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Lt. Dan Choi Weighs In On Consequences For Soldier Who Spoke Out At Ron Paul Rally

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» 34 comments

Lt. Dan Choi paid a visit to CNN’s Early Start today to discuss whether the uniformed soldier who recently spoke out on behalf of Ron Paul at a rally for the presidential hopeful will have to face any sort of consequence for his actions.

See, according to a directive set out by the Department of Defense, a member of the armed forces may “attend partisan and nonpartisan political fundraising activities, meetings, rallies, debates, conventions, or activities as a spectator when not in uniform and when no inference or appearance of official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement can reasonably be drawn.” They may not, however, “speak before a partisan political gathering.”

RELATED: CNN Loses Feed With Ron Paul-Supporting Soldier, Ron Paul Fans Cry Foul

Lt. Choi, whom, you may recall, was discharged from the military under DADT, has experience with this issue. Back in 2010, Choi handcuffed himself to the White House’s North Lawn fence, while in uniform, as a means of protesting DADT. Of course, Choi is quick to point out that he was a civilian at the time of the protest, “and so we have the full right to wear the entire uniform. So they’re not charging me for wearing the uniform, they just didn’t like the fact that I was protesting and practicing my free speech.”

That said, he believes that Corporal Jesse Thorsen‘s case is different because he is currently in the reserves. But what happens to Thorsen is part of a discussion, he says, that is only going to become more necessary for us to have:

You have to realize that these soldiers, these veterans, fought to protect the constitution. And when they come back home, whether they’re civilians or in the military, the constitution still protects them. I can wear this uniform because I’m a civilian, I’m proud of my service, my entire service, so my entire uniform is what you see and I’m very proud of that.

So, when we talk about moral issues — Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell or drones or endless war, Bradley Manning, or any sort of issues that really do affect our national dialogue — I think veterans should stand up and be very proud of their service to talk about it.

So, Ashleigh Banfield wanted to know, do service members get briefed on what they’re allowed to do when in uniform? They do indeed, Choi shared. And this is why one must be ready to face the consequences of one’s choices.

Have a look, courtesy of CNN:

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  • Anonymous

    Dang, look at the medals on this guy. Asian-Americans overachieve at everything.

  • Anonymous

    No dobut the soldier will galdly take his article 15 lumps.
    Time for us Veterans free from our military obligations to don our old uniforms and go be present!

  • Anonymous

    CNN is continuing to censor Jesse Thorsen!

    Wolf “The Jew” Blitzer and Ashley “The Jewess” Banfield will stop at nothing to kill Paulmentum!

  • Anonymous

    Check Googles default news page today.  No mention of Ron Paul

  • Just Ed

    I want to run FROM CNN, very fast! 

    She did a job of soliciting “expert” testimony to show that Mr. Thorson should have known his actions were against the military code, so now CNN can move right on the the punishment phase.  I expect them to ask the jury of viewers to demand public evisceration of this soldier live on the “Situation Room.”   Possibly they can make a case for declaring Ron Paul incompetent for allowing the soldier to speak and therefore not eligible to hold office.

    Apparently, even those who serve our country are meat for the Commie News Network’s political grinder….nice going a-holes!

  • Anonymous

    I hope you are kidding, If not, then you are proving that Ron Paul is indeed a bigot magnet.

  • Anonymous

    You know, talk like this really does nothing for debate and just makes you look like a bigot and an ***hole.

    I think if you tried to make the point that certain CNN anchors support Israel, and therefore are against Ron Paul because of his foreign policy ideas, you might actually be on to something, if you actually had some proof.

    But assuming someone who is Jewish supports Israel is kind of foolish. Many jews in the US do not support the actions of Israel.. in fact, many believe that the ultra-orthodox of the country have too severely influenced foreign policy, putting Israel on the road to mutual destruction with Palestine.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you for showing you’re indeed stupid! You disgrace Ron Paul.

  • Anonymous

    Ironically, he was being ironic.

  • Anonymous

    One of my favorite things about the 2008 election was Wonkette’s deeming of the nuttier Paul fans as Paultards. And ‘filthy_lucre’ and ‘Just Ed’ really do put the ‘tard’ in ‘Paultard’ 

  • Anonymous

    That’s pretty ironic :-I

  • http://conurls.com/ Chris Jones

    I’m surprised that soldier is not in trouble for the large neck tattoo.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CSPTEKAYXATWLEZJAYMIZHEYOA Kananga

    Will Dan Choi support Rick Santorum?  I understand that Lt. Choi is upset with Pres. Obama.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WH3ZLMM7CUKUHUIMK4TKXW6SQE John

    As much as Fox News hates Ron Paul I think CNN has officially become the “Anti-Ron Paul Network”.  WTF?

  • Чёрт Возьми

    Don’t be too impressed by the medals. One gets medals like those simply for serving in time of war and for serving in a war zone. An enlisted person gets a good conduct medal every three years simply for not getting into trouble. Furthermore, the wearing of the full-sized medal, while authorized, is considered to be way too flashy and “gay.” A “normal” row of ribbons is nowhere near as showy, but just as effective among those who know what each ribbon means.
    Dan Choi is disgusting. Not for being gay, but for using this issue to get his 15 minutes of fame. He is a disgrace to the uniform because he wears it and yet claims he is a civilian. Apparently it is legal, but is it moral?
    As for me, I can wear the uniform as a retired soldier, and I would/will follow the most basic rules of doing so. The first rule remains that the occasion must be appropriate. Wearing the uniform while speaking of one’s experiences on a news show is NOT APPROPRIATE! The second rule is that one still must not politicize the uniform! Wearing the uniform and participating in a political activity is NOT APPROPRIATE, whether one is active, reserve, retired, or a “civilian who once wore the uniform.”
    Choi probably could be charged with a very minor “crime” for doing what he is doing, but that would only make him more of a martyr for a cause that is no longer relevant.
    The US Military has finally arrived where it should be, and Choi should be happy about it. The fact that he isn’t shows that he wants it to all be about him.

  • Anonymous

    Agree with you about Dan Choi. As and active duty guy, I have to deal with a lot of these younger guys wanting to do exactly what this CPL did. I kindly remind them of their duty and Art. 88. That usually does the trick. I’d like to know where this CPL’s SNCO was and how he got to be at that rally in uniform in the first place.

  • Чёрт Возьми

    Wrong! Do not politicize the uniform!

  • Anonymous

    As a Nam era Veteran, Ill just have to agree to disagree with you.  Its no more politisizing than donig it for a Veterans Day Parade.  Its part of the freedom we hold so close in this country.  The non politisizing of the uniform belongs to the ACTIVE duty.

  • Anonymous

    The soldier is in his dress uniform where the wearing of the full medal is appropriate.

  • Anonymous

    Is Choi wearning the uniform as a prop?  He’s no longer on active duty; is his wearing of the uniform his way of extending his 15-minutes of fame?

    Now, it’s all about ‘him.’

    (And those two CNN hosts love his uniform.  It was almost another CNN on-air love fest!  Where’s Anderson Cooper when you need him?) 

    Does Choi need the uniform to express his views or does he believe it gives him more credence?

    Also, his wearing of his medals in place of the ribbons that represent those awards is only done for “show.”   In almost all cases, the ribbons would be worn on the Class-A’s and not the medals.  (Oh, maybe he was on his way to an awards ceremony or the Army Ball.)

    I guess I’ll put on my old uniform; I need to head over to the Safeway and get a gallon of milk.  I hope the clerk “loves” my uniform too!

  • Чёрт Возьми

    A veteran’s day parade is not political in the sense of being pro Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or any other party. It does not present a platform for politicians to say “This is about me and/or my party.” It is the celebration of our history, and the men and women of all political persuasions who have served. 
    It is absolutely, positively not in celebration of conservative or liberal ideologies or politics.

