I must admit that the case of Lt. Dan Choi interested me from the very start. He was one of the many visible voices in the struggle to end the policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (usually used the term DSDT now.), a law that was initiated and signed into law by President Clinton. The fact that many people asked it to be repealed is very curious as the reason of its existence was to end the prosecution of gays in the armed forces of America. The original idea was that commanders cannot ask the subordinates their sexual preferences, while on the other hand the military personnel cannot reveal of his sexual preference. It sounded like a perfect compromise until it was discovered that that "don't tel"l did not include investigations made by complaints made by informants or Independent snooping due to suspicions. In the end it did not protect the gays from harassment and discrimination. The fact that the armed forces that is made up of people who claim to believe in truth, honesty and honor is problematic when you wanted a fraction to live a lie of a life did not bode well with the ideals of the military at all.
It is under this climate that Lt. Den Choi came out and began to enlist in a new movement to end discrimination in the military by scrapping DSDT. Under his and other ex-military personnel and government leaders. DSDT was repealed before the Tea Party came into Congress in early 2011. Lt. Den Choi played an important ceremonial role when the repeal DSDT legislation was signed into law. However controversy still followed him as his action in Nov. 15 2010 by chaining himself at the railing on the ledge facing the White House with his fellow ex-military personnel (including a priest) chanting slogans about their military dignity resulted in a court case at the Federal Court on 29th August 2011.
I was interested in Lt. Dan Choi as like him I am a first generation Chinese American born in this country. Actually there are many of us famous Chinese Americans including Bruce Lee & Yo Yo Ma. My own case is a bit complex as I grew up partially in Hong Kong and understood Chinese language and ways. The situation with Lt. Choi is a bit different as they were brought up in the American values, but did not have the old culture to fall back on. It would explain the hurt in his voice when he told the press about how this sort of discrimination could happen in this great country. But it has always been there. Lt. Choi is actually a "double minority" through his race & sexual preference. The fact that he spoke out and rocked the apple cart is very unusual in Chinese American families. Most Chinese immigrants like Lt. Choi's parents suffered being as second class citizens and pinned their hopes on the next generation. The fact that Lt. Choi decided to put his own career & future into jeopardy for an ideal is viewed as either admirable or foolhardy. Yet it is always the trailblazers that help to create a better future for following generations. Discrimination of any sort should not be tolerated by any modern & civilized society.
In the first day of the trial, the prosecution tried to persuade the judge to render a judgment even before the defense could even provide an arguement is pure desperation on their part. The presiding judge wisely told the prosecution twice that the court cannot do that under the constitution. The mere suggestion of such is really scary. They paraded 4 park police and 2 park officials to testify. The fact that the protesters were chained on the ledge rather than the sidewalk is a technical point that is open for arguement. The more serious question is that whose's danger are they threatening (mostly their own admitted the officers). Another point of interest is that one officer admit that this is the first time that he is called to testify in court for such an offense in his 22 years in service ! To the more reasonable Lt. Dan Choi should be fined with a ticket (he illegally parked himself on the fence which is not allowed). The prosecution to take this as far as this court is deemed most unnecessary. Although to be fair, the prosecution did offer a deal for Lt. Dan Choi to admit his guilt & dismiss his case. This however Lt. Choi wasn't ready to do. The secret lies in the way he was treated and his military batch & order being taken off unceremoniously. It is about police brutality. Ever since the Rodney King beating, the police is under fire for misconduct and unnecessarily rough on unarmed protesters.Those who cannot see why this is important do imagine this. If you are a woman protestor in the streets, is it ok for the police to rip your bra off and expose your bare breasts ? The ripping off of a soliders's rank and orders is a similar insult and that is where Lt. Dan Choi cannot accept a "guilty" verdict, when his dignity ( I think every soldier's dignity) was being trampled.
In retrospect, Lt. Dan Choi is actually very Asian after all, as Chinese (also Korean & Japanese) history are filled with those who would not compromised as far as their belief, honor (or face) & dignity were being trampled.
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