Between William Rodriguez-Kennedy, a former Marine Corps corporal from San Diego (and also the city’s Log Cabin Republicans chapter president), and Dan Choi, the former Army first lieutenant, trying to re-enlist in the military following the Pentagon’s decision to allow The Gays to sign up for service, it’s just one big round of smiles all around for discharged troops looking to re-join.
(Well, sort of: Choi tried enlisting as a Marine but is a few months beyond the age cut off, so he enlisted with the Army, making very clear he was discharged under DADT.)
Speaking to Anderson Cooper last night, Choi says his visit to the Times Square recruitment office included the regular pitch about how awesome military service is.
Now good luck to all the other gay soldiers trying to re-enlist: Recruitment centers in South Florida, at least, have yet to get the memo.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Choi Main
Please NOTICE me! Please! Please!
Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com
Sad to see Servicemembers United join SLDN in their SINGLE message: “Hide, Bambi, Hide!”
Thank Goddess Rosa Parks and Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta King and John Lewis and those who sat in at lunch counters and myriad others places and the children and teenagers who had to walk through gauntlets… of verbal and physical abuse just to enter their newly-integrated schools with spit on their faces and clothes but pride and courage in their hearts were not in those days’ black civil rights movement equivalent of SLDN and Servicemembers United – the NAACP which was only willing to confront bigotry in court.
YES, OF COURSE, it’s important to make clear to active duty gays that coming out now could end their careers. But where is the accompanying:
“HOWEVER, if there is anyone active duty who IS willing to risk their careers in order to put a face on open service, to demonstrate that the sky has not fallen around them, please contact us to join the long but narrow line of personal sacrifice that was started by Leonard Matlovich, that was picked up by Skip Keith and Debbie Randolph and Barbara Watson and Miriam Ben-Shalom and Keith Meinhold and Tracy Thorne and Zoe Dunning and Justin Elzie and Jose Zuniga and Sandy Tsao and Dan Choi and Katie Miller.”
Sad, just sad.
customartist
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Dave
@Choi Main:
More power to him.
Stand up and shout for what’s right!
Michael
@Choi Main: Why not “notice” Dan? So far, he seems to be the only openly Gay man who has enlisted since the law was repealed. Where are the others? Was repealing DADT much ado about nothing? Rest assured, the Obama administration will use this as ammo to support no need to support Gays in the military.
Kevin Kelly
I’m guessing Choi is hoping to enlist so he can be thrown out again. Cha-ching. “Twice-discharged Gay-Military-Martyr to Tour US on Speaking Tour.”
If he isn’t allowed to join I hope he does another hunger strike. That was the coolest thing he ever did.
SF Dragon
PLEASE support Dan Choi by donating to GetEqual today. We need to reward these brave activists for risking their lives to get our Rights. With more money they can hire more fierce activists and finish the job.
This has been a great year for activism. Please contribute so we can defeat the new Republican Congress, too.
I’m not going out this weekend and instead I’m giving $100 to Robin and Kip. YOU SHOULD TOO! http://www.getequal.com
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