Out Spotlight LXXXIV

Today's Out Spotlight is on Lt. Dan Choi and the organization Knight's Out. Choi, West Point graduate and gay Arabic-speaking linguist was discharged from the Army National Guard under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy after coming out earlier in the spring on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow's show.

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He received a letter informing him of his dismissal, which read in part: "You admittedly publicly that you are a homosexual, which constitutes homosexual conduct … Your actions negatively affected the good order and discipline of the New York Army National Guard."

In a letter to the president, Lt. Dan Choi said the discharge letter, dated April 23, 2009, was "a slap in the face to me. It is a slap in the face to my soldiers, peers and leaders who have demonstrated that an infantry unit can be professional enough to accept diversity, to accept capable leaders, to accept skilled soldiers.

"My subordinates know I'm gay. They don't care," he said. "They are professional.

"As an infantry officer, I am not accustomed to begging. But I beg you today: Do not fire me,"

It took him only 30 minutes after receiving the letter to decide: "I'm fighting this."

There have been over 12,500 service men and women who have been dismissed because of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy of the US Armed Forces. There are currently 65,000 men and women in the military serving in silence.

Choi is a co-founder of the group Knight's Out. Knight's Out is is an organization of OUT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) West Point Alumni, along with our Straight West Point Alumni, Staff, and Faculty counterparts, who are united in supporting the rights of LGBT soldiers to openly serve their country. Right now Knights out has 115 members, 68 OUT Knights, and 308 straight allies.

Their OUT members include former West Point professors, Rhodes Scholars, decorated combat veterans from the Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan, peacekeepers who served in Haiti and Bosnia, men and women from the first co-ed class (1980), an ordained minister, and many others, coming out from their silence to serve their country in a new way.

Their OUT members represent over 340 years of Active Duty military service to our country.

Members have served in all combat branches: Infantry, Armor, and Field Artillery, as well as Air Defense Artillery, Aviation, Corps of Engineers, Transportation Corps, Military Intelligence, Medical Service Corps, Military Police, Ordnance, Public Affairs, Adjutant General's Corps, and Quartermasters Corps Their members have achieved the ranks of 1LT, CPT, MAJ, LTC, COL, and Brigadier General. They represent Alumni from the Class of 1947 to Class of 2005.Their ranks include men and women, at an almost 1 to 1 ratio.

The mission of Knights Out is threefold: To advocate for the rights of LGBT soldiers to openly serve their country. To prepare West Point graduates and cadets to lead in a military where LGBT soldiers are allowed to serve openly. To be role models and leaders for LGBT soldiers living under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, by speaking out when they must be silent.

Knights Out as the first West Point Alumni Contingent to marches in the San Francisco Gay Pride parade on June 28th. Knights Out co-founder 1LT Dan Choi will be a celebrity Grand Marshall.

Knights Out.org

Movie Club Discussion

The first of the double feature of this month's movie discussion is The Day After Tomorrow. TDAT is about worldwide catastrophe and disaster, including multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, floods and the beginning of the next Ice Age due to the Greenhouse effect. Of course most at OMG would know this movie because it was how and where Jake and Austin met, filming the blockbuster for director Roland Emmerich.What did you like? What drove you crazy about it? What really the love story in the movie? Was is Sam and Laura? Or was it more like slash delight? What was the relationship between JD and Sam? What about the represenation of the government? What was the message that Emmerich was trying to show? Favorite parts? Favorite lines?








In addition to the basic disussion of TDAT, there is compartive discussion with the new Star Trek movie, by J. J. Abrams, who created a prequel to reinvent the Star Trek franchise while telling the beginning of the Star Trek saga.

What are the comparisons between the two movies? Are there similarities in the race to save humanity? The distructions of civilations and planets? What lessons are similar? What is the love story in Star Trek? Uhura & Spock? Or was it more like slash delight? Do you see similarities of Sam & J.D. with Kirk & Spock? What was the role of the government? What other similarities or differences did you see between the two movies? Did both have a similar message to them? What did you like or dislike about Star Trek? What was your favorite scene ? Favorite lines?

They've gone to plaid

What happens when you mix Austin Friday and The Day After Tomorrow/Star Trek Movie Club later today? Well you get this:







You think somebody was practicing their best Sear Toughskins suit poses ? (Wonder if that suit is Toughskins tough? ; ) )


Hey have a great Austin Friday and stop back by tonight at 5:00pm EST for the start of our Movie Club of The Day After Tomorrow and a comparative discussion of TDAT and the newly released Star Trek.

