Fred Karger.
Elijah
Ugh…Choi has very quickly turned into a joke. He’s a fool.
pithyscreenname
Wow, its just sad.
gregger
I wasn’t going to post but WTF, Choi was initially a sympathetic character and was applauded for his bravery in coming out. He has devolved into some one I have very little sympathy or respect. The danger of demanding immediate surrender from your opponent, the type that Choi is employing, leads the opponent to become stubborn, intractable, etc. When your words and actions by turn people off, you’re doing more harm than good.
William
Dan Choi is out of his fucking mind. Disturbing thing is he makes so many good points. That “Lets have a study” as a parallel to his struggle was absolutely genius and I loved it. It just needs to stop there.
This is completely irrational…… Has he heard about these candidates? I don’t understand
papparon
FACT: Dan Choi has done a great deal to forward the cause of Gay Rights in America – he has kept the pressure on the powers-that-be without yielding or relenting. He has placed himself in awkward positions so that his message will be heard. What he has done takes courage and commitment.
You don’t have to like him, but you really should respect what he has accomplished. BTW posting a few pithy remarks on Queerty does NOT qualify anyone as an activist much less allow them to think they are even in the same league as Dan Choi.
If someone does not understand the political forces at play, and the mechanisms by which they work yet still makes public statements like the above, then guess who the FOOL really is?
mike128
@ papparon: Well said!
papparon
Only Yesterday, I spoke with NY Senator Tom Duane and his life partner of 18 years – even though they could now marry legally in New York, they believe it would still be political suicide to do so. They went on to comment on the struggle in New York State was more about getting REPUBLICANS who secretly DO support us to overcome their political fears and make it known. It is the same on the Federal level. By our blindly supporting Democrats we are doing nothing but preaching to the choir. Where our efforts should be focused right now is in supporting those REPUBLICANS who are on our side but afraid to show it. If we don’t, then our inaction will insure that the likes of Michelle Bachmann or someone equally odious will be the candidate, and we will only have ourselves to blame.
P.S. I consider myself to be a strong Democrat, but it is time to wake up and play the whole field rather than hovering around our own goalpost.
Erik
@papparon: The extent to which Choi helped further the repeal of DADT should be applauded. But saying he has no reason to support President Obama’s re-election is 100% stupid. All of the legitimate Republican candidates are on-record opposing gays in the military, and because non-discrimination language was not written into law as a part of the DADT repeal process, any of them could re-institute the policy with an executive order as President.
Unless Choi wants to do it all over again, that’s a pretty compelling reason to support President Obama’s re-election.
Polyboy
Yes, papparon, but by screwing over the people who do support you (and yes, even if it happened slowly Obama’s is still the administration that has done more for LBGT people in this country’s bloody history) he is creating an environment for the anti-gay Theocrats to win.
And if the last four years have taught us anything is that Republican Theocrats will do anything to win, even plunge the country into an economic morass with no end in sight.
8 years of noiselessly voting to raise the debt ceiling and now suddenly it’s an issue. Sophistry at its finest.
Sure support the Republicans who support us, but do not forget there are hordes of the constituents who don’t and THEY elect the politicians.
gregger
@papparon: Actually I understand the political forces at play, seemingly far better than Choi. He has done an enormous thing by outing himself and some of his statements and behaviors have hurt his cause by having people write him off. That is not how you win in a situation such as this. When you marginalize yourself, as Dan Choi has done, you become “fringe” and make yourself subject to a great deal of derision and ridicule.
By cuffing himself to the WH fence, while still not having completely settled his separation, Dan hurt his chances of not having to pay back the funds and that he will ever get back into the armed forces. He disobeyed the rules and attempted to make a fool of the commander in chief. Not brilliant to do if you are still under the commander in chief and hope to rejoin the service upon the ending of DADT. Yes it was brave, but was it prudent?
By verbally going after the commander in chief is even less prudent. Speaking out against policy is one thing but to publicly say that he could not endorse him. Seemingly Dan doesn’t understand what the consequences are, sounds like his actions and words are a little foolish at best.
