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Thread: Firefighters Face Suspension

  1. #1
    bigboab's Avatar Poster BT Rep: +1
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    Nine firefighters in Glasgow are in trouble for refusing to staff a fire-safety booth at the recent gay pride festival.
    The firefighters from the Cowcaddens Fire Station face a disciplinary hearing at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue headquarters. They could end up getting fired.
    Members of the group complained that the task would be embarrassing or that it violated their moral values.
    I just heard on the news that these firemen have been disciplined for refusing to carry out orders. When is all this P C crap going to end. What do you think about this incident?


    P.S. I thought part of a firefighters remit was to prevent arson.
    The best way to keep a secret:- Tell everyone not to tell anyone.

  2. The Drawing Room   -   #2
    sArA's Avatar Ex-Moderatererer
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    I think that they should be prepared to do their jobs (which I assume includes promoting awareness) regardless of the sexual/racial or other 'minority' status of the groups they are supposed to be serving.

    Their excuses are no different from them saying that to participate in a similar awareness/safety campaign at an event at which the majority of attendees are black, and being concerned that they will be tarred with the same brush.

    It is biggoted and totally without justification, I think they should be severely disciplined.

    If firefighters are allowed to pick and choose where and for whom they will fight fires, perhaps before attending a house fire, they could ask if there is anyone gay living there, just in case they are seen popping round a poofter's house and therefore at risk of embarrassment when in the baths after their blokey rugby match on a Sunday morning.

    OH.......Hi there BB...long time no see

  3. The Drawing Room   -   #3
    vidcc's Avatar there is no god
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigboab View Post
    Members of the group complained that the task would be embarrassing or that it violated their moral values.
    Of all the things that a firefighter has to deal with, they get "embarrassed" over this And as for violating their "moral values", what part of manning a fire safety booth is immoral? Part of their job is safety awareness, no matter who they are making "aware".
    I think they deserve to be reprimanded. The fire service is a discipline service and if they make a conscious choice to refuse orders then they accept the consequences.

    That said I think the thing I find oddest about this is that it is firefighters. The same brave people that daily risk their lives to save others and their property. The same brave people that do this dangerous job for financial reward that is just a fraction of their worth............Sure I understand that sometimes they will have to endure the odd "greasy pole" comment and I understand they may not like it, but compared to the horrors they endure almost every duty day................. It just doesn't add up

    it’s an election with no Democrats, in one of the whitest states in the union, where rich candidates pay $35 for your votes. Or, as Republicans call it, their vision for the future.

  4. The Drawing Room   -   #4
    bigboab's Avatar Poster BT Rep: +1
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    Quote Originally Posted by sArA View Post
    I think that they should be prepared to do their jobs (which I assume includes promoting awareness) regardless of the sexual/racial or other 'minority' status of the groups they are supposed to be serving.

    Their excuses are no different from them saying that to participate in a similar awareness/safety campaign at an event at which the majority of attendees are black, and being concerned that they will be tarred with the same brush.

    It is biggoted and totally without justification, I think they should be severely disciplined.

    If firefighters are allowed to pick and choose where and for whom they will fight fires, perhaps before attending a house fire, they could ask if there is anyone gay living there, just in case they are seen popping round a poofter's house and therefore at risk of embarrassment when in the baths after their blokey rugby match on a Sunday morning.

    OH.......Hi there BB...long time no see
    Hi Sara.

    They were ordered to hand out leaflets at a gay parade. If I was a fireman I would have refused to do it. Incidentally, they are being defended by their union.
    The best way to keep a secret:- Tell everyone not to tell anyone.

  5. The Drawing Room   -   #5
    Biggles's Avatar Looking for loopholes
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    Quote Originally Posted by sArA View Post

    I think they should be severely disciplined.
    Don't know why but I have a disturbing mental picture of Geiorge Michael in leather.

    Part of their job is to hand out safety leaflets at public functions. Would they be allowed to refuse on the grounds that it was a Catholic function or a Protestant one? Should they be allowed to be arbitrars of who does and does not receive these leaflets or should all fire safety stalls be scrapped as it is all too difficult?

    On the other hand surely management could have handled this better and obtained volunteers rather than try to press gang individuals.

    Hi Boab
    Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum


  6. The Drawing Room   -   #6
    bigboab's Avatar Poster BT Rep: +1
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    Quote Originally Posted by Biggles View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by sArA View Post

    I think they should be severely disciplined.
    Don't know why but I have a disturbing mental picture of Geiorge Michael in leather.

    Part of their job is to hand out safety leaflets at public functions. Would they be allowed to refuse on the grounds that it was a Catholic function or a Protestant one? Should they be allowed to be arbitrars of who does and does not receive these leaflets or should all fire safety stalls be scrapped as it is all too difficult?
    Too much info0rmation.

    Hi Biggles.

    I also think it could have been handled better. They could have paid volunteers to hand them out instead of paying firemen £25 an hour to do it.

    On the other hand surely management could have handled this better and obtained volunteers rather than try to press gang individuals.

    Hi Boab
    The best way to keep a secret:- Tell everyone not to tell anyone.

  7. The Drawing Room   -   #7
    Snee's Avatar Error xɐʇuʎs BT Rep: +1
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    Gay pride festival?


    As in one of those thingies with possibly half-naked men, parading, dancing and getting drunk?

    Yeah, that sounds great, having to stand in the middle of one of those.
    It should be their civic duty. And if someone hits on them, that's a bonus.


    When it's not a matter of life and death, I think they should have merited enough respect for the sacrifices they do, or at least are willing to do, to have a say in whether they want to attend what's essentially PR-crap dreamt up by someone higher up.
    Last edited by Snee; 08-31-2006 at 06:07 PM. Reason: olalala

  8. The Drawing Room   -   #8
    Busyman™'s Avatar Use Logic Or STFU!
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    Quote Originally Posted by sArA View Post
    I think that they should be prepared to do their jobs (which I assume includes promoting awareness) regardless of the sexual/racial or other 'minority' status of the groups they are supposed to be serving.

    Their excuses are no different from them saying that to participate in a similar awareness/safety campaign at an event at which the majority of attendees are black, and being concerned that they will be tarred with the same brush.

    It is biggoted and totally without justification, I think they should be severely disciplined.

    If firefighters are allowed to pick and choose where and for whom they will fight fires, perhaps before attending a house fire, they could ask if there is anyone gay living there, just in case they are seen popping round a poofter's house and therefore at risk of embarrassment when in the baths after their blokey rugby match on a Sunday morning.

    OH.......Hi there BB...long time no see
    I understand mostly what your saying sArA but how could they be mistakenly tarred with the same brush if the attendees were black.

    If I was manning a booth that's one thing. If I had to walk around handing out leaflets, I might have refused as well. Either way I wouldn't have wanted to be there.

    Was there something on the books saying that firefighters staff gay pride festivals and furthermore why would there be? There was a symposium about telecommunications equipment in Virginia awhiles back and a firefighting booth was not present among the fiber-optics booths.

    Now a firefighter refusing to their job, ya know, fight fires, deserves the firation.

    edit: Damn, didn't see SnnY's pawst. Right-on.

  9. The Drawing Room   -   #9
    DanB's Avatar Smoke weed everyday
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigboab View Post

    They were ordered to hand out leaflets at a gay parade. If I was a fireman I would have refused to do it. Incidentally, they are being defended by their union.
    why would that be?


    Incidentally I was defended by my union after my work sacked me for gross misconduct for being arrested for selling drugs. Doesn't make it right though does it?

  10. The Drawing Room   -   #10
    bigboab's Avatar Poster BT Rep: +1
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    Quote Originally Posted by DanB View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by bigboab View Post

    They were ordered to hand out leaflets at a gay parade. If I was a fireman I would have refused to do it. Incidentally, they are being defended by their union.
    why would that be?


    Incidentally I was defended by my union after my work sacked me for gross misconduct for being arrested for selling drugs. Doesn't make it right though does it?
    Because their union thinks that they are being wrongly disciplined. I was only pointing out this fact in case someone asked 'what is their Union doing about it?'
    The best way to keep a secret:- Tell everyone not to tell anyone.

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