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Loading ...Gay National Guard officer could be discharged
06.30.2009 10:48am EDT
(Syracuse, NY) A hearing is under way in upstate New York for an Army National Guard officer who publicly announced he was gay to protest the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
A military board in Syracuse could decide if Lt. Dan Choi should be the first New York National Guard member discharged for violating the military’s policy against homosexual conduct.The hearing is being held Tuesday morning in Syracuse because it’s the headquarters of the 27th Brigade Combat Team, which overseas the 28-year-old’s National Guard unit.
Choi, a 2003 West Point graduate, announced in March that he is gay. The California native served in Iraq with the 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum.
About the Gay National Guardsmen. I think it is stupid for kicking someone out that has put his life on the line for the American people he has been to Iraq. who cares who he goes to bed with as long as he dose his get up from the guy he was with and goes to work and dose his job. Besides if he hit on one of the guys and they say no. No means NO. They would know how their women counterpart feel when they hit on them all the time and not stop when they say no.
This will end. I don’t question that DADT will come to an end. Obama will do nothing to help Choi, and Obama will continue to pass the buck. Meanwhile, we lose loyal, high-performing servicemembers because of sexuality, and we keep AND recruit people with documented criminal histories. Gang activity is now extending into and entrenching itself in the US military. This is honor? This is patriotism? It’s bullshit, and Obama only further shows his self-interest by resurrecting Clinton’s hand in creating DADT. That was a different time, and Obama gets no pass based on a self-serving selective rehash of history.
If all the gay men and women in the military were to be removed from the military, we, as a nation, would have less than 70 percent of the current serving military service personel.
If a sealed, private ballot was to be taken of those heterosexuals in the armed services regarding the service they encountered with their “gay” counterparts, the verdict would be that the “gay” sector of this countries defense service would be honored for their compassion towards their fellow service personell and very, very little of the presumed offense due to their gay position in life would have any bearing on their desire to serve with a gay person.
Believe it or not……each of us who are gay, straight or bisexual are devoted to protecting our nations security.
Although, many of the gay community serving in the military are also concerned with the position that we take in regards to our integrity as a nation…it so are all honorable Americans, strait and gay are of such and honorable position militarily and politically.
Lt. Choi is an authentic hero. If Obama had any balls, he would end enforcement of the DADT policy.
DADT is obviously long outdated, but its still the law. I understand wanting to be proud of who you are, and open about it, but you’ve chosen to live by a set of rules when you sign up for the armed forces. You have signed a contract, and have agreed to be bound by their rules.
Quit crying about being discharged for being openly gay. You know what is going to happen, and to act shocked when it does is insane.
Obammy is not going to do anything about DADT, nor is he going to do anything but pay lip service to the GLBT community. He is a politician, and his job is to win votes no matter how he does it, or who he has to lie to.
It would be wonderful if we could have the same rights as everyone else in this country, and I really thing the right lawyer could make the case that we’re second class citizens, and that is is against the constitution.
If this man did this because he didn’t mind throwing away his career to make a statement, that is just fine, but he especially knows what rules he swore and oath to, and signed a contract to abide by.
Good luck with your battle, and hopefully some day it’ll all mean something.
-Proud ex-Navy Fag.
Oh when, oh when, will the United States of America (an in particular, President Obama) finally, once and for all, wake up and grow up and take a page from so many other countries in the world who are living every single day, quite well, with homosexuals in the military? The USA and, unfortunately, our dear president, GROW UP! Gay men and woman can and do and will continue to serve in the armed forces whether they speak up and come out and reveal that they’re gay or not. The world will not end by having gays in the military, the world will grow and be a fuller, richer, and more productive military than ever before when gays are treated like the first class citizens they are . . . by everyone. Must the United States military remain living in the dark ages? Come on people, GROW UP! -David Gibson, Richland, GA
The slap-in-the-face insult will, no doubt, continue in this time of war – when our military recruiters have lowered their requirements to unprecedented levels. “We” welcome drop-outs, neo-Nazis, other extremists, rapist, and we’ll even ignore promiscuity amongst our ranks. But if you are a law o biding, educated, openly gay man or woman . . . public humiliation is just the beginning.
I’d love it if all gay men and women in the military dropped out. How about a gay army? Better yet, how about no army.
I agree with RavensWolf, Obama will pass the DADT issue onto the courts or the military. The man has no b***s
ON the bright side, if he does get discharged, it will make people disgusted enough with DADT that we’ll get momentum in congress.
Stop DADT now? and let Lt. Dan Choi not be discharged an everyone else
I agree that this will be a Sticking Point for the Pres. However I wouldnt be to surprised if he does a Side Step and says something akin to ” This is a Matter for the Courts and the Military to decide.” Does this action go against the Articles set forth in the U.S.M.C.J.? This is a Test, a Test of our resolve and continuity and LAW.
If he is discharged, you folks should organize and participate in, a large, raucous and disruptive protest. That guy has put everything on the line for the cause. Get angry and active for him!
Best wishes with you Mr. Choi!
If I could be there at your trial or outside in protest I would, but can’t be everywhere in the war for our rights…
Go get em.
Down with DADT, down with Inequality!
I consider this to be Obama’s test of if he is really going to help us. I am not mad that nothing has been done so far because guess what? He’s been in office for five months. I know its shocking for so many that in that time our lives aren’t perfect, but he is a politician. Vote based on how likely he is to help not if he actually can.
That said, Obama can not ignore this, and if he does, if he does nothing, not a word, not a gesture, then…well I don’t really think I would look at him differently, except that he will have lost my next vote, and to earn it back he better pull his act together.