San Diego Firefighters Forced To Attend Gay Pride Parade

Hey Liberals? Guess what? You drove everyone else off this thread so you're only making your points to other liberals.

I guess you hadn't noticed that because you're too busy running your keyboards to read.

There is nothing natural about homosexuality. If it were natural then we would all be hermaphrodites (according to your "theory" of evolution). Call me anything you want but I don't treat anyone with any less respect than they show me. That doesn't mean I have to agree with how they live their lives.

These guys felt uncomfortable in a situation they felt pressured into. One poster said that if it had been a parade of women at the beach (paraphrasing) that they wouldn't have a problem. Well no sh$t! what in the world are you trying to prove there, that they actually have preferences?

To call people that feel uncomfortable at an activity such as this homophobic is just making assumptions.

To turn it all around, what if your boss was a Christian and told you to attend a Christian event to show support?

Now what?

Bottom line is that nobody should have to be forced to do something against their will. If we're talking about forcible sex..well that's rape. Obviously it's not as drastic as that..but the point still is that you shouldn't be made to do something you don't want to do. So really if they do not want to go to a gay pride parade they shouldn't be FORCED to go, just because they boss is an activist lesbo. It's her business if she wants to go, but that's an abuse of power to force the rest of the squad to go.

What the boss should have done is held a meeting with the firehouse and explained that she would really appreciate if all the company went..but let them know that it wasn't required for them to be there. She probably would have gotten less people going, but the ones that did wouldn't have felt uncomforatable.

I don't support gayness and I wouldn't do this for my job if someone told me that i MUST do it. It's not really about being homophobic..but would you feel right about being forced to march in a NORML parade, if you weren't a legal pot activist? It's just about peoples individual beliefs. If you don't support something, or if being a certain place would make you feel awkward, then you shouldn't be required to go against your will.

I don't see how people can scream "oh that's not right they shouldn't have had any problem being there!". How are you to tell someone when they should and should not feel comfortable? One of gay peoples most used lines is "we can't help it"..well apply that to these firefighters. They can't help the fact that they felt uneasy for whatever reason. Maybe they didn't want their friends to think they were soft, or maybe they didn't want people to have less respect for them..or maybe they simply don't support the idea of homosexual love. Whatever the reason, you can't blame them for not wanting to go. It's not like they were commiting a hate crime by not going.

I hope they win their lawsuit.

^^^and maybe they're homophobes...

the big bad grown firemen that is MORE nervous about a gay pride parade than pulling dead bodies from a burning building don't want his friends to think he is soft.....aaaaaaaw

Originally posted by jbondo

To turn it all around, what if your boss was a Christian and told you to attend a Christian event to show support?

Now what?

If I was for example serving drinks, then yes. If it's giving money to a charity for a good cause, then yes. If my job makes it pretty much essential to be there then yes....... frankly I'm not particularly bothered what people get up to as long as no actual harm is being caused. If I don't have to go I probably won't. Big deal.

So what's your point?

Am I supposed to say that I wouldn't attend? Am I supposed to get upset that a christian has spoken to me...... perhaps even winked at me? Call the press! Let the world know that I'm slightly uncomfortable!

[edit on 8-8-2007 by DenyAllKnowledge]

Originally posted by Spawwwn
boss is an activist lesbo

Showing our true colors now are we. I find that highly offensive and is warranted a warn. You will be complained about.

What the boss should have done is held a meeting with the firehouse and explained that she would really appreciate if all the company went..but let them know that it wasn't required for them to be there. She probably would have gotten less people going, but the ones that did wouldn't have felt uncomforatable.

I agree. And until we know otherwise, are you positive she didn't do this?

if being a certain place would make you feel awkward, then you shouldn't be required to go against your will.

If being at your job makes you feel awkward, maybe it's time to get a new job?

Maybe they didn't want their friends to think they were soft, or maybe they didn't want people to have less respect for them

Exactly what I was saying about the macho guys being embarrassed to be there. Thanks for proving my point.

Whatever the reason, you can't blame them for not wanting to go. It's not like they were commiting a hate crime by not going.

Not wanting to do your job is grounds for unemployment.

I hope they win their lawsuit.

I hope they get a gay judge and he blows kisses at them all through the trial.

If the fire service is anything like it is in the UK then these men would rather have plucked out their own eyes than attended.

I have known two gay men who were firemen, dated one of them. They kept in the closet because in their own words if it got out they were gay they wouldn't be able to rely on backup in any emergency they might find themselves in. It's a bit frightening in this day and age that an organisation is still so bigoted that you risk burning to death if they find out your gay and they think you deserve it. Of course these could be isolated incidents and without meaning to generalise but from dealings with the fire service and from quiet a few women I know who were either married to or went out with firemen it does seem to attract a certain mindset, arrogant a**holes might be the politest way of putting it. I don't know why this is, maybe the job despription appeals to some egotistical streak in many of them. I'm sure they're not all like that but there does seem to be a significant proportion that are.