Oh Dear (John From England)
@Polyboy:
I was saying this stuff about this guy when he even started DADT. Which was all about HIM.
He is NO Peter Thatchell who actually CARES for ALL human rights.
gregger
@papparon: Yes play the field, but for Dan to rub the CIC’s nose in his displeasure is not playing the field it’s being a brat.
I understand we will only achieve full equality when we have bipartisan support. Anything done with just one group can usually be undone. The current crop (or is it crap) of Republican Presidential candidates is a joke. A Gay man, a Bigot (Paul), and the rest are Religio-Nazis are the best they have to offer. The Gay man will not win, the Rep base would rather vote for an African-American Jewish Lesbian than a Gay man. Ron Paul talks and talks and talks…what he has had in print over the last 30 years I find terrifying on financial, socio, and political levels. Bachmann, Palin, Romney, Pawlenty, Frothy-Mix Santorum, et al are determined to make a near theocracy. That scares me more than Ron Paul.
So if you’re trying to imply that anyone of the LGBT sub-culture should support any of those people, you’re wasting your time. On the other hand if you are implying that we should examine the different candidates for each office and vote for the best one, I already do that and have since my first election in 1980.
gregger
@Oh Dear (John From England): Thank you!!!
pithyscreenname
@papparon: Um, FACT, all major Republican candidates for President have talked about repealing the return on DADT. Fact, if Choi would consider voting for said Republican, after all the hard work he has done to repeal DADT, then that says he is batshit crazy.
K in VA
Choi has serious anger-management problems. He’s no longer suited to be a spokeperson for anybody (not even himself).
Oh, and although I recognize his service and honor him for his time in uniform (which should have been longer), he needs to put the uniform away. I don’t know if he’ll eventually succeed in rejoining the army (or other branch) but, for now, he’s a civilian. He should wear civvies.
Chip
The most dangerous place to stand is between Dan Choi and a camera.
papparon
OK – I know that this is hard to wrap a small brain around, but Dan Choi is once again volunteering to be the political scapegoat to purposefully draw attention away from other issues. He is doing it with the BLESSING of Obama and the entire Democratic party! Truth is, smart money is on Obama getting re-elected regardless of what Choi or hundreds of other activists will do (including the naysayers here) so therefore, Dan (and others who have made their courageous decision to shoulder the wrath of petty homo minds) will actually be in a position to make a real and significant contribution to our goals, rather than just rubber-stamping the status-quo.
In a nutshell:
1) Obama doesn’t NEED Choi in order to get re-elected.
2) Some Republicans are ready to break rank with the crazies, but are afraid they will have no support whatsoever if they do.
3) Dan Choi and other brave souls like him are willing to put up with your BS and attacks to help and encourage those Republicans to follow their hearts.
4) Dan Choi, once again will accomplish a hundred times more for us than any of our bitching could ever do.
and THAT’S the way politics works
VictorG
Obama is such a pussy that any progressive person is justified to be completely disgusted by his complete lack of leadership and courage. Dan Choi is completely entitled to his sense of betrayal by the Obama administration and their parsimonious handling of LGBTQ civil rights issues. As a life-long Democrat I must say that it will be very difficult for me to vote for Obama again, he has moved the discussion on every major issue so far to the right that he has become a slave to the GOP. Pussyboy! Slave of the GOP! Those will look good on t-shirts!
Steve
@papparon: I doubt that he’s had any impact whatsoever beyond embarrassing a few people who were trying to do something constructive. He is always over the top and hysterical.
No president in the history of the nation has done more than president Obama for gay people. If you expect him to flounce about making dramatic statements that’s not his style. But he has done more than anyone else ever has and Choi should be thanking him him.
We are all aware that the opposition to our current president is not only insane but extremely well-funded and spearheaded by the 24 hour propaganda outlet of Fox News? We are aware that no president has ever faced such a concentrated torrent of lies? That he gets anything done is a miracle – and he’s got plenty done. Choi should grow up.
