Choi and Pietrangelo End DADT Hunger Strike After Seven Days

In case you haven't noticed, and most people outside of the Queer Blogosphere haven't, Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. James Pietrangelo have been on a hunger strike for the last week, protesting the current Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal effort. The peckish protesters called and end to their fast late Wednesday night. The Advocate reports:

"The fast of the past seven days has been a success because people have been educated to the use of fasting as a tool to bring attention to a set of clear political and social demands," Choi said in a statement of the protest he began on May 27 with Capt. James Pietrangelo II, an army veteran who was discharged under DADT in 2004 (Choi, who serves in the National Guard, currently faces ongoing discharge proceedings under the policy). "Tonight, we will end the fast knowing that the inadequacies of the ‘compromise’ to end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ are well known," Choi said.

The Bilerico Project reported yesterday that even GetEqual had disavowed the hunger strike. Bilerico founder Bil Browning wrote:

The rumor mill has it that GetEqual activists demanded that Choi do his hunger strike outside of the org's umbrella and are none too pleased with his latest publicity stunt. Queerty reports that those helping him with the stunt have lawyered up in an attempt to avoid responsibility if something goes wrong.

Isn't there a word fro breaking a fast? Oh yeah, breakfast. I hope there was a Denny's close by. On the bright side, though, Dan and Jim should look killer in their Speedos on Fire Island this summer.

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• Lt. Choi Ends Hunger Strike After Seven Days (lezgetreal.com)
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