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July 26, 2010

Lt. Dan Choi Discharged from Military over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
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In military news, Lt. Dan Choi has received an honorable discharge from
the Army for publicly admitting he is gay. Choi has been one of the
military’s most vocal critics of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Lt. Dan Choi: "I have no resentment. I have no regret to anybody in the
military. This is clearly a failure of our government. We all know that
America’s promises are not manifest yet, so long as gay or transgendered
people are getting kicked out of their workplaces, fired for telling the
truth or expressing who they are."

On Saturday, at the Netroots Nation conference in Las Vegas, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid was forced to address Dan Choi’s discharge
after he was handed Choi’s West Point ring and discharge papers by Joan
Mc Carter on stage.

Joan Mc Carter: "This morning, Dan Choi gave me this to give to you.
That’s his West Point ring. He says it doesn’t mean what it did mean to
him anymore. And this is his discharge."

Harry Reid agreed to keep Dan Choi’s ring until he passed a repeal of
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Moments later, Choi joined Reid on stage and gave
the Majority Leader a hug.

Sen. Harry Reid: "When we get it passed, you’ll take it back, right?"

Dan Choi: "I sure will, but I’m going to hold you accountable."

Sen. Harry Reid: "OK, that’s good."



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