Harassment by any other name…
Wow… On the West Coast, there really are a few cities that you look towards for GLBT leadership. Â Those cities are San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland (probably in that order – at least in my mind). Â We have leadership in those cities that not only welcome the GLBT community, but help fight the ignorance and hate from those on the right. Â But what’s going on in Seattle right now is scary as hell.
The City of Seattle has various groups that employees of the city can join. Â One of those groups is the GLBTQF (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning, and Friends) Club. Â The city gives each of the groups $1,000 per year and allows employees to work on behalf of their group for two hours per month. Â That’s all fine and dandy. Â And then along comes Seattle City employee Philip Irvin. Â He wanted to join the GLBTQF Club, but he was not allowed. Â Why? Â Because Philip is a fundamentalist who does not think that gays should be allowed to exist, much less have a club. Â Obviously the GLBTQF Club is within their rights to refuse him entry. Â After all – would you want to bring someone into your home that’s just going to yell at you endlessly? Â No – that’s why we all moved out of our families homes!
Well Philip would not let it sit. Â To “get even” with the group, he is suing the city and is asking to force the names of everyone in the GLBTQF Club to be named publicly. Â He wants the names of ALL GLBTQ Seattle employees to be published so that everyone knows who they are and the City of Seattle almost went along with it, until a temporary injunction could be put into place. Â If the names are released what are you going to do, Mr. Irvin? Â Will these employees end up like Dr. George Tiller? Â Haunted constantly, and then some whackjob goes and tries to assassinate them, too?
Think I’m a little out there? Â Think again. Â The rate of hate crimes – specifically murder – against GLBTQ folks is rising at an alarming rate. Â Yeah. This is 2009, and people are still being racist, homophobic, murdering bastards. Â So excuse me for NOT wanting to give out the names of the GLBTQF Club employees!