We need more lawyers to file lawsuits like this

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Betcha ya never thought that you would see that on a Stella Borealis blog post!

“Opportunist, crybaby firefighters”

Homosexual newspaper maligns firefighters for suing city over forced participation in San Diego ‘gay pride’ parade

San Diego’s homosexual weekly is describing firefighters forced to participate in the city’s 2007 ‘Gay Pride’ parade as “sissies,” “crybabies,” and “opportunists.”

In an editorial published Sept. 25, the Gay & Lesbian Times said, “If City Attorney Michael Aguirre isn’t on his game with the city’s defense, and we are confident he will be, these sissies may be crying (or laughing) all the way to the bank.”

The “sissies” to which the newspaper was referring are Capt. John Ghiotto, engineer Jason Hewitt and firefighters Chad Allison and Alex Kane, who sued the city of San Diego after they were forced to participate in the pro-homosexual event and subjected to sexually demeaning gestures and catcalls as a consequence. The firefighters say their superiors forced them, in full uniform and on their city fire truck, to attend the July 21, 2007 San Diego “Gay Pride” parade over their objections. They are being represented by the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center.

The four firefighters testified in San Diego Superior Court last week with details of the experience, testimony that prompted derision by the Gay & Lesbian Times. “The near-tears testimony of one of four firefighters suing San Diego for being forced to participate in the 2007 Pride parade isn’t generating a lot of sympathy in our office (surprise!),” said the editorial. “Firefighter Alex Kane, who, along with Capt. John Ghiotto, Capt. Jason Hewitt and firefighter Chad Allison, had to take a break from testifying Tuesday, after describing the anger, confusion, humiliation, embarrassment and abandonment he felt during the parade and in its aftermath. Confusion, humiliation, embarrassment and abandonment are big words for a little man. We thought the firefighters and their lawsuit couldn’t disgrace this city any more; turns out, we were wrong.”

The editorial continued, “These men have, assumedly, seen it all – exposed internal organs, charred bodies, severed heads – and the idea that a few men in square-cut shorts and thong bathing suits shouting lewd remarks traumatized the firefighters is preposterous.”

Elsewhere, the editorial called the four plaintiffs “the opportunist, crybaby firefighters.”

The firefighters testified that on July 20, 2007, superiors told them they would have to ride in the parade, and, when they protested, were told they must participate or face disciplinary action. During the parade, the firefighters said, they were subjected to sexual taunts from people lining the parade route. Among the comments hurled at the firefighters as they traversed the parade route were “show me your hose,” “you can put out my fire,” “you’re making me hot,” “give me mouth-to-mouth,” and “blow my hose,” according to a pretrial press release by the Thomas More Law Center. 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 statement said.

The firefighters, represented at trial by Thomas More Law Center attorney Charles LiMandri, are seeking $750,000 each in damages. LiMandri rested his case on Sept. 24 following testimony from the firefighters. When city attorney Michael Aguirre concludes the city’s defense, the case will be decided by a jury of six men and six women. [Quotas are everywhere these days, especially in California ]

California Catholic Daily