Anti-gay harassment drove J.T. Chestnut to go AWOL from the army and when the police arrested him and sent him to face a military court, LGBT activist Kevin James started an online petition asking the army to free him. Well, Mr. Chestnut just spoke to LGBTPOV’s Tom Carpenter and he would rather you not sign that petition, thank you very much.
Here’s what Chestnut reportedly said:
âI really appreciate everything that my friends are doing for me, but they need to know I am safe, being well treated and am looking forward to being discharged by the end of the week and home in LA by the weekend.â He said that although the Army could Court Martial (military criminal trial) him for going AWOL at a time of war, that they rarely did so and usually used the administrative discharge process. He will be meeting with Judge Advocate General officers (military lawyers) Wednesday and they will likely be making him an offer of an Other Than Honorable discharge in lieu of an Administrative Board or General Courts Martial.
There is still a remote possibility that the Army could change its mind and not make this offer. He is concerned that any action, such as this petition, could draw attention to his case and cause the Army to use him as an example. He thanks everyone for making such an extraordinary effort on his behalf but asks everyone to just cool their jets for the time being.
So everybody leave Mr. Chestnut alone, alright? You’re only making things worse.
ponies!!!!!!!!!
to the guy on here that was all like “oh this is my friend, sign this petition yo” i say HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Little Kiwi
it’s just an incredibly interesting scenario. punishing a man for going AWOL during a “time of war” despite the fact that thousands of ready-willing-and-able soldiers were discharged “during a time of war” simply for being found out for being gay.
Drew
LMAO ponies!!!!!!!!!!! that would be little Kiwi who loves to talk out of his ass about everything and replies to every single post here.
Little Kiwi
actually, Drew, at no point did i tell anyone to sign the petition, nor did i sign it myself.
i don’t think this is a “petition worthy” case. at all. so, no. you’re both wrong. sorry. sucks to be you. đ
EK
@Little Kiwi: He was going to be discharged, he let his homosexuality be known. He was going to be discharged anyway so why go AWOL instead of just finishing it out.
Little Kiwi
“He was going to be discharged anyway so why go AWOL instead of just finishing it out.”
I’d instead ask this question to the military – why be pissed that he went AWOL when you were going to kick him out anyway for being gay, just as you kicked out THOUSANDS for being gay over the last decades at a massive financial cost?
ousslander
would not have signed it anyway
Riker
@Little Kiwi: Because desertion during a time of war has been one of the most serious crimes a person can commit in the military,, going back to the beginning of military history.
Greg
@Riker: In a legal sense, the U.S. hasn’t been at war since 1945.
EK
@Greg: this is true, it should be during a time of conflict not a time of war
terra_firma106
I was having a discussion with Little Kiwi on the other thread and I agree with him in that he never asked anyone to sign the petition. Little Kiwi was more annoyed with the way Daniel wrote the article and he was voicing that concern.
SEXXYJAMAICAN
I don’t blame Mr.Chestnut, considering the shitty way he was talked about in the first article I would tell ya’ll hoes to kiss my black ass too.