Department of Injustice?
June 6, 2003 7:58 AM   Subscribe

U.S. Dep't of "Justice" Blocks Gay Pride Event ostensibly because Bush has refused to issue a proclamation for Gay Pride month. (Clinton's Pride Month proclamation is here. A list of Bush's proclamations can be found here). How inclusive is your employer? Do you have a corporate pride event?
posted by stonerose (43 comments total)
 
Seriously though, why is our Dept of Justice being lead by a Lawyer? Since when did barratry and litigation equal justice?

It should be lead by a cop or something.
posted by taumeson at 8:01 AM on June 6, 2003


"corporate pride event".
interesting collision of meaning.
posted by quonsar at 8:07 AM on June 6, 2003


quonsar, you don't know the half of it! a lot of people are complaining that community Pride events have become little more than opportunities for corporations to snuggle up to the glb$$$ by sponsoring floats, beer tents, etc.
posted by stonerose at 8:14 AM on June 6, 2003


Loyalty Day.
posted by insomnyuk at 8:14 AM on June 6, 2003


Just one step closer to the day that Ashcroft and W put us in the camps...
posted by hummus at 8:14 AM on June 6, 2003


I could understand gay libertarians but my mind has problems understanding gay republicans. At least with libertarians you wouldn't get a gay pride month, but you also wouldn't get an Asian Pride month or anything else. "We're the Federal Government, we only deal with the security of the nation." which I suppose I actually agree with. At least the party doesn't oppose your very existence, it just doesn't care.
posted by substrate at 8:16 AM on June 6, 2003


At least as far as Seattle is concerned, the Pride parade seems to simply be a colorful array of corporate sponsors: car dealerships, clothing companies, politicans waving, and so on. It's pretty revolting, but what are ya gonna do.
posted by xmutex at 8:20 AM on June 6, 2003


We don't have ANY kind of pride or heritage months or events - just a couple of holiday potlucks in the boardroom. We're a place of business. But I don't think anyone feels excluded for all that.

Anyway Toronto does Pride day well, proud.
posted by orange swan at 8:31 AM on June 6, 2003


Slightly o/t, but this "Loyalty Day" thing threw me. Surprisingly, it's not a recent "Yay, us!" Bush/Cheney/Ashcroft jedi-mind thing, but a much older "Yay, us!" thing that was started up to counter-act the evil commie parades of May Day. Apparently, all our Presidents have been proclaiming it on a regular basis for many years, not that anyone has seemed to notice before.

Perhaps this digression isn't worth a post of its own, but I thought it deserved a mention in here.
posted by yhbc at 8:31 AM on June 6, 2003


My favorite article about Pride parades is from a predictable source, I guess.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:32 AM on June 6, 2003


hummus, the flip side is that we're just one step closer to the day that enough of the unwitting collaborators in the DOJ and larger Bush administration's crimes get sick of this shit and turn against 'em.

Then again, I gotta agree with substrate - what were these people expecting from such scumbags?
posted by soyjoy at 8:32 AM on June 6, 2003


The scary direction this country is heading:
gay = bestiality
gay = anti-family

And all this on national doughnut day.
posted by archimago at 8:38 AM on June 6, 2003


just a couple of holiday potlucks in the boardroom

Skimming, I misread this as "a couple of holiday potfucks in the bathroom." But c'mon, it's early.
posted by kevspace at 8:45 AM on June 6, 2003


In '99 or so, I was invited to a reception at the Governor's mansion in Texas, when Bush was governor. The reception was a pre-party for an AIDS-related benefit down the street. So here were maybe 200 of the most highfalutin gay and lesbian Texans the Republican party could buy, all milling around in the garden waiting to talk to Bush and co. We were repeatedly told not to take pictures, even before he came downstairs. Finally, after a couple of hours, the big moment arrived and we heard he was on his way. Everyone prepared their most ingratiating grins and there was much walky-talkying between the Big Men in Suits and DPS officers.
Well, Bush, Laura, and the twins came down the back steps, literally SPRINTED to their Suburban, and sped away. I don't think Laura's feet hit the ground more than three times in thirty yards. Everyone's frozen smiles melted into scowls, and we all remembered that Bush just flat doesn't like us. He might have to deal with us as a constituency, but he sure ain't happy to have us in his house.
I have to say I was more disappointed in myself for being there, and in my fellow guests for falling for it, than I was in Bush for doing exactly what we should have expected. That was the day I stopped being a house-homo and went back to my libertarian Democrat ways.
posted by pomegranate at 8:49 AM on June 6, 2003


I recently heard a minister say that in 35 years, the gay rights movement will seem to people of that time the same way that the civil rights movement does to us. Once the stereotypes and bigotry have been burned away, eventually people will realize that discriminating against gays is just as nonsensical as discriminating against anyone else, and all of these politicians will backpedal ferociously. It will be amusing to watch when it happens, but it's not so funny now.

