Last night, Lt. Dan Choi–a man who has quickly become the spokesman for a movement, and a symbol of a discriminatory policy–tweeted the end of the Dignity Fast that he and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo had undertaken a week ago. The Dignity Fast, which was meant to speed the Executive Branch’s institution of non-discrimination for openly gay and lesbian servicemembers, was widely criticized in the community as being misguided for endangering the health of the two men who introduced the world to GetEQUAL when they handcuffed themselves to the front of the White House in March.
The end of the fast came just a day after Pam’s House Blend contributor Autumn Sandeen raised eyebrows when she suggested supporting Dan and Jim by sending paper plates to the White House. While there were likely a few people that had already done so yesterday, the White House mailroom is going to be awfully confused when the plates come in and there is no fast going along with them.
However, the fast may resume just yet. According to Dan Choi’s website:
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.
Tonight, we will end the fast knowing that the inadequacies of the ‘compromise’ to end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ are well known. Our quest to end the discharges, stop the insulting study, and institute a non-discrimination policy is not over. In the coming weeks, we will prepare to resume our fast and will provide many ways for those who believe in uncompromising justice to join us.
We’re all glad that Dan, one of our fiercest fighters, is going to keep up his health to keep on fighting.
So when Choi and Pietrangelo pick up the hunger strike, will you be playing along at home?