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Igor Volsky reports at Think Progress: "Lt. Dan Choi ripped up an Obama For America (OFA) flyer this afternoon during a panel at Netroots Nation when he was confronted by an Obama volunteer who attempted to explain away the President’s opposition to same-sex marriage."
NOTE: The Obama administration is prosecuting Choi for chaining himself to the White House fence during a DADT protest. Earlier this week Choi's trial date was set for late August.
UPDATE: Choi later said to Washington Blade reporter Chris Johnson: “Sometimes love comes in harsh forms. I love my detractors enough to let them know when they are misguided and I only regret that we are both suffering under a second-class citizenship imposed by politicians who smile pleasantly while denying our fight for justice. The harshest treatment would be our acquiescence to the view that we do not deserve equality.”
Yesterday a federal court set August 28th as the date that Dan Choi will be tried for DADT-related civil disobedience at the White House. Chris Geidner reports at Metro Weekly:
Former Lt. Dan Choi was in federal court today, the lone individual still facing charges from any of the 2010 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" protests that took place at the White House. He also was in uniform, a reminder of the symbol for repeal that Choi and other active servicemembers became during the course of the 2010 debate over ending the 1993 policy and instead allowing out gay, lesbian and bisexual service in the U.S. Armed Forces. Sitting at the defense table in Courtroom 7 of the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse, Choi was silent throughout today's brief conference where U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay set an Aug. 29 trial date for Choi on federal charges of violating a federal regulation prohibiting "interfering with agency functions," specifically disobeying a lawful order of the National Park Service.
The U.S. State Department has issued a letter condemning the arrests of gay activists in Moscow over the weekend.
STATEMENT BY MARK TONER, DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON
Concern about Freedom of Assembly in Russia
We note with concern that in Moscow on Saturday, May 28, a peaceable demonstration of Russians advocating for the rights of gays and lesbians, joined by international supporters, was forcefully disrupted by counter-protesters, and that Russian security forces then detained people from both groups, including American citizens. Some protestors were seriously injured according to media reports.
Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right all members of the OSCE committed to, including in the Moscow declaration and as recently as the Astana summit. As nationwide legislative elections approach, constraints on the ability of Russian citizens peacefully to gather and express their views will be closely watched in evaluating the integrity of the electoral process. We call on Russian authorities to work with municipal officials to find better ways to safeguard these fundamental freedoms.
UK Gay News is running a live blog from the pride protest in Moscow. Here are the latest entries at this writing:
14:00. Andy Thayer is confirmed as having been arrested, along with Dan Choi and Louis-Georges Tin, Anna and three other Russian gay activists.
13:40. Report just in that four Russians participats in Pride have been arrested outside Moscow City Hall.
13:31. Dan Choi and Louis-Georges Tin both confirmed as having been arrested.
13:29. "All participants of Moscow Pride at Alexandrovski Gardens was been "brutally arrested", Chad Meacham has just reported. The arrest were made as participants arrived at the Gardens. One person, Louis-Geroges Tin was allowed to give an iterview with the world's TV and press. No names of those arrested are not known, apart from Anna.
Many of you have wondered about Dan Choi's decision to attend CPAC with GOProud. Yesterday Choi appeared on Michelangelo Signorile's SiriusXM to talk about it. Click over to Signorile's blog for the audio.
Dan Choi doesn't think it's any big deal if he attends CPAC with GOProud. Maybe it isn't, nobody really knows what's afoot there yet. Choi adds that he's attending the Task Force's annual Creating Change conference this week, despite their having denounced him for telling the Village Voice in November: "Harry Reid is a pussy and he'll be bleeding once a month." That resulted in a joint condemnation from the NGLTF, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and two gay service members groups. One month later Choi was happily shaking Reid's hand as he got his West Point ring back after the repeal of DADT.
UPDATE: You need not be a Twitter member to follow the responses to Choi's question.
UPDATE II: Things are getting awfully cozy at GOProud's happy hour.
Lt. Dan Choi has issued a public letter to the president in which he says he will not pay a $2500 debt the Army claims he owes as a result of being discharged early under DADT. Embiggen the above image for the complete letter.
Alan Cumming, Justin Bond, Dan Choi and others (including me) speak in support of the Ali Forney Center, which has seen its funding dramatically cut by New York City. You can help. Hundreds of gay kids will spend tonight sleeping on the subway or worse.
