Where do you want to put that hose

[vista]

Isn't it funny

It would appear that some are more equal than others.

Gay's, muslims <insert your favourite minority here> have the right to do their stuff yet the rest of us it would appear do not have any rights at all. Would we insist that all Muslim firefighters must attend a pork festival or that gay officers attend an extreme right-wing religious festival.

Can you imagine the sexual abuse a bunch of hetrosexual firefighters in full-uniform would get on a 'gay pride' march?

If I were them I'd have objected and when the thought-police-nazis kicked off I'd have gone along and then sued scotland for willfully putting me in harms-way.

Let the minorities have their day and do their stuff its only fair right and proper but afford the rest of us the same rights.

[vista]

Oh Yes

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.

If this applied to all those in public service you may have a point however we all know it doesn't so all your 'view' does is encourage double standards and unfairness.

[Paddy]

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 ?

There was a twenty minute discussion on Radio four with the firemen. You can listen again on the web-site. The firemen stated several times that they were ordered to go on the march. IE take part

[oraclesmith]

Do I have to repeat myself ? According to all the reliable news reports, their duties on the day were to staff a fire safety booth or stall giving out leaflets to passers-by, not actually prance among the queer folk or pretend to support the marchers.

Fire safety education is one of their statutory duties they cannot pick and choose who they should give advice to, regardless of the circumstances. The Strathclyde brigade has an established diversity policy. In addition, all brigade managers have already attended said diversity training.

Let's cut all the posturing eh ? Pork festivals indeed.

I bet the real reason these lads didn't want to turn up at the gay parade was the fear of someone making a pass at them or maybe their mates finding out. Well so what ? Uniformed women have to put with all sorts of remarks from members of the public (blokes) and they have to deal with it in a professional manner. I bet if you put the same firefighters in a stand at a womens health and beauty show, they'd be lapping up the so-called 'sexual abuse'. So come on, get real.

[TheScarletPimp]

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

Quite right, Troll.

oraclesmith, I wonder how the Buftie Boys would appreciate a little friendly heterosexual banter and the "Straight & Proud" march too.

I'd have thought that the firemen have had their Human Rights breached in some form. Still, it sure beats having something else breached I suppose.

Supposing the 9 firemen looked like a troupe of Chippendales. There could have been a shocking breach of the peace too: 9 firemen drilled by the 25th Highland Light Loafers Gay Pride Brigade. Or something.

TSP

[Board Game Geek]

^ Who is this retard ?

[TheScarletPimp]

^ Who is this retard ?

Board Game Geek, huh? Something tells me that you'd find Snakes 'n' Ladders an intellectual challenge. I suspect that you've spent way too much time "shaking your dice". I'll bet the Dice Shaker's Elbow is a bitch.

TSP

[weemster]

Anyone who spends their friday evening (or saturday morning) on a web forum is beyond help.

[oraclesmith]

[DaveB]

There was a twenty minute discussion on Radio four with the firemen. You can listen again on the web-site. The firemen stated several times that they were ordered to go on the march. IE take part

At no point were they ordered to take part. They were ordered to "go on the march" ie attend the march in order to carry out their duties in terms of handing out information etc. They were not ordered to actually take part in the march itself.