Phillip
Stating that you have no reason to vote for Obama is not the same as saying that you want to vote for an anti gay republican. Even if you make the case that not voting or voting for a third party candidate is stupid (which I would disagree with) it is different than voting for or supporting an anti gay politician.
Your article is needlessly inflammatory. Dan has worked hard to reverse a discriminatory policy. To that end he has earned the right to criticize our supposed “fierce advocate” who has this far refused to do any of the heavy lifting to get legislation passed on behalf of the LGBTQ community.
If we continue to blindly support the lesser if two evils we disrespect ourselves and give politicians no reason to spend political capital to advance out rights.
Roman
I’m a progressive liberal and I don’t intend to vote for Obama either – for a broad spectrum of reasons. How does that equate me or anyone critical of Obama’s performance into likely voting for an R? It’s an asinine assumption. Way to go, Dan! Standing up and holding this Administration, Congress and citizenry accountable is more than admirable. And I imagine difficult as hell – and then some.
oldgayvermonter
@papparon: Thank you for your insightful commentary. As you can see in many of the comments here, rational political analysis is not a priority. The headline is misleading, as are many Queerty headlines. I had to go back and listen to the clip again to be sure…Choi does not endorse any republican, is correct in his description of the convoluted process of endless studies that has delayed the end (not done yet…count to 60 dammit) of DADT, and is totally correct about the agonized process where a warrior is pushed to become an activist. There are many reasons progressives and libertarians detest Obama…the continuation of the insecure and unconstitutional so-called Patriot Act, the expansion of the Bush wars with death and destruction resulting, the blank checks and promotions given to the financial criminals (banksters) who took down the world economy (and continue to profit from this destruction), and so on. One Republican, currently being ignored by the establishment press etc for his truth-to-power approach actually has a track record and not only doesn’t kiss up the religious taliban of the party, but is quite in their face about it. He not only refused to sign the bizzare Marriage Pledge, but proclaimed it totally un-republican. On DADT I encourage you to read this…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-johnson/dont-ask-dont-tell-must-e_b_764296.html
I look forward to the scorn of assorted trolls, I’m too old and scarred to give a crap.
JKB
Why shouldn’t he put pressure on the president (at whatever level that may be)? The right wing puts pressure on Obama to great effect. God bless Dan Choi.
papparon
@oldgayvermonter: good for you! Glad to see another old codger like me take to the soapbox. What many of the people are saying here is just a reflection of what they have read on the internet. It takes a lot of effort and hard work to filter through what various “news” sources are spewing out. I am fortunate that I can speak directly with many of the parties concerned including Dan, just yesterday at my wedding in NYC!
I will agree that Dan comes off as abrasive when he responds to certain issues. But he has learned the hard way that polite conversation does not get the job done. Can any of us really blame him if he shows his anger, frustration and disgust for what has been done to thousands like him? Just because we have made great strides this year, should we give up the battle and let the opposition regroup? Can we ever stand quiet as long as there is any threat to our kind? Even if DOMA is repealed and marriage equality exists in all 50 states, do we quit then – when places like Uganda still exist?
Daniel Inviere
Why is it the default position of Democrats and Republicans that if you are not voting for one party, you must be voting for the other? Or that there are no other choices? Trust me, there are other choices.
Let’s keep in mind DOMA & DADT were enacted during a Democratic administration.
Also – Queerty – this headline is DELIBERATLY misleading and you godsdamn well know it.
Queer Supremacist
@Daniel Inviere: Of course. They’re part of the same Democrats Über Alles borg as every other gay ghetto blog.
He said he was looking for a Republican to support. That doesn’t mean he has found one.
And it’s funny to hear talk of “the gay man [who] has no chance of winning” from people who would vote for a “straight” Democrat over a gay Republican who would send federal troops to a justice of the peace’s office if he had to. You want gay rights? Support gay candidates. Period. I, for one, will not trust my rights or give my vote to a single solitary heterosexual for any office whatsoever. And you had better not either if you know what’s good for you.
Why should ANYONE vote for Obama, and why should any gay man or woman vote for a heterosexual?
