Boycott of gay march may cost British firefighters jobs

[cboy4]

Nine firefighters could be sacked for refusing to distribute fire safety leaflets at a gay pride march, their employer said yesterday. The male firefighters will be told the outcome of a disciplinary hearing into accusations that they refused to obey orders to hand out leaflets this week.

The men, from red watch at Cowcaddens fire station, gave different reasons for refusing to hand out leaflets at the march. Some argued leafleting the event contradicted their moral beliefs, while others claimed it would be embarrassing for them to attend the event in uniform.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/firefighters/story/0,,1860184,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/5291310.stm


I just don't understand this.

These firefighters presumably don't think twice about running into a burning building to rescue people, yet they're essentially cowards when it comes to handing out leaflets at a gay pride march? Ohhhh, so scary men... :scared: :eyes:

[Sapphocrat]

1. Remind me...

...never to get trapped in a burning building in Glasgow!

[cboy4]

2. Nah, it's alright Sapphocrat. Just act straight when you're choking to

death from the smoke. They'll be there in a jiffy I'm sure. ;)

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. Exactly what I was thinking!

Well make sure we are trapped together and we can give each other mouth to mouth. ;)

[DeSwiss]

3. GGGGRRRRRRRRRR....

If one's "moral beliefs" prohibits one from doing a job for which they were hired, they should resign or be fired. If firemen are routinely tasked to pass out leaflets to aid in fire and accident prevention, then the sexual orientation of the persons to whom they are handing the pamphlets out to does not matter. They are human beings and taxpayers and deserve the same treatment as all others.

I'm pretty fed up with people hiding behind their religion and so-called moral beliefs as a means to disguise (and very poorly I might add), their bigotry. That includes doctors and/or pharmacists who won't perform abortions or fill prescriptions that deal with "certain" types of reproductive health issues. I've never heard of a doctor or pharmacist failing to treat or provide prescriptions for Viagra, no matter what the age is, or the marital status of the patient.

The full panoply of health services and medications being offered in the health care system is not a smorgasbord. You shouldn't be allowed to pick and choose which person you will serve or which procedure you will or will not do, or which type of prescriptions you will fill. Not unless you are incompetent to do so. Then you shouldn't be in that profession to start with.

If one is a fire fighter or in the police, the primary obligation is to uphold the public trust and address issues of safety. If one is in the healthcare field, then most of these procedures and medicines are known about from the beginning of their careers. So there are no excuses since they were aware of them going in. And one can't justify noncompliance or use such an excuse when new procedures or medications come onto the market unless they are prepared to ignore ALL new procedures and medications. Anything else is just so much bull.

We need to get religion the hell out of society's functions and processes and leave it for those who choose it. With the caveat to leave their religion at home when they go to work!

[cboy4]

4. Very nice rant DeSwiss! And a belated welcome to DU & our GLBT room!

[DeSwiss]

5. CB, rants are second nature to me....

...since my father was a preacher. I heard ranting quite often while I was growing up. Constantly.

I'm better now..... hahahahaha!!!!

Thanks, I'm glad to be here!!!

[xchrom]

7. wtf!?! -- ok that was your job.

how fucking entitled of them to think that they could whine to their superiors -- ''ooohhh gay people -- i can't be seen around gay people...''

now i'm waiting for all the du posters to show up and say these sad fuckers are ''secretly gay''.

that's just as sad aas these fire fighters.

[ccpup]

8. Unfortunately,

if these firefighters lose their jobs, who do you think they'll blame and, perhaps but hopefully not, eventually direct their anger towards? You got it. Those gays that "cost them their jobs." I would like to think the Glasgow police would protect the gay community from violence, but, if their firefighters are any indication of the mindset in that town ... well, let's just say it must not be easy be a poofter in Glasgow.

[cboy4]

9. **UPDATE** SEPT 1 - Archbishop backs gay snub fire crew

What a shock. N-O-T



Press Association
Friday September 1, 2006 8:48 AM


A Catholic leader has condemned the decision to discipline nine firefighters for refusing to hand out safety leaflets at a gay pride march.

Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti described the disciplinary action against the Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service (SFR) staff as "dismaying".

The nine officers were rapped by SFR after disobeying orders during the Pride Scotia rally in June.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6051814,00.html