Nine Scots firefighters have been disciplined because they refused to help safeguard a Gay Pride March in Glasgow. The leader was demoted in rank,thereby losing £5000 a year (c $9500 )in pay.All the men have been ordered to attend a course on "difference awareness" (or some such socio-jargon name for the bleedin' obvious )All the men are Roman Catholic. A church spokesman said it was unfortunate if men could not act in accordance with their conscience.(Let's hope his church doesn't burn down because they couldn't find anti-abortion or anti-contraception firemen )
Glasgow was long a city of religious divide. There used to be riots when Glasgow Rangers soccer team (then Protestant to a man) played Glasgow Celtic (entirely Catholic) for example. Recently a goalkeeper was, reportedly, cautioned by police because he made provocative gestures, including crossing himself (!), to the Catholic team's suppporters.
I post this to show that lunacy in such matters is not unique to the USA. But, that said, has there been or would there be such a protest in the States?
Stonewalled : Police abuse and misconduct against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the U.S. -------- Pharmacists in some cases have refused to fill scripts for birth control pills. -------- "Bias against lesbians and gays also contributes to excessive use of force. As one LAPD officer put it, ‘It’s easier to thump a faggot than an average joe. Who cares?’ Another officer said that gay people tend to get beaten more frequently than straight people because ‘they love it. They want to get hit.’"
LAPD officers, cited in the Christopher Commission Report(266) -------- While it doesn't happen every day, to our shame, discrimination against every minority, religious, and ethnic group is commonplace. Lest I be berated, I need to say that discrimination against majority groups exists as well.
Just in the last few days, an article appeared in the news about a state police officer (North Dakota?) who was fired for belonging to the KKK. He joined after his wife left him for a minority male. I think he was reinstated, but his superiors are trying to find a way to fire him.
Posts: 17506 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
I've been doing a course with a Fire Department training officer here in BC. One of his ongoing problems is that some senior firemen (these are all men) won't participate in mandatory training drills. They know that (being the guys who do the standing back and directing at blazes) they're that bit older, slower and less practiced than their subordinates, and would rather be disciplined than shown up.
Are fire departments/brigades maybe one of the last bastions of this strangely aggressive yet fragile macho?
You can picture the men in Fred's story - if they're seen to be helping out a Gay Parade, then maybe people will think they approve of it, or maybe even that they themselves might be... Oh no! The possibility's too terrible to contemplate! It's surely worth several thousands to protect their delicate reputations.
You can picture the men in Fred's story - if they're seen to be helping out a Gay Parade, then maybe people will think they approve of it, or maybe even that they themselves might be... Oh no! The possibility's too terrible to contemplate! It's surely worth several thousands to protect their delicate reputations.
NNN, you could be right. It turns out that they objected to being asked to hand out fire safety leaflets to the crowd. They were sent to the parade in order to raise public awareness of fire hazards, something which they are always required to do at parades, exhibitions and the like.Can you imagine? What would people think? Men in fireman's uniform approaching other men with the excuse that they wanted to give them a paper? What would the neighbours and their families think?
Their Bishop came up with a further reason which was that the men would witness gay people dressed as nuns and clergymen, a sight which would offend their faith. He didn't cite any evidence of such offensiveness in fact or in prospect, but what has that to do with anything ?
Did the Village People have a 'fireman' in their group? If so,perhaps gaydom and firefighting have infelicitous associations !
)All the men are Roman Catholic. A church spokesman said it was unfortunate if men could not act in accordance with their conscience.(Let's hope his church doesn't burn down because they couldn't find anti-abortion or anti-contraception firemen )
