Calling themselves Knights Out, the group said in a Mar 16 press statement that they believe the end of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy is "both imminent and inevitable."
Knights Out spokesman and National Guardsman, 1st Lt. Dan Choi.
The policy, which prohibits service members from "demonstrat(ing) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts," was signed by President Bill Clinton and implemented by Congress in 1993. The law prescribes discharge as the remedy for gay service members who do not remain quiet about their sexuality or do not remain celibate.
"We're publicly announcing our sexuality, our orientation," 1st Lt. Dan Choi, a National Guardsman who'd graduated from West Point in 2003 with a degree in Arabic language, was quoted as saying on the Military Times web site. "It's just one part of who we are in saying that we are standing to be counted."
"I'm very comfortable with all the repercussions right now. To me, it's about doing the right thing, not about trying to fit into the process that gets you the rank or prevents you from getting a discharge," said Choi, who is of Korean descent and the spokesman of the group.
"If that's the repercussion, I'm ready to take it. I think it's more important that I let everybody know that... it is a wrong policy," said the combat veteran of Iraq.
Similar LGBT groups exist for the US Air Force Academy (Blue Alliance) and the US Naval Academy (USNA Out).
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an advocacy group for gay and lesbian troops, claims that in the 16-year history of the gay ban, some 12,500 troops have been discharged.
President Barack Obama has listed repealing "Don't Ask-Don't Tell" as one of his civil rights goals on Whitehouse web site and is believed to be quietly conferring with officials about the policy, according to US reports.
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Reader's Comments
I don't see a lot of courage there.
I am still on active duty and I just launched an underwear company for gay men on Monday. Please check it out, http://www.discovalante.com
These guys are seriously brave - anyone who has been in the military knows that anti-gay bullying can kill and frequently does.
Now go make a calendar to spead the word and raise funds..
I kinda agree with 'arthurg' :) but the military is a big beast with discipline proliferating into paranoia in some ranks. Choi et al has taken the decision to go beyond the point of no return. Salute!
I come from a Military Background, trained at USMC Quantico and know many LGBT Servicemen in the UK Armed Forces. We have many laws protecting us from this kind of witch hunt but I am aware of several gay personnel who have been intimidated, arrested, false charges and drummed out of the MoD. The UK gay prides are now being led by uniformed Navy, Army and RAF personnel which is great but little more than a PR stunt. I totally agree with laoshiyan they are desperate for qualified specialist troops! GOOD LUCK!!!
You walk in the Pantheon of True American Heroes!
I honour the soil you walk on!
Lt Choi's grand cause does honours the millions of fallen American
heroes - and sets an example for military forces the world over.
Why?
The goal of every Democracy is to strive to be a PERFECT DEMOCRACY.
A Perfect Democracy gives all citizens - regardless of differences in sexuality, race, creed etc etc etc - equality of opportunity in as many fields of legal, ethical endeavours as possible.
As it stands - the USA is in imperfect Democracy - by allowing its State-funded military to actively discriminate against the vast, intelligent, valuable people - who make up the GLBT community.
Lt Choi stands at the vanguard of efforts to remove this hideous imperfection and move the USA a step closer to that goal of a Perfect Democracy.
And that, my friends, is what so many millions of American servicemen and women - and those of so many Allied nations - have sacrificed their lives for.
That's the core issue here.
We should ALL STAND UNITED with Lt Choi and voice the loudest opposition to discriminatory practices that are a scar on the memories of the sacred fallen.
Thankyou Lt Dan Choi - you are an ultimate hero!
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