Disciplined for refusing to hand out literature on homosexuality

cleanbluesky · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:20

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/01092006/325/archbishop-steps-gay-pride-row.html

More info from 'pinknews'

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/view.php?id=2375

Just picked up on this. Stratchlyde Fire Service has disciplined firemen for refusing to attend a gay pride rally. TBH, I think if it was anything other than gay pride I don't think there would be an issue.

Stratcylde has defended their decision by saying tha they must serve every section of their communities, but I don't think that non-attendance at a gay pride rally would translate into those same firefighters not performing their duty 100% to save gay people.

I don't think they should have been required to attend in the first place, let alone disciplined for it. If it was a political rally, I'm sure their objection would have been seen as legitimate.

G|mp · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:21

Trying to avoid jokes about big hoses i suppose

Sparky__H · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:25

"All nine will undergo a further intensive course of diversity training"

Gilly · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:26

Can you imagine the reaction of the gayers when a fire truck turned up?

I wouldn't want to go either

Serj · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:27

Wouldn't going to a gay pride rally imply they are gay? I can understand why they wouldn't want to go tbh.

Visage · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:30

Serj said:
Wouldn't going to a gay pride rally imply they are gay? I can understand why they wouldn't want to go tbh.

I dont think that would imply that at all.

Does going to a curry house imply you are Indian?

Sparky__H · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:30

I can understand going to schools and teaching the young about fire safety but gay marches and mosques? Are Muslims and gays all pyromaniacs?

To hell with ever becoming a fireman what a political mess they’ve got into.

ElRazur · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:31

ermm....no comment.

**leaves thread**

robmiller · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:32

Serj said:
Wouldn't going to a gay pride rally imply they are gay? I can understand why they wouldn't want to go tbh.

No I think what they're saying is that people who refuse to go to gay pride rallies have something against gay people, and when your job is to save people regardless of their sexual orientation then that's a bad thing.

Seems like a bit of a stretch, though.

Edit: wait what, they were just going to the rally in their capacity as firefighters, in case anything went wrong? Totally justified, then. You can't cherry-pick when you serve the public based on the sexuality of a particular section of people.

G|mp · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:33

ElRazur said:
ermm....no comment.

**leaves thread**

Why even bother post then nub?

jezsoup · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:35

So why exactly do the nine in question need to go on diversity training? And to think so goon is being paid to make these decsions and another to run these diversity training classes.

Serj · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:35

robmiller said:
Edit: wait what, they were just going to the rally in their capacity as firefighters, in case anything went wrong? Totally justified, then. You can't cherry-pick when you serve the public based on the sexuality of a particular section of people.

Oh right! I thought they were going to be made to take part in the parade like some policemen and women choose to do. Bit different then....

Visage · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:37

Sparky__H said:
Are Muslims and gays all pyromaniacs?

Have you SEEN the damage that scented candles can do??????

ElRazur · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:38

G|mp said:
Why even bother post then nub?

....because anybody with half a brain will see beyond what i posted and read between the lines.

Gilly · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:38

robmiller said:
Edit: wait what, they were just going to the rally in their capacity as firefighters, in case anything went wrong?

Nope. Thats not how I read it. It was to carry out safety demonstrations and hand out leaflets.

If it was in the name of safety were something to go wrong I can't see there being a problem as they wouldn't have been right out in the open, they'd have hung back and been available.

ElRazur said:
....because anybody with half a brain will see beyond what i posted and read between the lines.

Don't be soft. Either post your opinion or don't post at all. Doesn't take much

G|mp · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:39

ElRazur said:
....because anybody with half a brain will see beyond what i posted and read between the lines.

Are you a gay Fireman?

cleanbluesky · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:40

Visage said:
I dont think that would imply that at all.

Does going to a curry house imply you are Indian?

When people go to curry houses merely to express being indian, your comparison would be accurate.

Generally, gay pride rallies are attended to show that the atendee is proud of being gay. Or that the organisation they are attached to wishes to be 'pro-homo'.

I think that if it were any other type of rally, their objection would be treated very differently. Having said that, I wouldn't mind taking part in a gay pride rally, as long as I had the choice not to.

ElRazur · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:42

Gilly said:
Don't be soft. Either post your opinion or don't post at all. Doesn't take much

Not at all. I see what you mean but i cant be dragged into a debate about how Not-so-homophobic i am.....besides, i have to leave the house soon.

cleanbluesky · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:43

robmiller said:
Edit: wait what, they were just going to the rally in their capacity as firefighters, in case anything went wrong? Totally justified, then. You can't cherry-pick when you serve the public based on the sexuality of a particular section of people.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/5301334.stm?ls

The links say they would have handed out leaflets, rather than be there 'in case anything went wrong'

cleanbluesky · 1 Sep 2006 at 09:44

ElRazur said:
....because anybody with half a brain will see beyond what i posted and read between the lines.

Because you've got a simple and stereotypical opinion on homosexuality?