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News & ArtsSunday, June 28, 2009
Homo "It felt so very Stonewall, but without the standing up for ourselves.”
Posted by Dan Savage on Sun, Jun 28, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Police in Forth Worth, Texas, marked the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots—which were sparked when the NYPD raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn—by raiding a gay bar called the Rainbow Lounge. Fort Worth's finest are accused of using excessive force and making arbitrary arrests for public intoxication (a phenomenon that's never been observed in straight bars in Texas). The Instant Tea blog at the Dallas Voice is all over it but it's a confusing read. There's a good summary at Towleroad. There's a Facebook page with info, links, and eyewitness accounts.
Protests are underway in Fort Worth—so the standing up has begun. And let's look on the bright side: forty years ago the NYPD could've raided a bar called the Rainbow Lounge and we'd be marching today to mark the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Riots.
1
Actually, I've heard Texans complain about the very strict public intoxication laws there -- and the arbitrary enforcement that goes along with laws that don't fit with the way society normally operates -- before. Not that this diminishes the injustice, but I think they [i]do[/i] do such things in straight establishments in Texas.
4
WTF? Are gay bars still being "raided"? And I thought I lived in a backward State...
By the way, I've been reading a bit about Stonewall over the last few days. Apparently Dave Van Ronk was playing a few doors up and came down to lend a hand to the protestors. That man was a legend...
By the way, I've been reading a bit about Stonewall over the last few days. Apparently Dave Van Ronk was playing a few doors up and came down to lend a hand to the protestors. That man was a legend...
6
Equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation.
But now for the more important matter: Slog is messed up. Can't go past--into the past entries--Morning News. :-
But now for the more important matter: Slog is messed up. Can't go past--into the past entries--Morning News. :-
9
I pity cops. Their job is meaningless. They are just armed tax collectors.
Poor, pitiful, useless police. I'm sorry your jobs and your lives are so worthless.
Hey! There's a guy double parked! Yay! Give him a tax slip... er, ticket... and then you can get a raise and some donuts!
Police are useless, meaningless, worthless, nothings.
Poor, pitiful, useless police. I'm sorry your jobs and your lives are so worthless.
Hey! There's a guy double parked! Yay! Give him a tax slip... er, ticket... and then you can get a raise and some donuts!
Police are useless, meaningless, worthless, nothings.
10
I love how anything that is not spoonfed to Dan Savage is a "confusing" read. Seriously, get some patience. That degree in Bad Parenting isn't doing ya any good.
13
Dear Obama, This is what happens when you enforce laws that strip civil rights from minorities. Your institutionalized homophobia allows fag hating cops to beat down twinks during gay pride month just because they can. Fuck you.
15
@9: Word.
You and 50 Cent both speak the truth, brutha.
What are you? Twelve years old or something?
Bonus: @14: You one CLEVER muthafucka!
You and 50 Cent both speak the truth, brutha.
What are you? Twelve years old or something?
Bonus: @14: You one CLEVER muthafucka!
16
@13: You really think this wouldn't have happened if Obama's justice department had ignored the challenge to DOMA? Sorry, but while I agree that they acted incorrectly on that issue, the idea that they squandered a chance to magically end gay-bashing once and for all is just insipid.
We put an end to de juris racism years ago. Has that ended police brutality against blacks?
We put an end to de juris racism years ago. Has that ended police brutality against blacks?
18
It would be an honor to hunt those cops down and smack 'em around for awhile - in uniform.
Five minutes alone with them. That's all I'll need.
Peace officer? My ass!
Five minutes alone with them. That's all I'll need.
Peace officer? My ass!
19
The Texas ABC is notorious for public intoxication raids. Chances are they raided a bunch of bars this weekend...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/dis…
http://www.democraticunderground.com/dis…
20
ahh, no html for the ACs. that's fine. just google Texas ABC "public intoxication" and you'll get tons of links...
22
Dan, is propositioning Texas police officers while drunk prudent behavior?
