Comments on: Choi trial opens with clash over White House protest rules

By: Trial Against Lt. Dan Choi for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Protest Set for Thursday | RH Reality Check

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:29:19 +0000

[...] The case concerns whether Lt. Dan Choi should serve up to six months in jail or pay a fine of up to $5,000 for chaining himself to the White House fence in protest of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy in November 2010. An Iraq war veteran, Arabic linguist, and West Point graduate, Choi was discharged for “coming out” while DADT was still in effect. He has been arrested while engaging in several high-profile acts of non-violent civil disobedience and activism, including three White House DADT protests, a White House protest of the Keystone XL pipeline, and a gay pride parade in Moscow. [...]

By: the changing face of clooney (Rebecca) | thecommonillsbackup

the changing face of clooney (Rebecca) | thecommonillsbackup — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:38:46 +0000

[...] Sanjeev Verma (Hindustan Times) reports India’s Embassy in Baghdad is working on “return tickets and exit visas” for the 33 youth who would otherwise be stranded and that they’re also providing lodging and food for 26 of those 33. Turning to the US where a DC federal court has put a trial on hold. Jessica Gressko (AP) reports that Judge John Facciola has put the case on hold because he feels Dan “Choi has shown, at least preliminary, that he is being treated differently because of the subject of his protests” and “the nature of his speech or what he said.” John Riley (Metro Weekly) adds that “the government prosecutor told the court she intended to file a writ of mandamus (or writ of prohibition) against Mag. Judge John Facciola for allowing Choi’s defense team to investigate and pursue a defense of vindictive prosecution by the U.S. government against Choi for actions related to his First Amendment rights.” The trial is now on hold. What’s going on? Lt Dan Choi is an Iraq War veteran and was a member of the US military until he decided to refuse to live in any closet and came out to the world in order to embrace truth, life and equality back in March 2009. That was months after Barack I-Will-End-Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell-If-Elected was sworn in. So it shouldn’t have been an issue. But after that, he was discharged even though the administration was ‘moving’ on the issue (largely filing briefs opposing court decisions ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell). Since 2009, he’s been one of the most visible protesters against a corrupt and unconstitutional (check the court verdicts) policy. Now he’s on trial for civil disobedience and exercising free speech. Towelroad explains, “Lt. Dan Choi’s trial began in federal court yesterday for protesting ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ with 12 other activists on November 14, 2010. Choi and the others chained themselves to the White House fence while chanting ‘I am somebody,’ ‘We do this for you’ and “President Obama, Silent Homophobia.’ Choi faces 6 months in prison or a $5,000 fine for an obscure infraction of Parks and Wildlife federal regulations.” Others accepted plea bagains, but Choi has refused to do so. Lou Chibbaro Jr. (Washington Blade) reports: [...]

By: steve Kay

steve Kay — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:21:46 +0000

He should be given the medal of honor. We can only guess how many American servicemen have died because we kicked out 14000 dedicated soldiers including many language specialist in arabic – a language whose similarity to english is about the same as we might find of people from another planet.

And beyond the 14000, about 4000 per year have either been refused enlistment or refused to enlist publically stating they would not serve in a virtual ghetto re their sexcuality. the total – about 80000 over the years would have made a major difference also in the number of soldiers (334 in 2010), who do to repeated deployments = ended up committing suicide.

BTW the people who talk the most about protecting life eg evangelicals in particular are those most opposed to ending DADt. Hypocrites hardly defines them, Talibangelicals comes close