Note From Dan Choi Who Wants You To March With Him Tomorrow (Sunday 3/7/10)

I am honored to march in the INCLUSIVE ST. PATRICK'S PARADE tomorrow, in Queens, NYC.

I hope you can join me in this act of solidarity and principles. The traditional St. Patrick's Day Parade disallows openly gay persons to march and serves as a shameful reminder of bigotry, exclusion and discrimination in our day. Even though the St. Patrick's parades in Ireland are inclusive of openly gay marchers, the NYC parade still discriminates. I urge the parade organizers (Ancient Order of Hibernians) and New York City to march on the right side of justice and history, as the organizers of the NYC Lunar New Year Parade have decided.

Irish Americans and Catholics have suffered discrimination and bigotry throughout their history in America and they must wake up to the hypocrisy in the oppression and discrimination that some of them inflict upon the LGBT community today.

I am particularly honored to march with fellow champions in the LGBT Community: NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, an Irish American who is boycotting the discriminatory parades, newly-elected NYC Councilmember Daniel Dromm, and Community Organizer Mary Lanning. (see press release below)

The Irish also provide an example for open and honest military service, and in national values that include LGBT citizens. It is time for America to do the same.

Personally, as a serving member of the New York Army National Guard, and the Fighting 69th Infantry Regiment (an historically Irish American unit) I firmly believe the values we fight for as soldiers can and must be fully manifest at home. This resonates with me deeply as a member of a unit once composed of second-class citizens. I am proud to serve in my capacity not only as a soldier but as an American citizen who stands on the promises of our country: liberty and justice for all, without discrimination and bigotry.
--
Dan Choi
PO Box 231501
New York, NY 10023
(714) 654-0828
www.ltdanchoi.com
www.knightsout.org

I am also honored to serve alongside Judy Shepard as Grand Marshal of this year's NYC LGBT Pride Parade: Heritage of Pride.http://www.nycpride.org/pressrelease/DC_PressRelease.pdf

Tomorrow's parade route, times, subway stop and afterparty info are after the jump.