News Release
For Immediate Release:  July 23, 2010
Contact:  Diane Gramley  1.814.271.9078

Lt. Dan Choi’s Discharge Shows Problems with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

(Harrisburg) – Yesterday it became public that the Army has discharged Lt. Dan  Choi, the man who declared his homosexuality on the Rachel Maddow show last year and has challenged the Army to discharge him.  The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide pro-family group, has only one question, “What took the Army so long?”

“Apparently, Dan Choi was misled into believing the law was that as long as he did not declare his homosexuality he could serve in the military.  The law – Section 654, Title 10 is that homosexuals cannot serve in the military . . . PERIOD.  President Clinton’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy muddies the waters and in so doing hundreds of thousands of American taxpayer dollars are wasted in training those who are not eligible to serve in the first place,” Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA noted.

Mr. Choi’s discharge will be added to the list of over 13,000, but consider:  During the 15 years that almost 13,000 ineligible homosexuals were honorably discharged, three times as many servicewomen (39,454) left the service due to pregnancy. In the same period, the armed forces discharged over four times as many people (55,790) due to weight standard violations, and seven times as many (90,302) for drug abuse. Consistently small percentages of people discharged due to homosexuality contradict any claim that national security emergency requirements justify repeal of the law.

Since his appearance on the Rachel Maddow show last year Choi has been used by homosexual activist organizations to push for overturning the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy.  In so doing Choi has conducted himself in ways that are unbecoming an officer of the United States Army including chaining himself to the fence surrounding the White House while in uniform.

Our nation’s security is dependent upon a military that is not distracted by social experimentation.  Allowing open homosexuals to serve would create just such a situation.  Over 1,000 Flag and General Officers recognize the destruction of military readiness and unit cohesion by allowing homosexuals to serve and have signed a statement in support of the law – Section 654, Title 10.

“People are not allowed to serve in the military for a variety of reasons, being overweight, substance abuse, physical disability are just a few reasons.  History has shown that homosexuals serving in the military is not conducive to a military readiness and for that reason the 1993 law codified the military’s long standing policy disallowing homosexuals to serve,” further stated Gramley.

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