I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me how my married gay friends are threatening my marriage. Can anyone explain the rationale behind defending marriage and families? The last time I checked, my wife and I were still married, and my family was in no clear and present danger from homosexuals.
posted by vraxoin at 9:00 AM on June 6, 2003


MrMoonPie - that Onion article makes me laugh every time.

My company is taking a lot more action than I would ever expect a financial institution to do - emails have gone out companywide re pride month, and they're doing 3 or 4 seminars, including one on financial investing for domestic partners. I'm very pleasantly surprised by this considering that my workplace is roughly 90% male and overwhelmingly republican and heterosexual. It's lovely to see progress in action.
posted by widdershins at 9:09 AM on June 6, 2003


Can anyone explain the rationale behind defending marriage and families?

Haven't you heard? When we can't find any dogs to roger we recruit little boys.
posted by archimago at 9:12 AM on June 6, 2003


just a couple of holiday potlucks in the boardroom

Skimming, I misread this as "a couple of holiday potfucks in the bathroom." But c'mon, it's early.


Now THAT would raise morale and make everyone feel included.

My company is taking a lot more action than I would ever expect a financial institution to do - emails have gone out companywide re pride month, and they're doing 3 or 4 seminars, including one on financial investing for domestic partners. I'm very pleasantly surprised by this considering that my workplace is roughly 90% male and overwhelmingly republican and heterosexual. It's lovely to see progress in action.

They clued in that gays have money to invest too.
posted by orange swan at 9:21 AM on June 6, 2003


For truly, there is no longer racism and bigotry against black people in this country, and officials in our government connected to such have been ousted from the very option of living in Washington

XQUZYPHYR, remember Trent Lott? He used to be the Senate Majority Leader.

There was a time when discrimination against blacks was openly supported by the government and by the culture. The Civil Rights movement changed that. There will always be people who resist it, but the tide is no longer in their favor. That's a crucial distinction.

I realize you were just being a smartass, though.
posted by vraxoin at 9:23 AM on June 6, 2003


Just one step closer to the day that Ashcroft and W put us in the camps...

uh, no.
posted by angry modem at 9:35 AM on June 6, 2003


I know it's late in the debate, but, I wish people would post NYT articles via their free GoogleNews links, instead of the reg-req NYT links.

Here: Same Story, None of the Pain.
posted by Blue Stone at 9:36 AM on June 6, 2003


Nov. 14 Imports of Lamb Meat Proclamation. I guess that was more important.
posted by agregoli at 9:39 AM on June 6, 2003


there are plenty of people who work in the government who are not appointed and have been there from past presidents. so it doesn't necessarily mean the gay people at the Justice Dept are Republicans. but I agree, substrate, it just don't make any sense!
posted by evening at 9:51 AM on June 6, 2003


Well, I would probably quit if my place of employment started to hold pride events.

But that is true for gay events, parenting events, gardening events, straight events, bisexual events, anti-aircraft events, and pro-Rick Springfield events. I don't want Christmas parties, Halloween parties, Labor Day parties, or King Kamehameha Day parties.

An annual departmental picnic is bad enough. And I already have to take "bring your brats to work day" off every year.

I go to work to work. I leave work to have fun and be made a better person. If I wanted to hang out with these people, they wouldn't have to pay me for being here.
posted by obfusciatrist at 9:59 AM on June 6, 2003


Was it really a good idea to choose an evangelical Christian as our President? And having grown up in Missouri's pathetic school system, with no textbooks but plenty of opportunities to pray, I can only imagine what then-Governor Ashcroft's "leadership" will do to the rest of the country.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 10:20 AM on June 6, 2003


That'll show him.

Okay, grandpa. Everything sucks and nothing ever changes. The civil rights movement changed nothing for blacks and civil rights for gays will never occur. Thanks for the pep talk.
posted by vraxoin at 10:23 AM on June 6, 2003


and civil rights for gays will never occur

or for lesbians and gay men, either.