We will keep this post open during all day today and Saturday for all non Movie Club discussion.

BAGged - The Top Ten

The Hollywood Reporter is now reporting that Brian Austin Green is out as Clayton on OTH, and Robert Buckley is now the sports agent that blows into Tree Hill.

10. Brian Austin Green was overbooked.

9. They couldn't contractually bring back co-stars from old WB shows two years in a row.

8. Sophia would have gotten too confused with two guys who look similar. Can't remember which one she dated.

7. Can't go too 90's with the casting, promised Austin he could go 90's for his wardrobe this season.

6. James Van der Beek, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Brian Austin Green .. Austin has a limit on the multi named co-stars.

5. Shane West balked at being pitched as being their doppelganger not their long lost triplet brother.

4. OTH didnt' know if they signed BAG, they were contractually obligated to give Tori Spelling a part.

3. Too much Austin not enough Tree Hill.

2. Schwann already got tired of the Wonder Twin Jokes when he brought up evil twin idea in the writer's meeting.

1. Once you go Dylan, you can't go David.









Hope it wasn't anything we said.


Reminder: OMG Movie Club - Summer Double Feature

Tomorrow's/Saturday's Discussion

The Day After Tomorrow as well as a comparative discussion of the TDAT with the recent release Star Trek.

Next Friday's/Saturday's (June 19-20th) Discussion

We will be discussing the LGTB movie Big Eden

Four Letter Words

Looks like Jake's sporting some knuckle tats to go with his bad boy neck tattoo in Brothers. The kind that come from the joint. Thinking about Jim Sheridan and how he made the two brother Irish American, kind makes me think that Tommy (Jake) could have Eire on them to show his Irish heritage. (Can you tell I seen that in Boston?)

There's a lot of knuckle tats out there, some that say Thug, Pain, Hurt (as in put the hurt on you) or other choice four letter words.

So a little Knuckle Boggle for you - what do you think Jake would have as a tat? Get creative and give it your best shot.

But doubt it's gonna be this:



Reminder: OMG Movie Club - Summer Double Feature

This Friday night/Saturday (June 12-13th) - We will be discussing both the movie The Day After Tomorrow as well as a comparative discussion of the TDAT with the recent release Star Trek.

Next Friday night/Saturday (June 19-20th) - We will be discussing the LGTB movie Big Eden,

Here's hoping you join us for one or both discussions.

Crop happens.

Sorry for the delay- hopefully all technical difficulties are resolved (at least for today).

It seems like Austin likes to have a little photo fun. (ahem) So we will have a little photo fun of our own with him.


It all comes down to the positive and negative. Look at what happens when crop happens.


Does it remind you of anything?


Does that mean you get candy when you suck on his neck? Would this explain trips to a medical office, it's going to see a dentist due too much candy?

Think we monkeyed with the picture that much - well here's the original. The pez effect - that's just Austin doing turtlenecks.




Reminder: OMG Movie Club - Summer Double Feature

This Friday night/Saturday (June 12-13th) - We will be discussing both the movie The Day After Tomorrow as well as a comparative discussion of the TDAT with the recent release Star Trek.

Next Friday night/Saturday (June 19-20th) - We will be discussing the LGTB movie Big Eden Here's hoping you join us for one or both discussions.


To Adam Lambert - Here's to the brightest future ahead. Make the path ahead of you proudly yours.

When Worlds Collide

It was supposed to be a story of a girl from the prairie and a wicked one from Washington coming North, and it ended up in a mash up of photo ops that has the potential for a Boston New York rivalry.
Beautiful day in the neighborhood and all is good and then....it happened....

Hey look Boston has hats.... you could get yourself another one... you know to make it look like its one of mine, like you do.

Not looking. Not Funny


Hey signs for Italy. That reminds me of .....Austin

See this face. You know what it means. Basta Austin.

No they say Bahston, not Basta.

What about some coffee. Boston has good coffee. Cappuccino in the North End. You know you like to do that. It's one of your when in doubt go-to's.

Shut up.

What's the problem?


Come on I see a unicorn. You know you like unicorns.

You know you're a jerk.

Hey look a rainbow.

Not listening - I know what I know. You don't see rainbows. Yeah right, keep thinking that sister (under his breath)

So they saw paparazzi. They knew someone with a camera. They got their picture taken. It happens.
You know maybe the one from DC will tell you where all the paps hang out there.

Seriously shut up. You are so not funny.
Oh yeah I am.

All Non Photo Op pictures (ie.the "happy" couple) are from mini meet in Massachusetts this past weekend.