Amy Goodman: Why Did Obama Fire Dan Choi?

[marmar]

from Truthdig:




Why Did Obama Fire Dan Choi?
Posted on Aug 3, 2010

By Amy Goodman


“As we mark the end of America’s combat mission in Iraq,” President Barack Obama said this week, “a grateful America must pay tribute to all who served there.” He should have added “unless you’re gay,” because, despite his rhetoric, weeks earlier the commander in chief fired one of those Iraq vets: Lt. Dan Choi.

Choi was an Iraq War veteran, a graduate of West Point and a trained Arabic linguist. I ran into Choi the day after he received his official discharge. We were at the Netroots Nation conference in Las Vegas, a gathering of thousands of bloggers, activists and journalists.

Though Choi had known the discharge was coming, he was still shaken to the core. He took out his phone and showed me the letter he was e-mailed.

Choi announced he was gay on national television in March of 2009. He knew the stakes. I asked why he did it. “I came back from Iraq,” he told me, “and I decided that it’s not worth it—I could have died at any moment in the area that I was, in the ‘Triangle of Death.’ Why should I be afraid of the truth of who I am?”

He went on: “I’ve wanted to go back to Iraq and to Afghanistan, but then I thought, ‘If I die in Afghanistan or Iraq, then would my boyfriend be notified? Or would he have to hear about it through “Democracy Now!” or CNN—who would be the one telling him?’ And the fact of the matter is ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ forces our families into the closet and into nonexistence, and that is no way to support our troops or the families that allow them to continue to serve.” .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/why_did_obama_fire_dan_choi_20100803/?ln

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[90-percent]

2. My taxpayer dollars

Dan is bright and patriotic and highly skilled in areas that take a rare talent and gifts.

Not to mention America spent a six or even seven figure FORTUNE to train him. (Maybe not Dan, but guys like fighter pilots literally cost millions to train, and some of them have been outed, too) Kicking him out of the service for his sexual preference is a waste of tax payer dollars and a waste of a gifted and patriotic person.

Repealing DADT is such a no brainer these days, with no visible political down side because American citizens are heavily in favor of it. It's inevitable. What's the hold up?

And, goddammit, Barack, once you repeal DADT, reinstate Dan and others caught in his situation, back to full and honorable military status! We invested in him to serve his country. Let us benefit from our investment!

Sheesh!

-90% Jimmy

[tomp]

3. because obama=fail? nt

[Iwillnevergiveup]

4. K&R

Glad to see this posted - was about to do it myself. Conducting a survey is not the answer. Of course, war is not the answer either. Just sayin'.

[Jefferson23]

5. Thanks for posting marmar. I watched the interview this morning,

who could blame Choi? He made a powerful statement regarding the DADT and the survey...excellent.

[Karenina]

6. Now what will happen to Victor? May our "force" support him

in living up to his name.

WHO DOESN'T WANT DAN CHOI ON THEIR TEAM??? He's got the skills, he knows the drills and to give him his male reference props, we're talking the highest quality steel balls.

And Victor? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH "YOU PEOPLE?" WHO is REALLY

COVERING YOUR ASS???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JYWfTFbkQ

I. JUST. DON'T. GET. IT. :shrug: