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Discharged Lt. Dan Choi tackles "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
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| Discharged Lt. Dan Choi tackles "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" | ||
| by Shaun Knittel -
SGN Staff Writer The United States Military Academy, better known as West Point, is renowned as the world's premier leaderships development institution. Each year, approximately 1,000 cadets join the "Long Gray Line" as they graduate and are commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in the U.S. Army. They become part of an exclusive group whose members have gone on to become famous war heroes, astute chief executive officers and noted politicians. Cadets develop ethically by adhering to the Cadet Honor Code, which states, "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do." Will not lie. That's the part of the code that stood out to Army Lt. Dan Choi, as he appeared on the MSNBC Rachel Maddow show March 20 to discuss "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Choi shocked the audience, the host, and most notably the Army when he identified himself as a Gay servicemember. On April 23, Choi received his discharge notice. The paperwork's message was clear: "This is to inform you that sufficient basis exists to initiate action for withdrawal of Federal Recognition in the Army National Guard for moral or professional dereliction. & Specifically, you admitted publicly that you are homosexual which constitutes homosexual conduct in violation of AR 600-20, paragraph 4 - 19a(3). Your actions negatively affected the good order and discipline of the New York Army National Guard." Choi was enraged. He could understand the attack on him - after all, admitting you are a homosexual is breaking the rules - but there was another accusation that made the infantry platoon leader, Iraq War veteran, linguist and West Point graduate sick to his stomach: he was accused of affecting the cohesion of his unit by stating he was Gay. A well-trained leader of soldiers, Choi was not about to take this lying down. He returned to the Rachel Maddow show last week with a clear message for President Obama, the Army, and the estimated 65,000 LGBT servicemembers. "I intend to fight [the discharge] tooth and nail," Choi said to Maddow and MSNBC viewers. "I believe 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is wrong, and what we really need to be encouraging soldiers to do is to don't lie, don't hide, don't discriminate, and don't weaken the military." With discharge papers in hand, Choi is not alone. GAY SOLDIERS STILL BEING DISCHARGED "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is the current U.S Military policy on homosexuals serving in the armed forces. The policy states you can serve as long as you are not open about your sexuality, or act on it, for that matter. Since the policy was put into place in 1993, nearly 13,000 men and women have been separated from the military. Basically, the government fires servicemembers for being Gay or Lesbian at a rate of at least one, often two, every day. Aubrey Sarvis is executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), an organization that provides pro bono, confidential legal services to more than 9,000 clients who were kicked out of the military by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." "Gay and Lesbian soldiers continue to get fired on this president's watch," said Sarvis. SLDN has set out to hold President Obama to his campaign promise of overturning the policy, she said. On the 2008 campaign trail, Obama said, "America is ready to get rid of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' That work should've started a long time ago. It will start when I take office." All that is required is leadership, Obama said. The president is drawing fire from an increasingly annoyed LGBT public because during his first 100 days, he never addressed the issue publicly. Gay activists and advocate organizations like SLDN are saying he can - and should - reinstate Lt. Choi. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, couldn't agree more. Sestak followed Choi's second Maddow interview and did not mince words about the current policy in place regarding Gays in the military. "Congress, with the president, needs to act upon this," he said. "I have appreciated that the president is rightly focused on economic security now with this budget, but I believe this summer or early this fall that we need to correct this." GAY ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FIGHTS DADT KnightsOut.org, an organization of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender U.S. Military Academy Alumni and their supporters was the real reason why Choi was on the Maddow show in the first place. Choi is a founding member of the organization, whose mission is to advocate for the rights of LGBT soldiers to openly serve their country, prepare West Point graduates and cadets to lead in a military where LGBT soldiers are allowed to serve openly, and be role models and leaders for LGBT soldiers living under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by speaking out when they must be silent. All KnightsOut.org members are West Point graduates or a supporter of their mission. "I commanded two companies when I was in the Army, I know that order and discipline are maintained by leaders who fairly enforce high standards of conduct," Chair of Knights Out Becky Kanis told SGN. "There is no need for separate rules governing the conduct of straight and Gay soldiers. The existing rules barring fraternization and harassment are more than sufficient for all soldiers, regardless of their sexual orientation." When talking with Choi or Kanis, it quickly becomes clear they still fall back on their West Point training when making decisions - something their former professors and mentors should be proud of. Speaking out in the manner that Choi did took bravery, a quality you'd think the Army looks for in a leader. "At West Point graduation, we swore to do the right thing," said Choi. Referencing the Code of Conduct once more, he said, "Telling LGBT servicemembers to lie about who they are is immoral." Kanis agrees with Choi. The training the two former Army leaders received at the U.S. Military Academy prepared them to do the right thing, to follow orders, but only if they were lawful and not immoral. They believe, as many do, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is immoral. "At West Point, we were taught to balance two objectives that sometimes seem at odds with one another: accomplish the mission and take care of your soldiers," Kanis told SGN. "In this case, our commander-in-chief can easily tackle both," Kanis points out. "Allowing LGBT soldiers, like Lt. Choi, to serve openly without having to hide or lie about anything will further enhance the national security of the United States and create a command climate within the military that is respectful of the service and contributions of all soldiers." SLDN and KnightOut.org both launched campaigns this month asking supporters to call the White House switchboard to remind President Obama to make good on his campaign promise. Mr. President, the time has come to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." |
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