It was the second time for Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo. Others participating in the protest were Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd, and Cpl. Evelyn Thomas.
The protest came on the heels of a protest staged over the weekend where GetEqual members heckled President Obama at a fundraiser of Sen. Barbara Boxer.
GetEqual posted the following statement on their website:
"Our hopes swelled when President Obama promised to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT). But his words mean nothing without action. And he has an opportunity to take action right now, by placing repeal language in the Defense Authorization Bill (DAB), which provides funding for all military operations. But recent reports suggest that the Administration is trying to delay any law change until December or even later."
In a move that is reminiscent of the heavy-handed government reaction to anti-war protests during the 60's, Park police closed Lafayette Park, located directly across Pennsylvania Ave. from the White House fence where the incident took place and refused to allow reporters to use the park to film or report on the event. Is this president afraid of a little dissent?
Why would our government censor press coverage of a protest against a policy that the president has repeatedly promised to repeal? Maybe because as critics have said, Obama has no plans repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell this year as he promised.
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It is obvious that they(the police..) made this event much more visible that it was probably going to be. An inadvertant success....and who knows what is lurking in our President's head at this point.. Suddenly, it is as though Lt Choi (and company..) are deemed a "threat"...??
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