  • Чёрт Возьми

    Well said!

  • Anonymous

    So we do agree to disagree.  Such is the freedom that we have served our country for. 

    I earned the right to utilize my uniform as toilet paper or any other suitable use as long as it is legal that is.

    Our country is great  thank you for your service and your opinion even If I cannot agree with you.

  • Anonymous

    Lieutenant Dan….Lieutenant Dan!!
    Why did you handcuff yourself to the Presidents house?
    He is already making whoopie with Reggie Love…Lieutenant Dan

  • Anthony Platt

    Why is it wrong or illegitimate to discuss the disproportionate representation of Jews within the media and behind the media, directing the media through interest groups like the ADL and AIPAC? As far as I’m concerned, it’s illegitimate and wrong to prevent people from openly discussing serious matters. I consider that an illegitimate abuse of power. Who grants the media this power after all? You disagree with people’s positions, you should argue forcefully and intelligently against them; not remove them from public view and drive them underground. With that kind of exercise of power is it any surprise people are taking to the streets across the country? Progressives, non-egalitarians, liberals, all have no voice in this supposed democracy. What happened to free speech? I protect it at every turn. Do you? The blitz of smears perpetrated by Zionist sponsors against Ron Paul over the last few weeks has been absolutely mind-boggling and disturbing. It seems to me Jewish ethnic solidarity and self-derived legitimacy is far more disturbing than some rogue nut with no power and no podium saying silly things on the internet. Sure there are some outliers and dissenters but as a whole the entire despicable event has been Jewish contrived and quite uniformly defended by Jews. I read an article the other day arguing openly that “Ron Paul is bad for the jews”, and that’s why he should be slandered and delegitimized? And then these nut bags wonder where anti-Semitism starts? Look no further than the mirror. They seem to treat themselves as a monolithic group, and their group-commitment to derail this man’s presidential bid is absolutely disgusting. You can both sense the ideological assumptions (Judeo-Marxist egalitarianism, cultural determinism) in their articles as being quintessentially Jewish and that kind of completely dishonest and self-interested aggression by unethical means to serve nefarious ends, as being quintessentially Jewish. I mean I get it… They are losing control over the media due to the internet, and can’t hire fellow, completely unqualified ethnic comrades to force absurdities down the throats of common Americans, but this desperate flailing, this whole pathetic circus makes one completely understand the holocaust— Not condone it mind you, but understand it. Is this an insane group of people? They call themselves so enlightened, but they seem to have no regard for America at all or anyone but themselves for that matter. Their worldliness is an absolute farce. Don’t disproportionately powerful and wealthy groups have ethnic, philosophical and cultural biases and interests that might have profound consequences over the goy/unpeople that they lord over? Might their interests and ideas be antithetical to or dare I say, at odds with the interests of those they lord over? That isn’t worth discussing? That isn’t allowed to be discussed? Ask yourself why, and you’ll be on the right track.

  • Anonymous

    “It seems to me Jewish ethnic solidarity and self-derived legitimacy is far more disturbing than some rogue nut with no power and no podium saying silly things on the internet.”

    Nope. You’re much more disturbing.

  • Anonymous

    He might even ask you out, if you play your cards right.

  • Anonymous

    Why can there only be one anti-Ron Paul Network?  There’s enough to hate for twenty networks.

  • Anonymous

    Give that man a cigar.

  • Anonymous

    I may be a tard, but I’m no Paultard.

  • Anonymous

    Lieut. Dan?

    Is Reggie into stump love? 

  • Anonymous

    Hey, Choi, if I can bring the family, it’s a date! 

    We’ll both wear our uniforms…my wife’s a vet…she can wear her uniform too!

    All three of us…sounds kinda kinky!

  • http://www.facebook.com/pcro93 Juan Viche
  • http://twitter.com/Norbrookc Norbrook

    Unfortunately for you, it is not legal for you to wear it for political purposes.  The regulations and laws relating to that are pretty clear on the matter. 

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