Lt. Dan Choi and GetEQUAL have jumped the shark. The term “jump the shark” refers to the downturn of a previously successful enterprise and it was first used when Fonzie on Happy Days jumped over a shark on water skis in the waning season of Happy Days. Basically, the series was trying anything to get ratings. Well, Choi and GetEQUAL have shown their desire for acceptance by the politically powerful and have become the ultimate hypocrites. It all happened last weekend at Netroots Nation, a convention of progressive bloggers that was held in Las Vegas.

On July 20, 2010, GetEQUAL protested against Senator Harry Reid by shutting down the Las Vegas Strip. They were calling for a vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would provide employment protections based upon sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity. True to their mission, GetEQUAL was taking bold action to demand full legal and social equality and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. Hmm! Great direct action. It is the events later at Netroots Nation that are questionable. Has the organization lost its way already? You decide.

GetEQUAL was protesting at Senator Harry Reid on Tuesday afternoon and by Saturday their poster boy, Lt. Dan Choi, was onstage at Netroots Nation after giving Reid his West Point ring to hold until Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed. Confused? So am I. How is GetEQUAL holding Senator Reid accountable by giving him an opportunity to use Choi and GetEQUAL to illustrate his commitment to GLBT issues? It was the ultimate photo opportunity. Reid was given Choi’s ring by the moderator who said Choi believes, “It doesn’t mean what it used to mean anymore.” Reid vowed to return the ring to Choi and Choi yelled from the crowd that he should keep it until DADT was repealed. Can’t you just see the attendees tearing up at this “important” gesture? The only thing missing was Choi saying “Senator Reid, all is forgiven; you took my ring!” Choi then jumped onstage and shared a moment with the Senator. My goodness, Senator Reid must not be that bad after all, so why was GetEQUAL protesting against him on Tuesday? I know, GetEQUAL was so effective that Reid moved substantially in four days (tongue firmly in cheek). I guess Reid was no longer standing in the way of GLBT equality.

The reality is in such a short time GetEQUAL has lost its way. It was supposed to be the grassroots organization in the streets. But there it was, with Lt. Dan Choi, at Netroots Nation creating a “moment” in GLBT history with the same guy they were protesting at days earlier. I guess GetEQUAL’s need for acceptance by political insiders is more important than their mission. Of course, I am sure it will be said that Lt. Choi was acting on his own and not on behalf of GetEQUAL. But we are all smarter than that. We know the Choi/GetEQUAL relationship. It is completely hypocritical to protest against the actions of a Senator, then four days later, help him by providing him an GLBT constituency photo op. It is schizophrenic at best. GetEQUAL, get real.