In the most high-profile case of its like, Lt. Dan Choi, an Arabic interpreter in the National Guard, was recommended for discharge yesterday from the military by a panel of four officers due to breaking the infamous Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. So, he's out, and now he's out. From the MSNBC story:
My suggestion? Let's expand the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- as suggested by the group The Power -- to include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, and then move on to court cases. We need some kind of law on our side first, right? Seems reasonable, yea?
Lt. Dan Choi would be the first New York National Guard member discharged for violating the so-called "don't ask, don't tell" policy, said Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, a spokesman for the New York Army National Guard.Choi says he will go on to fight the decision, but it is unlikely that he will win due to the recent setback on the federal level on Don't Ask, Don't Tell where the Supreme Court refused to hear a case.
Choi, a combat veteran, said it amounted to firing him "for nothing more than telling the truth about who I am."
"I'm a leader. A setback is an opportunity to keep fighting, and I'm going to do that through my actions," said Choi, who on Sunday was a celebrity grand marshal in San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade.
My suggestion? Let's expand the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- as suggested by the group The Power -- to include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, and then move on to court cases. We need some kind of law on our side first, right? Seems reasonable, yea?
Thanks to Wolfie at Back2Stonewall for the heads up on this video of Keith Olbermann's take on DADT:
