Lt. Dan Choi asks for your help in his DADT trial this Tuesday

June 26, 3:24 PMInternational LGBT Issues ExaminerKelvin Lynch

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                               Lt. Dan Choi

Lt. Dan Choi, the leader of Knights Out who has become the de facto face of the movement to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), is asking the public for help in his trial this Tuesday, June 30th. 

Choi says he needs anyone who believes he should keep his job to write a letter and email it to him at dan.choi@knightsout.org by June 29th.  He has provided a sample letter to make it easy for you.

In a statement, Choi said,

"As many of you know, the Army National Guard will decide to fire (discharge) me based solely on my honest statement ("I am gay") and I chose to stand trial so I could fight to stay in service.  ANYONE who believes I should be retained (for whatever reason) or feels the Army is better off keeping me can write a statement."

Choi came out on The Rachel Maddow Show in March and the Army decided to discharge him under DADT in May, saying:

"You admittedly publicly that you are a homosexual, which constitutes homosexual conduct … Your actions negatively affected the good order and discipline of the New York Army National Guard."

Lt. Choi is a West Point graduate and has served as a mission-critical Arabic translator in Iraq.  He served for 10 years under DADT, a policy hesays he believes "forces soldiers to live dishonorably, poisons a unit, and cripples a fighting force."  Lt. Choi is a a role model for soldiers and veterans who feel isolated, alone, and suicidal because of the torment of rejection and discrimination. 

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