Lt. Dan Choi Chains Himself To White House Gate To Protest DADT, Kathy Griffin

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by Frances Martel | 4:48 pm, March 18th, 2010

» 7 comments

Gay rights activist and Army reserve officer ~~enlisted soldier (still, though maybe not for long)~~ Lt. Dan Choi attended a Human Rights Campaign-sponsored protest today during what was supposed to be a peaceful (and, given Kathy Griffin’s presence, lighthearted) protest against the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy. Apparently, exasperated by the protesters’ attitude, Lt. Choi and fellow soldier Capt. Jim Pietrangelo chained themselves to the fence of the White House and have since been arrested for their civil disobedience.

The backstory seems to be that Kathy Griffin was meant to headline and host the event, and when Lt. Choi asked for permission to speak, he was declined (for reasons unclear…why wouldn’t you want to have this man talk at your rally?). According to the gay news blog Towleroad, “Choi took the stage anyway, told Griffin ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is not a joke, and announced that he was marching to the White House. Choi then began leading hundreds to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” When he got there, he chained himself to the White House gates with his fellow soldier. It didn’t take long for the police to remove and arrest them.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed that the White House was not notified that Lt. Choi was intending to act in such a way, and reports seem to indicate the event organizers had no idea, either. Lt. Choi may come out of the incident on the wrong side of the Human Rights Campaign, Kathy Griffin, and law enforcement, but he and Capt. Pietrangelo proved they are serious about the cause. Beyond themselves, they legitimized the repeal of DADT as a civil rights issue rather than a liberal pet cause, one that Americans are ready to make sacrifices to resolve.

Rick Sanchez soberly narrated the soldiers’ arrests as they were removed from the gates earlier today (and below, Gibbs’ response to the news):

dadt, Dan Choi, don't ask don't tell, HRC, Human Rights Campaign, Jim Pietrangelo, Kathy Griffin, Lt. Dan Choi, protests, Robert Gibbs, Towleroad, White House

same2u

Apparently, exasperated by the protesters’ attitude, apparently, Lt. Choi and fellow soldier Capt. Jim Pietrangelo chained

lose an “apparently”
http://www.facebook.com/people/Josh-Kim/1431811538 Josh Kim

Lt. Choi is not an enlisted soldier. He is a commissioned officer. Can you amend that, Frances?
TylerDurdin

“Lt. Dan!!” -Forrest Gump
Moderate

“He is a commissioned officer.”

Soon to be a decommissioned officer.
marcus.lewis

Good for him. The pentagon obviously just called him back for PR purposes and stick him behind a desk. He shouldn’t stand for that, and it is a shame that we have to wait for the younger generations to grow old enough to make a difference. I have been in the position that the pentagon is studying in which I had to share quarters with gay and straight men and women. I have showered in the same quarters as openly gay men and never had a problem or were there ever tickle fights. The defense policy boards average age is about 70 years old for goodness sakes. There are people on the board who are nearing 90 years old. These people are half a decade older than the average 18 year old who enlists in the military.
silkworm

The best approach to this situation would have been to chain Kathy Griffin to the fence and just left her there for 4-5 days. She is a sad psuedo cleberty.
michaledell

When he got there, he chained himself to the door of the White House with his comrade. It did not take long for police to remove and arrest them.
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