Howard Dean showed up at the GetEqual rally protesting DADT which started at noon, today, in Lafeyette Park outside the White House.
"If somebody's brave enough to take a bullet for the US, they deserve full equality." ...
Here's a picture of Dean and Lt. Choi at the rally.
I'll post updates as they roll in.
Our own Clarknt67 is (or was) there. His diary is up, discussing his reasons for going and giving a promise to
post updates and pictures from the event if I can. If cops don't run, or haul, me off.
Update: Pictures by Clarknt67, in his diary as well.
Mr. 'C' himself:
Update: More from twitter, as reported by Pam's Blend Tweetroll. Lt. Choi is speaking:
"President Obama, I would rather be a bugle for justice than a trumpet for your inaction"
Update:
"Police pushing supporters back across the street into the park."
Update
DADT protesters chain themselves to White House fence again! Kerry Eleveld is tweeting: All 6 chainees are civilians. One woman with a wife who's a vet
Eleveld: "Choi served as a diversion. During his speech reg folks went to fence and handcuffed themselves"
Update: Picture of Choi and others behind tape. "Obeying the court order to stay off Pennsylvania Ave"
Update: Eleveld: "All six now removed. Chant: we will not, disappear. We'll remember, in november."
Breaking:
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman is slated for its first court hearing... A federal judge in Boston will hear arguments Thursday on the government’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit and the same-sex couples’ request to rule in their favor without a trial.
Gay Marriage Watch
But no further info from Eleveld or elsewhere.
Update: No mention of the protest that I can find in any news stories except on LGBT blogs.
Update LezGet
Activists Crash White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Press About Repeal Of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Last night, a handful of activists decided to crash the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. They were not completely successful. Instead, they were able to crash the reception that followed the dinner. Who were these activists? Get Equal? Dan Choi? No. They were two people, namely Jarrod Chlapowski and Alex Nicholson...
...While there, Nicholson talked to Rahm Emanuel, the White House Chief of Staff, and pressed him on the issue of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Emanuel admitted that there is a thirty to forty percent chance that it will happen this year. Chlapowski took this to mean that it will likely not pass this year.
They then talked to Senator Scott "Mr. 41″ Brown about trying to force repeal and tried to get him on record as supporting repeal. Senator Brown was not willing to do so as of this moment, though he was fascinated by the fact that both Chlapowski and Nicholson are veterans. Despite that, Chlapowski definitely believes that it was productive...
Update Story about protest now up on Pam's Blend, with pics and moving speeches by three ex-military
Update A comment on Pam's Blend
Was just at the DADT rally and it was AMAZING. Six GetEquals chained themselves to the White House and got arrested. There were hundreds of people there cheering them on. And I got to speak with Dan Choi personally! It was so incredible
Update Story on the protest from On Top
Update: Thanks to our brave heroes arrested for DADT repeal today: Nora Camp, Natasha Dillon, Iana Dibona, Mark Reed, Anne Tischer. GetEQUAL tweet