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Originally Posted by GoldDustOrphan
City employees should not be asked/required to march in any parade.
San Diego has since changed its policy of sending a firetruck and representatives of the fire department to every civic parade representing different communities.
Even though the fire dept. had representatives at previous parades, the firefighters in this particular case were urged by Thomas More Law Center - a conservative Christian law center based in Michigan - to sue the city for sexual harassment with the promise of cashing in. TMLC drafted them for this lawsuit to pursue its agenda of defaming gay people. The firefighters claimed that alleged catcalls had damaged them so much (physically and emotionally) that they deserved a million bucks each to survive the indignity of it all. Yes, the "TOUGH GUY FIGHTERS" described in the headline of the WorldNetDaily - another conservative-based "news" source - couldn't handle some people yelling at them from the safety of a moving firetruck. Other firefighters in the parade - and past parades - claimed their fellow firefighters were exaggerating reports. Anyone that's ever been to a Pride Parade will also tell you there's usually music blasting from every other float and firetrucks usually have sirens going - how could they really hear what was being yelled. The jury agreed and threw out their claim.
What is interesting about this case is that the testimony from the firefighters that filed the complaint makes the city of San Diego even more vulnerable to discrimination lawsuits: "I called the San Diego fire dept. when my house was burning down or my kitten was in the tree they I was treated differently because I live in a gay neighborhood or I'm gay."
Yes. If someone is a white supremist, they would object to being in the MLK parade. Native Americans or athiests might find Thanksgiving offensive to their beliefs or heritage. Here in South Boston, our St. Patrick's Day parade (which is always a blast in my book) is a constant source of public scrutiny because of the extraordinary amount public drinking, arrests for fighting, and reports of racist incidents.
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I would sue if I was forced into going to any parade where sexual advances are made, whether gay or straight. It is tantamount to sexual harassment. I don't care if people have parades to celebrate whatever, but civic employees do have a civil right to free speech (in this case, nonparticipation in something that is not related to their jobs). I find the position you posted as very hypocritical. How would you like it if female employees were required to serve as cocktail waitresses at a sleazy bar during St. Patrick's Day and had to endure catcalls and physical touching? I think you would view that much differently. What is being missed here is that the Fire Chief's actions are a violation of existing employment laws.