But no they shouldn't be forced to attend, let them show themselves up for the bigots they are, misinformed bigots at that because, having just got back from Brighton Pride I can tell you no person in their right mind wants to miss out on that party

Originally posted by Boondock78

^^^and maybe they're homophobes...

the big bad grown firemen that is MORE nervous about a gay pride parade than pulling dead bodies from a burning building don't want his friends to think he is soft.....aaaaaaaw

To be honest I wouldn't really expect a firefighter to be very nervous about fighting fires + pulling bodies from burning buildings. I imagine they get a fair bit of training + on the job experience which enables them to handle those types of situations better than the average joe. If the fire service was made up of a bunch of people who get nervous at the sight of fires and their effects we'd all be in trouble. And maybe the firefighter wasn't worried about his friends thinking "he's soft", maybe, he finds gay people morally abhorrent? ( Not my view but probably his ).
If he has friends like yourself then he probably is worried about what they would say. They'd probably call him soft and say aaaaaaaaaaaaawww alot.

Hey, " jbondo", that's a great name ya got there. Bondo, as in glue?
As in, "sticking to your old conservative holier-than-thou beliefs?"

The liberals didn't shoo you away from this thread. You take yourselves
out, with your intolerance.

Too bad too. Let's use your way of looking at things and apply it to our
jobs. . . . . . .the boss says that every year we support "all"
community functions if we're invited, and this year we've been invited
again to participate in this one so whoever catches duty that day will be
involved. Public employees serve all of the public. Show up and do your
job. That's an order. ( no forcing going on here ). And if you don't like
what we do, quit. ( I can't see any of us telling the boss that, "Oh, I'll
do this and this and this, but I won't do that." ) Just how long do you
think we'd keep our jobs if we told the bosses that?
Get real!

Originally posted by RedEyes


To be honest I wouldn't really expect a firefighter to be very nervous about fighting fires + pulling bodies from burning buildings. I imagine they get a fair bit of training + on the job experience which enables them to handle those types of situations better than the average joe.

^^^i said nervous..according to his quote from the article, he was more 'stressed' about this parade than he was of dead bodies and accidents with kids....that is what he said...


maybe, he finds gay people morally abhorrent? ( Not my view but probably his ).
If he has friends like yourself then he probably is worried about what they would say. They'd probably call him soft and say aaaaaaaaaaaaawww alot.

maybe he does feel that way...that would make him a homophobe bigot just like i said....
he wouldn't have friends like me cause i don't associate with people like that.
i don't look down on people cause of their sexual orientation and if you or that person does, then stay away from me.
i'm a married hetero man before anyone asks.

i stand by what i said earlier....he seems like a real cry baby to me...he can deal with the craxy fire but those dern homo's are too much.

i hope he gets a homosexual judge...that would poan

I think theres a difference between being at the parade "To Serve and Protect" and actually being a "Participant" in the parade.

If they were ordered to be there to Serve its one thing if they were ordered to Participate I believe its completely different.

Intolerance is a whole other issue:

Bottom line here I'm not allowed to have a White ralley without being Racisist, I'm not allowed to have a Hetro Ralley as it would offend the Gays I mean there is 2 sides to every coin and we all need to start looking at both sides.



[edit on 8-8-2007 by ATruGod]

Originally posted by ATruGod
Bottom line here I'm not allowed to have a White ralley without being Racisist, I'm not allowed to have a Hetro Ralley as it would offend the Gays I mean there is 2 sides to every coin and we all need to start looking at both sides.

You want a white rally? Join the KKK. You want a hetero pride day. Have it. Where does it say that you can't? You might get labled but who cares. I get labled a faggot by you people all the time. Do I care. Not really.

[edit on 8/8/2007 by Griff]

Originally posted by Boondock78

i don't look down on people cause of their sexual orientation and if you or that person does, then stay away from me.

I think its pretty obvious what my stance on this is, and its pretty obvious that I don't look down on people due to their sexual orientation. If you are having a problem understanding this please read my posts as I believe that I state this quite clearly.

wow, reading this thread is like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

So, just how far off base can everyone get, and how many have actually read all the parts of this story, at least what's available? What happened to this whole deny ignorance thing, or is that just touted when convenient to someone rather shallow arguement?

The complaint these firemen raised was that they were sexually harassed while on the job, and believe that they were put into a position where they would knowingly be harassed, and were given a direct order to go.

They were stressed out over this because it would appear they knew what was going to be going on, this has been a problem for _years_, as well as there were apparently people who were volunteering to go, but were passed over for these guys. It shows this in the complaint report. Given all this, if they refused their direct order, then their careers are being hung over their heads. The news article blew it out of proportion with 'permanently passed over' vs for about 2 years, as the complaint report shows.