Dan Choi should be the one running for President.
WillBFair
I see were moving into the far left and looney right, where people don’t understand basic arithmetic or the two party system.
Bottom line: given the policy choices of both parties, a vote for anyone besides Obama is off the scale ignorant.
Riker
@WillBFair: Many of the Republican candidates have the same position on gay rights that Obama does.
Snark
Can’t you all wait for Michelle Bachman to take office with a Republican-controlled House and Senate? Won’t they all do great things for LGBT people? Look at the great work the Republicans in Iowa have done for the nice folks on the Iowa Supreme Court who ruled for gay marriage equality!
We’ll all be so lucky when Republicans control the federal government. As the past couple of weeks have shown us, the GOP is here to stand up for the little guy! No way will the GOP ever support abusive policies that hurt average Americans for the benefit of powerful.
Riker
@Snark: Bachmann won’t be the next President. She’s got an outside shot at the nomination, but Obama would crush her. The only one that really has a good shot in the 2012 general election is Mitt Romney. On gay issues, he’s fairly moderate.
Taliaferro
There is a third party choice – the Americans Elect Party – http://www.americanselect.org/
adam
@Riker: Romney has flip flopped consistently on everything whenever it is politically expedient. As president if his republican base wants anti gay legislation then so will he.
the crustybastard
Brilliant political genius multidimensional chess-playing constitutional scholar Barack Obama should have the sense not to prosecute a civil rights icon.
But Obama’s ever-expanding ego cannot abide when any person dares confront his status as Dear Leader.
And yes, Choi is a civil rights icon, not a saint. And yes, MLK fucked around on his wife, who was an excellent and beautiful lady. That didn’t make MLK a saint either, which doesn’t diminish his position as a civil rights icon, either
Obama is gratuitously dragging Choi through court. Moreover, Obama fired Choi and now wants to extract monetary damages from Choi for being fired. There’s no reason for it. There’s no excuse for it. And it’s preposterous to expect Choi to support the very politician who is not merely prosecuting him, but persecuting him.
Finally, to you partisan nitwits who must obsessively make every goddam thing about Red Team v. Blue Team: look around. Two parties is not enough, and these two parties have joined together to play you for fools while they empty your bank account and ruin your future. And you lot would actually seem to prefer a one-party system, as long as it’s “your” party. Creepy.
Daez
@Erik: Why wouldn’t he want to do it all over again. All expenses paid and $10,000 per speaking engagement is a pretty solid reason to want to keep the fight going as long as possible.
Choi is a cash cow, nothing more. Offer me $10,000 for an hour of my time and I will become a fierce gay advocate as well.
xander
@daez : Choi stopped making $10K per speech a couple years ago. Once someone is no longer relevant to current issues, those speaking honoraria drop quickly.
pithyscreenname
Looks like he still makes enough to have representation…
http://www.gotham-artists.com/lt_dan_choi.html
Riker
@adam: What politician hasn’t flip-flopped a hundred times over? ALL candidates move to the extreme during the primaries to appease their party’s base, but once they get the nomination they quickly dash back to the center in order to win over the undecided moderates. The wingnuts will still vote for him because he’s better than the other guy.
jeff4justice
Nobama for me. I’ll vote for an alternative party who supports equality from the start.
delurker
@Riker: hahaha right. all obama has to do is xerox bush’s re-lection ads against john “i was for it before i was against it” kerry. romney is an even bigger flip flopper than kerry ever was. the attack ads write themselves. 🙂
Anthony Macias
I respect him even more for not drinking the HRC propaganda Kool-Aid. I’ve seen talking points paraphrased from their website from all the libs on here.
Look at you. You’re attacking a brave gay man because he’s different and thinks for himself instead of falling in line with the left-wing HRC loons.
Obama is a national joke. If having your asses soundly kicked in 2010 didn’t get the message through, we’re going to take Obama out in 2012 and replace him with someone who has a record of defending individual liberty whether it’s popular at the time or not.
I’m of course talking about Congressman Ron Paul of Texas.