Shoving "Pride" Down Your Throat

In the increasingly influential realm of politically correct fascism, it is no longer enough to "tolerate" those with different views or personal practices - it is no longer enough to treat everyone equally or fairly as individuals. In the intolerant madness disguised under the euphemism "promote diversity," one must "celebrate" the culture or sub-culture of supposedly underrepresented or underprivileged groups. One must place all focus not on individual achievement or merit, but on superficial elements like group affiliation or ethnic background.

In a huge disappointment, in order to be perceived as gay-friendly and tolerant, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders appointed openly lesbian Tracy Jarman as San Diego Fire Chief in June 2006. The disappointment was not that Jarman is a lesbian and honest about that fact, but that a huge issue was made of her personal sexual practices in the first place in relation to her hiring. Rather than focus on any experience she may or may not have, or her qualifications to be chief or run an incredibly large fire department effectively and efficiently, the focus was instead on whether she preferred box lunches to sausage. When Sanders was elected mayor, I don't recall anyone bringing up the fact that he likes the tang, not the shaft. But somehow Jarman's sexual orientation was paramount to the city's assessment of her appointment. And of course, being a politically correct figurehead, her concern was not about the individual rights or qualifications of fire-fighters, or about fighting fires or anything that concerns the average citizen who pays his or her taxes for such a department in the first place. Instead, this corrupt, non-neutral activist began harping about making the department "more diverse," rather than more accountable to the taxpayer or more able to protect and service the community. According to Jarman:

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.”

It is completely impossible to "reflect" the community through affirmative action and/or outreach. What a narrow-minded promoter of diversity is actually trying to reflect is an arbitrary, limited view of selective groupings based on their own stereotypes and biases. And somehow, in the view of the irrational diversity police, a quota system is going to put out forest fires a lot quicker. Oh, no wait, that's not a concern at all.

But Jarman's corruption ends not with her failure to denounce special privilege based on race and sexual preference and such, but recently her department went so far as to force straight fire fighters to ride in the Gay Pride Parade in San Diego.

These fire fighters were threatened with "disciplinary action" if they did not participate, and suffered through taunts and comments that any reasonable person would refer to as "sexual harassment" as a result of their forced participation in this event as city employees.

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.

Somehow, in Jarman's department, preventing discrimination against gays has transformed into special privileges for homosexuals and a clear violation of the rights of non-gay employees. In other words, reverse discrimination rather than neutrality. Under no circumstance should the taxpayers be forced to send representatives to what is essentially a large, somewhat risque gay-themed street party. Nor should individuals have their jobs threatened and thus be forced into a situation where they are subjected to unwelcome sexual advances.

I am in no way suggesting that events like gay pride parades be banned. They may well be important to the homosexual community, and as free individuals in a land of liberty, they have every right to assemble and associate as they see fit. Of course, the double-standard that a Straight Parade would be labeled "bigoted" does trouble me to no end. In any case, such events should not be sponsored with tax funds, and the event organizers should reimburse any costs to the city government. Gay fire fighters should not be punished for attending such an event, on their own time. But the city should not pay individuals to attend during work hours (except of course to handle emergencies) as representatives, and cannot expect employees to attend or worse award their attendance. This would be equivalent to forcing gay atheist fire fighters to attend a large religious rally as representatives, exposing them to taunts like "sinner" and "repent." Would THAT be acceptable? Would paying a Christian fire-fighter to go to church be acceptable?

Unfortunately, the politically correct would never apply such logic to their own actions and policies. What is important to them is only that their personal beliefs and practices get shoved down your throat, at your expense, and that you accept them or face the iron fist of punishment.

Jarman should be sacked, or should resign.

UPDATE: The firefighters' complaint can be viewed here.

UPDATE: There's a story on this at signonsandiego. Don't forget to check out some of the crazy comments at the bottom from idiots that equate the concept of fair treatment for straight fire fighters and their discomfort with being verbally molested by homosexuals with homophobia and bigotry. Nice. There are also a few "well, two wrongs make a right" moronic attempts at arguments as well.

Different standards, of course, apply to gays and straights. And this is called 'equity' amongst the left.