Dan Choi Back on Drill Duty

About lgbtq people "taking it to work with them," the same could be said for heterosexuals. How often have we heard them basically talking about their sexuality in one way or another? And if the policy is DADT, why hasn't ANYONE ever been thrown out for ASKING? That's a violation too isn't it? It's not like EVERY gay person just can't wait to share their favorite sexual position with whichever heterosexual happens along. And we all know that straight people sometimes pry into our private lives and play semi-sadistic "cat & mouse" games with us.

To David West: When will straight people stop the double-standard when it comes to LGBTQ people and couples? What "issues" are there if a person serves openly and true to her identity? Why is it that heteros can be open about their sexual orientation, their love life, their identity and LGBTQ people cannot? You're right, sexual orientation shouldn't matter....But it is unfair and extremely heterosexist to say that LGBTQ people should "keep it too themselves." For the last 3000 years, heteros have been permitted to flaunt their "heterosexual lifestyle," so why is it such an "issue" for LGBTQ people to now do the same (this said in the style of mainstream rhetoric). Put it another way: David, I'm calling you out on your straight privilege and asking you to consider what it is like to finally be able to live openly and honestly without socio-economic repercussions. Straight people have been "out of the closet" for millenia, can you let it be our turn now?

The problem of servicemen raping and sexually abusing women in the military is much greater than any problems the military has had with gays. Why doesn't the media cover this? It should be in every article that talks about DADT. The military should ban heterosexuals, they are much more dangerous!

I'm a straight male who served 4 years in the Navy from1990-1994. I knew for certain at least a half dozen people that were gay or lesbian, and I'm pretty sure the majority of people that knew them, knew it too. They did there job as well as anyone else, and that is all that matters when you're working together. Barring that percentage of people that are just hateful, no one really cared about their orientation. I can see that there could be issues with some people if it were more "open," but no one needs to take their sexuality to the workplace with them anyway. And as far as I'm concerned, the haters need to find a way to get over it.

As a gay ex-sailor (59-63), everyone in my company knew I was gay. I experienced no anti-gay anything for my four year tour. My son is now in Iraq with the Tn. Guard as a 1st Lt. He hates DADT and does not support it. Congrats to you Dan. Do your duty and God speed. It will all be ok in the end.

As a military wife of 20+ years, I'm thrilled to see this, as is my AF husband (also a linguist). Every service member discharged for no reason than their sexuality is a loss to our nation. It's infuriating that Dan Choi did nothing illegal by joining the military, but broke their law when he *said* he was gay. DADT hurts the military not only by removing good people from our ranks, but by teaching--or reinforcing, for some--the false idea that gay people are "bad". I expect to see DADT repealed soon (not soon enough, but soon). When it is, the military will have a plan for providing benefits to gays who are married (doubtful for domestic partners, but I hope so). Then the nation's walls preventing same-sex marriage will crumble, because they can't bear the weight of "I can die for my country, but I can't marry" and "he died for his nation, but the military turned their backs on us". I'm hopeful.

This is interesting it sugests that unofficially that reinterpretation of DADT may be further along then the Pentagon has indicated here to for. Then again as Lt Choi is more or less the face for DADT reform it may be a maneuver alter the DADT coverage in the media however the military is usually apolitical and support for reform is evident so I'm inclined to think diet DADT is heading into effect.

AAARRGGG! Dan is NOT being "reactivated," "rejoining," whatever! He never LEFT the military because the recommendation that he be discharged is still going through appeal channels. NOR is he "on active duty." He has been in the New York National Guard since 2008 after completing Army "active duty"; a "weekend warrior" as the expression goes; and this training, lasting only a few days, was the kind of periodic drill NG members participate in. It's great that his Commander invited him back last week after missing some drills in the past, but it has absolutely NO national significance, and Dan is now back to what he was doing the week before: fighting the ban, speaking wherever and whenever he wishes. That he did participate successfully is more proof that opposition to out gays serving is just a Big Lie, as is the continued full-time active duty that Victor Fehrenbach has continued on in the Air Force since he was outed over a year ago. He's appealed his discharge recommendation, too.

Call me mistrustful, but I'm not convinced that Dan's rejoining the military is a good thing. It's certainly good for him, but a high-profile invitation like this one is going to salve a lot of guilt. I can imagine the administration telling itself that this is all it needs to do for the gays this year: promise to end DADT (when they get around to it), and invite the most famous dischargee theycan find back into the service. That's all Obama owes us, right? But, this will ultimately solve nothing. If the law is still on the books, it will ultimately be enforced. Net: Inviting Dan Choi back into the military is not ending DADT. It's important that we not forget that.

OMG, the universe will collapse, like in 1998 in Canada when gays destroyed our military. In 2001, after gay weddings passed, our senate imploded killing many senators... (Hum...) The non-event of the end of this discrimination will be shocking.