Letters to the Editor
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Is there any doubt?
I don't object to LGBT pride parades; I've been in a few, and volunteered as a safety monitor in others, in San Francisco. I think LGBT pride parades are great.
That having been said, and hopefully protected my liberal cred, I've got to say I don't see this at all as a questionable issue. People marching in the parade are there to say they're proud about something, or at least are there to support something. Making people march in the parade against their will strikes me as one of the stupidest ways to support a cause I've seen lately. I think it's absolutely wrong of the fire chief to force her/his firefighters to march in the parade, and I very much hope they win.
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Not in the job description
Marching for a political cause is not part of a firefighter's job. It's as simple as that. I would go so far as to prohibit firefighters from marching in uniform (or with taxpayer funded trucks!) for any cause that is not directly related to their job.
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Who should win?
Should the firefighters win the case? Or should they toughen up?
Hmm... On the one hand, I suspect they particpate in July Fourth celebrations, but in that case they are celebrating something that ALL citizens are a part of.
On the other hand, they aren't gay, and making them participate is absurd as it exposes them to taunts that they clearly wouldn't appreciate.
It seems like a no-brainer to me... Would it be any different to force african american firefighters to participate in a Klan rally? Or Catholic firefighters to participate in a pro-choice rally?
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Why is this even an issue?
Of course, the firefighters should win: no one should be forced to march in any parade, let alone one in which they'll be subject to harassment. If they were discriminating against homosexual firefighters then there would be an issue, but just because there are gays in the department doesn't mean you have to march in a pride parade. Hell, there are plenty of gays that don't go these parades.
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doesn't make sense
I've marched in the SF pride parade, with my gay sister. It seems to me that no one should be forced to be in any sort of parade. It doesn't make sense that three men who are opposed to homosexuality are forced to march in a pride parade. If I were gay, I wouldn't want them there.
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Easy Answer
Nobody should be forced to march in a parade. Simple. Clear-cut. It doesn't matter what parade we're talking about: gay pride, patrick's day, fourth of july... if you don't want to march, nobody should be making you.
Seriously. How is this even a question?
It's shameful that gay people get the harassment they face every day, and it sounds like an unpleasant scene all around. But maybe gay firemen who choose to march are ok with "Show us your hose!"
But everyone at the event could have behaved like angels and it still would have been wrong to force them to march. Freedom of association, anyone?
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Excuse Me?
"all I have to say is that if a few shouts of "Show me your hose!" lead them to litigate, they should never visit the Broadsheet comments section. "
Umm...Ms. Price...read that quote again and imagine a woman asked as part of her job, if she'd like to see someone's hose. See how your statement is a little...shall we say, unfeeling?
Clearly, this constitutes a hostile work environment that the men in question had to participate in by order of their superior.
That the harrassment was perpitrated by persons outside of the control of their superior does not keep the superior from being responsible to ensure that all practicle accomidations are made to ensure their employees do not suffer in this way.
Had crude, unwanted, sexual inuendo been directed at female firefighters I doubt there would even be a debate as to whether or not there was a case.
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Sexual Harassment
One does not have to be a homophobe to recognize that, as the story is reported, those firefighters were victims of sexual harassment.
I am a supporter of gay rights, but the behavior described should not be acceptable from any group regardless of their orientation.
Dan Bell
Big Rapids, MI
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Tough Cookies
I assume the firemen were there to represent the fire department, not themselves as individuals. A lot of people, as part of their work and as representatives of their employers have to attend events they would not otherwise attend and in some cases may even personally object to. I don't see that the situation of the firemen here is any different because it's a gay pride parade.
As for being the victims of homophobic taunts (in spite of what the paper article says, it seems very clear that the behavior described, if accurate, is not from gay onlookers, but from homophobes acting as they think or want to pretend gays act), well, guys, welcome to our world.
Also, who are they suing exactly?
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Parades
No-one should HAVE to march in any parade or participate in any rally. This includes all the holiday parades, though tannit's comment above seems to indicate he's against all holiday parades. 'cause really, take away the fire/police/etc. from holiday parades and you have 3 boy scouts and a marching band left in most American towns. Not much of a parade. Also tannit, In many of these parades, that's the only time these public servants get to feel the appreciation of the community they serve. Do you really want to take that away from them on the highly dubious notion that it'd save tax dollars?
--Clockwork Smurf
"all I have to say is that if a few shouts of "Show me your hose!" lead them to litigate, they should never visit the Broadsheet comments section. "
Umm...Ms. Price...read that quote again and imagine a woman asked as part of her job, if she'd like to see someone's hose. See how your statement is a little...shall we say, unfeeling?
I believe she means that you need a thick skin to venture into the comments section here as many commenters are quite abusive. She's not saying that behavior is ok, just that it is all too prevalent here.