Where do you want to put that hose

[xoggoth]

You won't get much sense from an archbishop.

Legitimate concerns? If they had turned up and were taunted it would be reasonable to leave, being paid does not mean you have to take abuse. However that is not what happened. Being offended by legal protest is no excuse either. If you are not prepared to serve all of the public impartially then don't go into a public service.

[AtW]

"The duty to obey one's conscience is a higher duty than that of obeying orders," Conti said.

This is certainly true.

[oraclesmith]

He said the officers had "legitimate concerns about being the subject of taunts and jokes, and in which, in come cases, their religious sensibilities were being grossly offended by people dressed as priests and nuns lampooning the church."

"The duty to obey one's conscience is a higher duty than that of obeying orders," Conti said.

That's complete b*ll*cks. What about the Asian and black coppers that have to police events, protests and other incidents where there are going to be racist thugs about ? What about the women PC's who have to go into male-dominated pubs to sort out fights ? What about the Protestant shop workers in Belfast who have to serve Catholic customers and vice-versa ?

I worked for 20 years in organisations which provide public and voluntary services for the general public and I never came across anyone who would walk off the job because their conscience didn't allow them to do their duty. These organisations have value statements which every employee must adhere to as a requirement of the job. Failure to adhere to these requirements usually leads to dismissal.

A fireman who hasn't got the strength of character to stand up to a bit of friendly gay backchat frankly shouldn't be in the Brigade.

[shaunbhoy]

Its a farce having Firemen handing out fecking leaflets anyway. Let's have them out fighting fires, and not out distributing self-explanatory leaflets to people that in all probability just dropped them all over George Square anyway. That menial task can easily be done by the unemployed to earn their dole money.

[xoggoth]

Good point sb. I wonder if it was the sort of leaflet I got recently. If so, jolly useful stuff with all sorts of things I never thought of, don't keep big cans of inflammable liquids next to your curtains etc. Best of all was this really useful advice.

Fire starts when heat (source of ignition) comes into contact with fuel (anything that burns), and oxygen (air).

[Board Game Geek]

Fire starts when heat (source of ignition) comes into contact with fuel (anything that burns), and oxygen (air).

FFS ! Shouldn't we keep this potentially explosive information under wraps, in case the terrorists get hold of it ?

And before you say that information is in the Public Domain (which it is now, obviously), the chance of any would be bombers actually leaving school with any hard science qualifications is next to nil anyway. They are all doing "Meedja" studies.....

[Lucifer Box]

FFS ! Shouldn't we keep this potentially explosive information under wraps, in case the terrorists get hold of it ?

Don't worry, BGG. John Reid will sort it out.

After a period of consultation.

[Paddy]

It wasn’t a case of the fireman refusing to give out leaflets; they did that!
They were order to take part in the march. That was completely wrong to order them to take part in a march that is a political organisation. If they were muslim fire-fighter then they would have been excused on religious grounds. It was the fire chiefs who were trying to show political correctness by asking the organisers if they wanted firemen to march with them.

This is PC gone mad.

[oraclesmith]

Instructed to take part in the parade itself ?

Not according to the BBC or the Guardian or the Scotsman or the Herald or the Times etc.

They all seem to report that the firemen were doing what they normally do at these functions which presumably is to turn up with a pump and hang around giving out leaflets like they do at fetes and fairs all across Britain.

"Some of the officers involved argued at the time of the gay march that it would be embarrassing for them to turn up in uniform to the event, while others claimed it would contradict their moral beliefs."

" One of the firefighters is reported as saying: "We are straight and turning up in our uniforms would have been an embarrassment." "

Embarrassing ? FFS what are they afraid of ?

[Troll]

Instructed to take part in the parade itself ?

Not according to the BBC or the Guardian or the Scotsman or the Herald or the Times etc.

They all seem to report that the firemen were doing what they normally do at these functions which presumably is to turn up with a pump and hang around giving out leaflets like they do at fetes and fairs all across Britain.

"Some of the officers involved argued at the time of the gay march that it would be embarrassing for them to turn up in uniform to the event, while others claimed it would contradict their moral beliefs."

" One of the firefighters is reported as saying: "We are straight and turning up in our uniforms would have been an embarrassment." "

Embarrassing ? FFS what are they afraid of ?

If there was a "Straight & Proud" march to demonstrate hetrosexual solidarity and gay firemen were compelled to attend, would there be an uproar?