QNY Exclusive: Lt. Dan Choi to Serve as 2010 NYC Pride Grand Marshal

By Maurice Michaane 

This past Monday, February 8th 2010, at a meeting of NYC Pride (aka Heritage of Pride) it was announced that Lt. Dan Choi would be one of the Grand Marshals for the 41^st Annual LGBT Pride March, which will occur on June 27^th, 2010. When first approached about the request to be the NYC Grand Marshal, Lt. Choi responded with resounding excitement and a sense of honor for all who have struggled under this policy.    Lt. Choi’s selection and acceptance of the honor of NYC LGBT Pride Grand Marshal marks the first time in U.S. history that an openly gay male on active service with the U.S. Armed Forces will be an LGBT Pride March Grand Marshal.


More, and press release, after the jump.

Lt. Dan Choi graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 2003 with a degree in Arabic and Environmental Engineering. He served as an infantry officer and served an extended combat tour in Iraq (2006-2007). His fluency in Arabic and West Point degree became very useful to the Army’s mission in Iraq as he did not need to use an interpreter. He served as a combat leader, government liaison, and reconstruction officer, rehabilitating water infrastructure. When he returned home he began his first love relationship with his current boyfriend, despite the ban on gay military service. He decided he could not lie about love and so left active duty in 2008. He continued to serve in the Army National Guard.

As a founder of “Knights Out”, the West Point LGBT Alumni, he has been at the forefront of the repeal of the discriminatory Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) policy and reminds all soldiers that they are not alone and they should never be ashamed of being honest with themselves and others. He declared his sexual orientation publicly on national television, which resulted in a notification of discharge despite his desire to continue serving.  However, as of February 5th, it was announced that Lt. Choi was placed back on active service with Army National Guard.
  

Lt. Choi's selection as the NYC Pride Grand Marshal speaks volumes to the struggle for equality among the LGBT community.  His presence as Grand Marshal for 2010 NYC Pride March will serve as a reminder that the struggle for equality continues. Michael Owen, an NYC Pride member, stated that “Lt. Choi’s presence as our Grand Marshal will send a strong message to Washington that the time has come to end the discrimination of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and create an environment where our service men and women can serve their country in an honorable manner without having to hide who they are." 

Enacted under the Clinton administration in 1993, DADT has resulted in countless discharges of competent and much needed soldiers, many of whom like Lt. Choi speak fluent Arabic.  It was the lack of Arabic speakers in our intelligence/defense forces that caused a delay in the translation of terrorist communications by Al-Qaeda.  The paramount issue, in this writer's view, is that DADT forces our honorable men and women in service to live a lie, which is contrary to the core values that are instilled within the Armed Forces. 

Those who criticize the repeal of DADT, like Sean Hanity and Oliver North, they should wake up and smell the coffee.  More than 2 dozen countries around the world (most of whom are our allies) allow LGBT people to serve openly in their armed forces, and the issue has not caused any disruption or problems.  If the Greeks and Romans allowed gays to serve openly, why can’t we?  By repealing the chains of DADT, we will free our soldiers from the stress of being in the closet while serving their country.  Lt. Choi serves as a perfect example that we need not live under such repressive conditions and that the march of equality MUST move forward.

If the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense can openly support the repeal of DADT, the hypocrites in Washington need to listen.  For years we have heard our lawmakers constantly defer to our military commanders on how best to run the Armed Forces, and the repeal of DADT is no different.

Justice and Liberty for all, no less no more. That is why we must repeal DADT. 


Here's the press release:

About NYC Pride: New York City’s annual Pride March began in 1970 as a commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The March has since grown to become the oldest and one of the world’s largest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) events.  This year’s Pride March will begin at 12:00 noon on Sunday June 27th. Step-off for more than 350 groups and 500,000 participants will take place on 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue. The March then follows the Lavender Line to its conclusion at the intersection of Christopher Street and Greenwich Street. Longer than St. Patrick’s green line by many blocks, the Line is an identifying symbol of New York City’s Pride March and will mark all four miles of the March’s route. The route moves south on Fifth Avenue and turns right (west) on 8th Street and proceeds to the top of Christopher Street by the Jefferson Market Library. From here, the March will pass down Stonewall Place and the Stonewall Inn, site of the riots in June of 1969. For further information, please visit www.nycpride.org.

The writer of this article is the current March Director of NYC Pride.