BREAKING: 5 LGBT Activists Are Chained To The WH Fence
Posted By Eric Ethington (Author) on April 20, 2010
DC – RIGHT NOW, 5 activists – including Lt. Dan Choi – are chained to the White House Fence:
Press Release from GetEQUAL:
Moments ago, Lt. Dan Choi along with five other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) discharged veterans — Capt. Jim Pietrangelo II, Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd, and Airman Victor Price — handcuffed themselves to the White House gates to demand that President Obama keep his promise to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this year. The vets are concerned about mounting signs that the President is wavering on his promise to push for repeal this year.
Today’s action comes one month after Choi and Pietrangelo were arrested for a similar DADT protest at the White House in which they handcuffed themselves to the gates for a period of an hour, while hundreds of protesters looked on. The new LGBT activist group, GetEQUAL, coordinated both today’s action, and last month’s civil disobedience.
“We are handcuffing ourselves to the White House gates once again to demand that President Obama show leadership on repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ If the President were serious about keeping his promise to repeal this year, he would put the repeal language in his Defense Authorization budget,” said Choi. “The President gave us an order at the Human Rights Campaign dinner to keep pressure on him and we will continue to return to the White House, in larger numbers, until the President keeps his promise to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ this year.”
Update (1:09pm EST) : According to twitter updates, all 5 service members have been taken off the fence and arrested.
Update (1:26pm EST): Live Video Coverage From CNN
Update (3:45pm EST): Per Robin McGehee , All 6 arrestees were taken to Anacostia jail – women, men, trans, communities of color and every branch of military
"Eric, trying to have this (civil rights) conversation with you is ultimately like trying to teach a pig to dance, it just annoys the pig. So Eric, sorry to annoy you."
-Paul Mero, The Sutherland Institute.
Sooooo proud of these men and women. I applaud them.
Definition of courage: Dan, Jim, Larry, Autumn, Mara and Victor. Are you willing to handcuff yourself to the White House fence? Dig deep, as these brave brothers and sisters have. What’s your answer? I know mine, and it propels me to action every single day!
Awesome Americans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!