A Hunger Strike? Really?
Lt. Dan Choi, the most visible, articulate and angry activist against the DADT policy, has just announced that he’s going on a hunger strike, even as the compromise hammered out between the White House and Congress is set for vote today.
I’ve written about Choi’s views before, and I have tremendous respect for what he’s doing. It’s not too much to say that the compromise might not have happened had it not been for his courageous leadership. By this I mean no disrespect to the many others — former military like Alex Nicholson and his Servicemembers United group, clear and direct politicians like Patrick Murphy, and other activists (including bloggers) — who have been leaning against this wheel for some time. But Choi (and the GetEqual folks with whom I associate him) might have provided that crucial extra leverage to actually start that wheel in motion.
That said, this hunger strike is a colossal blunder. There are three conditions that must be met before he’ll end it, but none are likely. The first, that the study of implementation be stopped immediately, isn’t even a good idea. (This isn’t the same thing as saying that the compromise law, as drafted, is a good piece of legislation — it isn’t, because it allows for the possibility that it will never become law. I have a post going up later this morning over at 365gay.com on this subject and will link to it when it posts.) Of course the implementation should be carefully considered; allowing openly gay and lesbian soldiers to serve will be a major change for the military, which is still surrounded by a toxic cloud of homophobia. Even for the sake of the gay soldiers, for heaven’s sake, considered and thoughtful implementation is a must.
When I heard Dan Choi speak earlier this month, I thought that he well understood the history and the strategy of activism. It seems I was wrong. A hunger strike is a desperate, last-ditch effort to call attention to an atrocity. It’s an all-or-nothing gambit that can’t be repeated (credibly). In this case, it will be nothing.
One Response to “A Hunger Strike? Really?”
May 31st, 2010 at 11:06 am
This weekend, it was learned that Zoe Nicholson, the organizer of DignityFast, involved a lawyer in the preplanning.
There was also signing of documents between Choi and the participants and Zoe Nicholson.
When people began asking Zoe Nicholson why a lawyer was involved, she got very violent with people via e-mail.
You are a lawyer; Can you explain why a lawyer would be involved in a non violent peace action?
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