Sam Spade's San Francisco

Because of the larger-than-life and jumping-out-of-convertible style of Lt. Dan Choi, the liveliest Grand Marshal of the 2009 SF Pride Parade, DADT may have finally met its match. Choi and the Courage Campaign managed to get 240,000 signatures demanding that Dan not be fired by the U. S. Army because he is gay.

Even the President of the United States listens to the message written over 240,000 signatures gathered during two massive campaigns. The most recent campaign attracted 141,262 signatures.

So, the President told DOD Secretary Gates to get a plan ready to repeal DADT.

Read this:

The following article was published in the Bay Area Reporter, San Francisco's largest LGBT newspaper (and a primary news source for the SF Queer Community along with SF Bay Times).

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Pentagon is looking at "a more humane way to apply" the anti-gay military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" until it can be repealed. The remarks came on June 30 while he was traveling in Europe, according to the Associated Press.

Gates suggested that might include not investigating accusations from a jilted lover or someone else who acts out of vindictive motives. Gates said military lawyers are looking into the situation.

The comments came one day after President Barack Obama told an LGBT gathering at the White House that he believes DADT "doesn't contribute to our national security. In fact, I believe preventing patriotic Americans from serving their country weakens our national security."

The president said he had asked the Pentagon "to develop a plan for how to thoroughly implement a repeal."

This movement by the administration appears to be influenced by recent reports by both the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Center for American Progress that laid out steps that could be taken prior to Congressional action on repeal.

Meanwhile, an administrative board recommended that Lieutenant Dan Choi be discharged from the New York Army National Guard for publicly stating that he is gay. Choi is a graduate of West Point, an Arabic linguist, and an Iraqi veteran who is willing to return to that country.

Choi, who was a celebrity grand marshal in San Francisco's LGBT Pride Parade last Sunday, said he is being fired "for nothing more than telling the truth about who I am."

The recommendation must now wend its way through the military chain of command, which must decide whether or not to accept it. (end of B.A.R. story)

Follow Lt. Dan Choi on twitter @ and follow the Courage Campaign @. You can also follow me @

Also read: I've earned the right to ask POTUS: What the hell gives with DADT?

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