Now, lets not make ourselves out to be blushing virgins to this whole kind of ordeal. its a gay pride parade, which like most any kind of activist activity is an excuse for an unfortunate segment of any part of society to come out and be well.. non-upstanding citizens. This not being the first parade of that type in the area, I'm sure its somewhat common knowledge.

now, lets combine this all together, and what do we have?

and really guys, puh-leeze... if you're going to try calling people narrow minded, please try to not be even more narrow minded than the people you complain about.

Not wanting to participate in a gay pride parade does not make someone a homophobe.

Not supporting your beliefs does not make a person narrow minded.

Sexual harassment is UNWANTED sexual attention, so a bunch of straight guys getting hit on by a bunch of chicks in bikinis wouldn't be sexual harassment unless they didn't desire that kind of attention because of you know. little things, like being gay, married and faithful, or just not into it.

The fact that one of the controlling parties here being a lesbian isn't even a factor

Just because the city signs your paycheck doesn't mean you're automatically a robot that has to do whatever they say you have to.

I'm sure half these same arguements wold be coming from the usual suspects here if the firefighters walked off instead of going in and doing their duty then raising a suit.

If this involved women and not men, most of you all would be screaming for peoples heads on pikes. wheres your equality now?

please in the future, try to read the materials at hand critically, and impartially, and not just skim for buzzwords that support your platform.. or do you really want to be likened to the bible beaters you so readily bash for the same tactics?

Originally posted by RedEyes
I think its pretty obvious what my stance on this is, and its pretty obvious that I don't look down on people due to their sexual orientation. If you are having a problem understanding this please read my posts as I believe that I state this quite clearly.

ditto...i didn't mean YOU personally..you as in people..
understand now?

Originally posted by Boondock78

ditto...i didn't mean YOU personally..you as in people..
understand now?

Now that you have quantified it, yes. But, when you say YOU and just YOU and you are directly talking to me, well, you can see how I would think you meant me. Next time you want to say something just say it and we can avoid the confusion.

Originally posted by CoffinFeeder

The complaint these firemen raised was that they were sexually harassed while on the job, and believe that they were put into a position where they would knowingly be harassed, and were given a direct order to go.

^^^please...they were put in a position where the would knowingly be harassed...yeah right..


Not wanting to participate in a gay pride parade does not make someone a homophobe.

^^no, but in my opinion, being more nervous about this than say, a blazing fire and the mere fact that have to cry sexual harassment, makes them imo, homophobes, AND a few more things....my opinion.

Not supporting your beliefs does not make a person narrow minded.

^^attending a homosexual parade does not meen you are suporting being homosexual either now does it.



Just because the city signs your paycheck doesn't mean you're automatically a robot that has to do whatever they say you have to.

^^^no, it does often times require to do things that are not EXACTLY in your job description....called 'the real world'

hope i don't get another warning for quotes...i trimmed this as much as possible.....

Excellent post CoffinFeeder, I'd give you a WATS? vote, but I don't know how. Once I do I'll be back

Originally posted by RedEyes
But, when you say YOU and just YOU

what i said was "if you or that person"....

i didn't say just you....

You sound pretty homophobic to me... but I'm gay so I guess we are even! I have a lot of trouble even comprehending posts like this still exist today... it shocks me people still care LOL... I know I'm completely natural, and I was born this way, I knew from a very young age. And I always say... Id rather be gay, then you! =)

Originally posted by jbondo
Hey Liberals? Guess what? You drove everyone else off this thread so you're only making your points to other liberals.

I guess you hadn't noticed that because you're too busy running your keyboards to read.

There is nothing natural about homosexuality. If it were natural then we would all be hermaphrodites (according to your "theory" of evolution). Call me anything you want but I don't treat anyone with any less respect than they show me. That doesn't mean I have to agree with how they live their lives.

These guys felt uncomfortable in a situation they felt pressured into. One poster said that if it had been a parade of women at the beach (paraphrasing) that they wouldn't have a problem. Well no sh$t! what in the world are you trying to prove there, that they actually have preferences?

To call people that feel uncomfortable at an activity such as this homophobic is just making assumptions.

To turn it all around, what if your boss was a Christian and told you to attend a Christian event to show support?

Now what?

Originally posted by Griff

Originally posted by ATruGod
Bottom line here I'm not allowed to have a White ralley without being Racisist, I'm not allowed to have a Hetro Ralley as it would offend the Gays I mean there is 2 sides to every coin and we all need to start looking at both sides.

You want a white rally? Join the KKK. You want a hetero pride day. Have it. Where does it say that you can't? You might get labled but who cares. I get labled a faggot by you people all the time. Do I care. Not really.

[edit on 8/8/2007 by Griff]

Why in the Hell does White Pride automatically refer to the KKK damn thats my point. If I want to be proud to be White or Proud to be Hetero then I'm intollerant and labelled.

At what point does this stupid crap stop!!