Firefighters forced to ride in Gay Pride parade

It must be wonderful to be included as a "minority" liberal -- you know, a minority race, gender, sexuality, religion, whatever. You're free to force all of those "majority" people to bend over backwards to accomodate you in the name of "tolerance" and "diversity", regardless of how they feel or what they think about it. I mean, I'm a woman -- that makes me special. Let's say that a room that I work has too much blue in it, and naturally, rooms that I work in need to fairly represent my womanhood. Therefore, the head of my office should re-decorate the entire building to more accurately represent women and make women feel more comfortable. Even though no one in the office has complained, they're really just suffering in silence, and if what I want isn't done, it's clearly because all of the men in my office are sexist. And because of that, I also think that all of the men in my office should have to go through gender equality and appreciation seminars.

See how much fun it is?? Because I'm a minority, I can make "the man" do whatever I want!! This is so awesome!

Did I saw awesome? I meant to say pathetic -- forcing everyone around you to swallow your crap whether they believe in or agree with it or not.

We now have a shining new example of this in San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Garman, an open lesbian who brags to 365gay.com that she lives with her partner and is one of only a handful of openly lesbian fire chiefs in the country. She decided that four firefighters should be forced to participate in the city's Gay Pride parade, when usually it is on a volunteer basis only.

Now, all four of those firefighters are taking legal action against their superiors, and for good reason (emphasis mine):

Four San Diego firefighters charge their superiors forced them to ride in San Diego's Gay Pride parade.

“You could not even look at the crowd without getting some kind of sexual gesture. If any crew member were to hang up pictures at the station of what we saw, we would be disciplined.” So said one of four San Diego firefighters who say their superiors forced them, in full uniform and on their city fire truck, to attend the July 21 San Diego “Gay Pride” parade, according to an Aug. 6 press release from the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center.

The Center is representing the firefighters in their legal claims against the city of San Diego.

According to the Center’s press release, the four firefighters’ superiors told them on July 20 that they would have to ride in the parade. In the past, firefighters who attended the parade “generally did so on a volunteer basis,” said the press release. When the four firefighters protested, their superiors told them they must ride in the parade or face disciplinary action.

San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarman has said the parade is a “fun event and all employees are encouraged to participate.” San Diego’s Republican mayor, Jerry Sanders, appointed Jarman fire chief in June 2006. According to 365Gay.com, Jarman “lives with her domestic partner” and is “one of only a handful of openly lesbian fire chiefs in the country.”

“What happened to these dedicated public servants was inexcusable,” said Charles LiMandri, the Center’s West Coast director, who is representing the firefighters. “The City should have known from past experience the kind of offensive activities that go on at this event. This was a clear case of sexual harassment in violation of state and federal law as well as the City’s own code of conduct.”

While on parade, the firefighters “were subjected to vile sexual taunts from homosexuals lining the parade route,” said the press release. “Show me your hose,” “you can put out my fire,” “you’re making me hot,” “give me mouth-to-mouth,”“blow my hose,” were some of the comments those along the parade route hurled at the firefighters. When the firefighters did not respond, “some in the crowd turned hostile and started shouting, ‘F—k you firemen’ and others began ‘flipping them off,’” said the press release.

Some bystanders committed lewd acts, directed at the firefighters, such as exposing their genitals, grabbing the crotch, and blowing kisses. The firefighters, however, were not physically assaulted.

Last year, Chief Jarman told Gay and Lesbian Times that she has always kept her personal and private lives separate. She said she told Sanders she wanted to make the department more diverse – but, she said, “it’s not just the Gay community. I think we need to do a better job of recruiting across the board so that we reflect the community.”

Ah, tolerance.

Isn't it great to live in a country where firefighters are made to become more tolerant of diversity by being forced to attend a Gay Pride parade where they were subjected to this kind of vile behavior?

I mean, man. Chief Jarman must be a shining little beacon of what it means to be accepting of other people's ideals, morals, and values.

Hat Tip: Moonbattery