Lt. Choi pleads for help to end policy prohibiting open homosexuality

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy had it’s own place in Lt. Dan Choi’s home. After telling his sister he was gay, she told Choi maybe he should wait to tell their parents. Maybe until they die.

“I told my mom because she was so annoying,” Choi said. “Literally, she asked me every five minutes, ‘When you marry Korean girl?’ She would say, ‘What do you want for breakfast? When you marry Korean girl?’”

When he finally told his mother, she took his hand in hers and said, “I love you, but gay is not real. I don’t know any gay people, especially no Korean gay people.”

Choi spoke about his recent notice of discharge from the army because of his sexual orientation Monday in the Whittenberger Auditorium.

Choi, a graduate from West Point Military Academy and Iraq War veteran, announced on national TV in March that he is gay. Choi served under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy for 10 years before officially coming out.

Now, he and other West Point graduates are spearheading a movement to end the controversial policy, which prohibits service members from being openly homosexual or bisexual.

Choi began by reciting an Arabic poem before explaining what it was like to come out to his parents.

During a question-and-answer session at the end, Choi said President Barack Obama should use his executive power to repeal the policy because voters elected him to be a leader, not to get re-elected.

Hannah Kinkead, public relations committee director for Union Board, said members of the Asian Cultural Center brought Choi to the board’s attention.

The center was interested in bringing Choi to IU, she said, not only to represent the Asian community but also the gay community in Bloomington.

On June 28, Choi said he received notice that he was to be discharged.

“The military is still in the closet about what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “I’m still waiting on what kind of discharge. It’s possible it could be anywhere from honorable to dishonorable discharge, but I’ve heard honorable.”

Choi said he made the decision to come out when he fell in love for the first time after returning from Iraq.

“I understood the world, and it made me a better person,” he said. “Why should I lie about that?”

After being asked repeatedly by friends in his unit to meet his mysterious girlfriend, Choi said he decided to tell them the truth.

“They said they never would have told, but they deserve to know,” he said. “At West Point, before you do a single push-up, you learn in the honor code that you never lie.”

Freshman Kyle Thompson said he heard of Choi’s story before and that he gives a
good presentation.

“It’s something I’m passionate about,” he said. “I definitely think the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy should be repealed. America is supposed to be the land of the free. If we can’t allow people in the army based on sexual orientation, we’re not following through with that promise.”

Choi said there is a call for action from university students and members of each community.

During his talk, Choi asked every member of the audience to take out their cell phones and type in the number to Congressman Baron Hill’s office. A sweet, old lady will answer the phone, he said.

“All you have to say is ‘Hi, my name is Dan, and I want you to repeal the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,’” he said. “And that’s all you have to do. Call your senators every day and remind them we are their boss.”

To make his point, Choi called Hill’s office, holding his phone up to the speaker. The secretary’s voice rang through the phone, asking the caller to leave a name and number.

“I’m here at Indiana University,” Choi said into the phone, “and we all want you to repeal the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.”

Choi held out the phone to audience members, who erupted in cheers.