I'll give Bush credit for one thing: choosing his battles well. He rarely pushes the envelope in a forum in which his constituency has any recourse.

This used to be called cowardice. Now it's a political strategy.
posted by divrsional at 10:40 AM on June 6, 2003


I'm out at work, have been for fifteen years, and in my arrogant opinion, that's the only kind of 'pride event' on the job that anyone needs.
posted by WolfDaddy at 10:41 AM on June 6, 2003


WolfDaddy, I agree, to a point. I'm not much of a 'joiner' myself. But these events can encourage people to be out at work, or to be more comfortably out than they are. Regardless of the employers' motives, I think it's helpful to know that a)your employer is at least not actively against your sexual identity, and b)you have the opportunity to get to know those of your peers who wish to be known as glb. Those of us who have been out for years can sometimes forget that the little gestures make a huge difference to those who are less open.
posted by stonerose at 10:50 AM on June 6, 2003


Was it really a good idea to choose an evangelical Christian as our President?

Some would disagree with "choose" there...
posted by Vidiot at 11:25 AM on June 6, 2003


Apparently, all our Presidents have been proclaiming [Loyalty Day] on a regular basis for many years, not that anyone has seemed to notice before."

That may be because--to the best of my knowledge--none of those other elected officials also proclaimed a "Jesus Day" at any time. I looked for the link I used to have to the "official" proclamation, but the page is now missing from the newest Texas Governor's Web site.

Oh, and he also proclaimed January 1998 as a "month of prayer to end abortion."

BTW, Jesus Day is June 10. Hope ya'll have gotten all your shopping done!
posted by terrapin at 11:39 AM on June 6, 2003


Public Advocate, a nonprofit group that describes itself as pro-family, has continued lobbying the Justice Department and other federal agencies in recent months to abandon the gay pride events because it says the events are an inappropriate use of federal resources, said Jesse Binnall, a group spokesman.

Hmmm...."an inappropriate use of resources"....yet the daily prayer meetings go on in the justice dept. buildings unabated, as well as the white house.
posted by amberglow at 11:57 AM on June 6, 2003


Here you go, terrapin.
And it's y'all, dammit. Y'all!
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:02 PM on June 6, 2003


Ok, regarding this Jesus Day proclamation. Can anyone show us where President Bush has himself acted to DIRECTLY help the poor, homeless etc.? The declaration prods people to go out and help the homeless and the poor. Has he? Can anyone show any sincere statements, beyond mere rhetoric, that George Bush truly, sincerely cares about the poor or homeless?
posted by PigAlien at 12:14 PM on June 6, 2003


Some would disagree with "choose" there...

Did that end up on Metafilter? I was talking to the Supreme Court.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 1:28 PM on June 6, 2003


They clued in that gays have money to invest too.

Whoaah.

We don't want to start marking out any social group as being 'richer', or more acquisitive, or 'capitalist', than any other.

I know exactly where _that_ leads.
posted by dash_slot- at 5:40 PM on June 6, 2003


and it turns out that he was specifically asked about this group during his confirmation hearings!

Lautenberg noted that Ashcroft was asked by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., during his confirmation hearing in September 2001 whether he would continue to allow DOJ Pride hold its annual meeting at the department's headquarters, as other groups and minority employees are permitted.

Ashcroft responded, "It would be my intention not to discriminate against any group that appropriately constituted in the Department of Justice."

posted by amberglow at 7:33 AM on June 7, 2003


Great catch, amberglow. What a malicious weasel.
posted by NortonDC at 8:13 AM on June 7, 2003


Well, good thing the Attorney General only makes lies to congress about groups of people that don't really matter.
posted by rhyax at 7:49 PM on June 7, 2003


The confirmation hearing was in January 2001, not September. I've found a transcript, though it's not from an "official" source.
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:56 AM on June 9, 2003


Update: Gov't Changes Mind on Gay Employee Event
posted by bradlands at 1:38 PM on June 11, 2003


Sorta. They're allowed to hold it, but the Feds are holding them at arms length.
posted by NortonDC at 3:10 PM on June 11, 2003


Scuttled Justice Department gay rights party now to be held at US Congress thanks to direct intervention by Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg. "No member of the Bush administration can stop this event from happening."
posted by NortonDC at 12:30 PM on June 18, 2003


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