Dan Choi trial date set: first to be tried for White House protest since 1917

[Bluebear]

Fierce.

====

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...the first person facing federal charges for protesting in front of the White House since Alice Paul was arrested for picketing the White House of President Woodrow Wilson in support of women's suffrage in 1917 -- a point later raised by Choi after today's conference.

http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/06/choi-white-house-protest-arres.html

[yardwork]

1. But Obama's done so much for.....

[RKP5637]

2. This is really a F'ed up country in so many ways, at least many of the politicians. n/t

[QC]

3. Has this been added to TEH LIST yet? n/t

[yardwork]

5. Check out my question in GD-P

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=689416&mesg_id=689416

[RKP5637]

7. IMO because this is probably the most manipulated and propagandized country

in the history of mankind. Just push the right buttons and the herd votes for you. In this country it's pushing god, country and RW fascism. It seems to be things straight people love. It's not a healthy place.

[Bluebear]

10. RKP....

"This is probably the most manipulated and propagandized country in the history of mankind. Just push the right buttons and the herd votes for you. In this country it's pushing god, country and RW fascism. It seems to be things straight people love. It's not a healthy place."

Truer words never spoken.

[Bluebear]

6. Right after the Easter egg roll.

[xchrom]

16. indeed. nt

[ej510]

4. Bradley Manning, nuff said.

[NotThisTime]

8. Unbelievable....

[struggle4progress]

9. No, Choi isn't the first person since 1917 to face federal charges for protesting at the White House

Seven Arrested At White House Protest Against Iraq War
By Mike Ferner
February 28, 2006
... Holding a banner that read, “GOD FORGIVE AMERICA,” seven peace activists were arrested yesterday in front of the White House, in a civil disobedience protest against the war in Iraq ... The seven were charged with the federal misdemeanor of demonstrating without a permit, fined seventy-five dollars, and released yesterday evening ... http://vcnv.org/seven-arrested-at-white-house-protest-against-iraq-war

1998 > December > 4 > National Catholic Reporter
Catholic Workers arrested in White House protest.
Five members of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker house in Washington were arrested Nov. 17 in front of the White House in a protest over the threatened bombing of Iraq over weapons inspections in the Persian Gulf nation ... Art Laffin, Julie Kult, Kenji Warren, and Reba and Scott Mathern-Jacobson were arrested for conducting a "stationary demonstration." They face a Jan. 20 court date ... http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Catholic+Workers+arrested+in+White+House+protest.-a053460441

Protesting According to the Rules
The Washington Post Saturday, November 3, 1984
By Philip Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Daily, except for unwelcome trips to court or jail, Concepcion Picciotto has stood her White House vigil since the summer of 1981, protesting the spread of nuclear arms. In those three years, she has been arrested 15 times ... http://www.prop1.org/history/1984/841103a.htm

[FreeState]

14. Nope - those are all misdemeanors

http://firedoglake.com/2011/06/14/obama-to-put-dan-choi-on-trial/

People are arrested for protesting in front of the White House all the time, but most are charged with misdemeanors.  According to Dan Choi’s attorney Yetta Kurland, however, not since Woodrow Wilson had Alice Paul arrested in 1917 has anyone been brought up on federal charges for doing so.

Choi chained himself to the White House fence on November 10, 2010 to protest DADT.  He and 12 others activists were arrested and charged with violating a federal regulation prohibiting “interfering with agency functions,” in this case refusing to obey an order from the National Park Service.

The government offered a deal to the protesters, provided they plead guilty to a “failure to move” charge.  Choi is the only one who refused to do so.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George faced a skeptical court in March of this year, when U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola questioned her as to why the government was invoking such harsh and unusual charges in the case. Today George faced an equally skeptical Judge Alan Kay, who had little patience for George’s assertions that she did not know until today that Choi was refusing the government’s deal, and was thus unprepared to proceed.  At the the previous hearing, George spent considerable time complaining that Choi was not accepting the government’s deal and removing his name from the settlement documents.

[struggle4progress]

18. So Hamsher thinks charges are either "misdemeanor" or "federal" ... *snork!*

The "failure to obey a lawful order" charge, of course, might result in a few days imprisonment and a fine of several hundred dollars

[MuseRider]

11. He will be here next weekend

for our PRIDE. I have so much respect for him, I can't wait to meet him.

This country is so turned around.

[Bluebear]

12. Give him my cyber regards :)

[Starry Messenger]

13. recommend.

[LooseWilly]

15. It does seem like the two struggles have something in common...

and yet another thing now... doesn't it?

So much for the bullshit assertions of "liberalism" of Wilson in my history books. Or similar assertions about Obama, I suppose.

[GeorgeGist]

17. Winning hearts and minds ...

one clusterphuck at a time.

[Bluebear]

24. lol

sad but true

[piratefish08]

19. this administration is diametrically opposed between what it says and what it does

it gets kind of fucking revolting.

good thing most of the country pays no attention to the news.

[CreekDog]

20. Is Dan Choi one of those "single issue voters"

:sarcasm:

:eyes:

k&r

[struggle4progress]

21. He's the sort who carelessly claims to be the first charged in 100 yrs for a WH protest

In my book, that makes him a mere attention-seeker

[CreekDog]

22. i wasn't talking about that --i was talking about his discharge from the military

sounds like you don't have any issue with that.

[struggle4progress]

23. I was sorry Bill Clinton couldn't drop the ban when he tried but the Rs threw a hissy-fit

and DADT was what he could accomplish at the time. It was never a very good policy. I'm glad to see it on its way out

Choi, of course, had the right to chain himself to the White House fence as civil disobedience in protest, and after they dropped the charges the first time, he had the right to do it again, which he did. I don't think it's always the most effective form of protest; the people I've known who have done this have often been personal attention-seekers; but Choi had every right to choose to engage in such civil disobedience

I haven't heard much about the status of his re-enlistment effort last year. I should have thought he ought to be able to re-enlist, but if he was serious about re-enlisting I expect he would have pleaded to avoid this trial, as others did. And frankly I don't see much benefit to him going to trial, with the policy on its last legs. All this also suggests "personal attention-seeker"

Of course, anyone who chains himself repeatedly to the White House fence, as an act of civil disobedience, may expect to be charged. And in my lifetime, many people have been charged for demonstrations at the White House, as I pointed out in #9. So I think it disingenuous to express surprise at the charges and extraordinarily dishonest to claim he's the first charged since 1917. And again, it suggests "personal attention-seeker"


AP: Gates Says DADT Repeal Certification Could Happen in June
Posted by Chris Geidner |
June 13, 2011 5:13 PM
This afternoon, a suggestion from outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" certification could come before he is set to leave office at the end of the month ... http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/06/ap-gates-says-dadt-repeal-cert.html