Cop Refuses to Work at Gay Pride Parade in Utah

[R. Johnson]

Assuming that the police were actually required to protect and serve then their oath demands that they protect the speech occurring at the parade, no matter how repugnant they find it. The first amendment protects all speech no matter how offensive it may be.

They cannot, however, be required to participate in an event, such as the police in Tulsa being forced to attend the Muslim event. Also, calling someone who disagrees with you a bigot is bigoted in itself.

 

[Fatboy Joe]

He was assigned to traffic control, not even working security at the parade. He probably would have never even had to get out of his car. I think he should be fired, not place in a public servant role for that.

 

[Dukester]

Have you ever been to Mardi Gras? You'll see more bare tits than at the Braum's dairy.

True enough but mardi gras isn't a celebration heterosexuality.

 

[The Cow Exploder]

I wonder - since we've already reinterpreted Freedom "of" Religion to include Freedom "from" Religion does it really seem like too much of a leap from there to reinterpret Freedom "of" Association to also mean Freedom "from" Association? Why does everyone seem to want everyone else to be forced into their way of thinking, acting, believing, or whatever else it is?

 

[Fatboy Joe]

I wonder - since we've already reinterpreted Freedom "of" Religion to include Freedom "from" Religion does it really seem like too much of a leap from there to reinterpret Freedom "of" Association to also mean Freedom "from" Association? Why does everyone seem to want everyone else to be forced into their way of thinking, acting, believing, or whatever else it is?

Because it was his job. Plain and simple. He is paid by the citizens to do a job. He cannot be selective. Nobody is forcing him to think, act, believe in what is going on in the parade, or what the parade stands for. He is doing his job.

 

[Dukester]

Because it was his job. Plain and simple. He is paid by the citizens to do a job. He cannot be selective. Nobody is forcing him to think, act, believe in what is going on in the parade, or what the parade stands for. He is doing his job.

Agree

 

[The Cow Exploder]

Because it was his job. Plain and simple. He is paid by the citizens to do a job. He cannot be selective. Nobody is forcing him to think, act, believe in what is going on in the parade, or what the parade stands for. He is doing his job.

Of course that's the simple answer, but if true equality means respect for peoples different needs it has to work both directions. Was there no one else who could have been assigned to that particular duty? No other duty that he could have been assigned to for that one day? As it is the situation smacks of making an example of the officer to further a particular social or political agenda - why else would it not have been handled internally, and quietly, without all the press?

 

[Glocktogo]

Of course that's the simple answer, but if true equality means respect for peoples different needs it has to work both directions. Was there no one else who could have been assigned to that particular duty? No other duty that he could have been assigned to for that one day? As it is the situation smacks of making an example of the officer to further a particular social or political agenda - why else would it not have been handled internally, and quietly, without all the press?

Who brought it to the press? Are you saying the agency pushed the story?

I guess you don't understand police work. Officers get to volunteer for assignments or apply for certain semi-permanent postings, but they don't get to refuse the ones they don't want to work. If you don't run your own business, chances are you don't get to decide what you do or don't do for the people you work under. In a public trust position, it gets even more limited. They can't afford to have dissenters making demands. Pretty soon, everyone is making demands and nothing works. The system breaks down.

Whether any of you like it or not, sexual orientation is a protected class. If you want to refuse service to them, then you don't belong in a public trust position, period. I don't get why that's so hard to understand?

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Of course that's the simple answer, but if true equality means respect for peoples different needs it has to work both directions. Was there no one else who could have been assigned to that particular duty? No other duty that he could have been assigned to for that one day? As it is the situation smacks of making an example of the officer to further a particular social or political agenda - why else would it not have been handled internally, and quietly, without all the press?

He could have been quietly let go and there would be a much different story

 

[Fatboy Joe]

So what you are saying is if an EMT at your local fire station gets a call about a man with a heart attack and it is the man's partner calling in, he can have the ability to refuse to answer the call and just try to pass it on to someone else? What if it was a black man? Woman? Muslim?