"On Saturday morning, June 27, 2009, a person identifying himself as the owner of the Rainbow Lounge called the local police station and spoke with a supervisor to ascertain if there was a problem at the Rainbow Lounge. At approximately 3:30 p.m., a Fort Worth Police sergeant spoke with the owner of the Rainbow Lounge and explained they were conducting alcoholic beverage code inspections in the area. The owner advised the sergeant officers were welcome anytime to conduct an inspection of his establishment. The sergeant advised the owner of the Rainbow Lounge that officers would return to the area this evening to continue inspections and would inspect his establishment.
On Sunday morning, June 28, 2009, at 12:30 a.m., six (6) Fort Worth Police Officers, two (2) TABC agents and a supervisor conducted inspections at 160 W Rosedale (Rosedale Saloon and Cowboy Palace). This inspection resulted in nine (9) arrests. Once the inspection was completed at these locations, officers proceeded to the Rainbow Lounge.
Officers arrived at the Rainbow Lounge to conduct the scheduled inspection. Some officers remained outside while some entered the club. While walking through the Rainbow Lounge, an extremely intoxicated patron made sexually explicit movements toward the police supervisor. This individual was arrested for public intoxication. Another intoxicated individual also made sexually explicit movements towards another officer and he was arrested for public intoxication. A third individual inside the lounge assaulted the TABC agent by grabbing the TABC agent's groin. He was escorted outside and arrested for public intoxication. The decision was made to release him to paramedics due to his extreme intoxicated state as he was repeatedly vomiting. While dealing with this person, another officer requested assistance from inside the club as he had an intoxicated individual that was resisting arrest. This person was placed on the ground in an effort to control and apprehend. A total of seven (7) arrests were made from the Rainbow Lounge during this inspection. The total arrest count for the entire evening totaled 16."
(due to anal retentive registration policies you'll have to cut and paste the link:http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-rainbow-lounge-fwpd-statement-story,0,1536646.story
More...
"On Saturday morning, June 27, 2009, a person identifying himself as the owner of the Rainbow Lounge called the local police station and spoke with a supervisor to ascertain if there was a problem at the Rainbow Lounge. At approximately 3:30 p.m., a Fort Worth Police sergeant spoke with the owner of the Rainbow Lounge and explained they were conducting alcoholic beverage code inspections in the area. The owner advised the sergeant officers were welcome anytime to conduct an inspection of his establishment. The sergeant advised the owner of the Rainbow Lounge that officers would return to the area this evening to continue inspections and would inspect his establishment.
On Sunday morning, June 28, 2009, at 12:30 a.m., six (6) Fort Worth Police Officers, two (2) TABC agents and a supervisor conducted inspections at 160 W Rosedale (Rosedale Saloon and Cowboy Palace). This inspection resulted in nine (9) arrests. Once the inspection was completed at these locations, officers proceeded to the Rainbow Lounge.
Officers arrived at the Rainbow Lounge to conduct the scheduled inspection. Some officers remained outside while some entered the club. While walking through the Rainbow Lounge, an extremely intoxicated patron made sexually explicit movements toward the police supervisor. This individual was arrested for public intoxication. Another intoxicated individual also made sexually explicit movements towards another officer and he was arrested for public intoxication. A third individual inside the lounge assaulted the TABC agent by grabbing the TABC agent's groin. He was escorted outside and arrested for public intoxication. The decision was made to release him to paramedics due to his extreme intoxicated state as he was repeatedly vomiting. While dealing with this person, another officer requested assistance from inside the club as he had an intoxicated individual that was resisting arrest. This person was placed on the ground in an effort to control and apprehend. A total of seven (7) arrests were made from the Rainbow Lounge during this inspection. The total arrest count for the entire evening totaled 16."
(due to anal retentive registration policies you'll have to cut and paste the link:http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-rainbow-lounge-fwpd-statement-story,0,1536646.story
23
We gotta FIGHT
for our RIGHT
to grab the popo's CROTCH!!!
"an individual inside the lounge assaulted a TABC agent by grabbing the agent’s groin"
oh yeah....
those were good times!
link:http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1458523.html
for our RIGHT
to grab the popo's CROTCH!!!
"an individual inside the lounge assaulted a TABC agent by grabbing the agent’s groin"
oh yeah....
those were good times!
link:http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1458523.html
24
as Cyndi Lauper said:
Girls just wanna have fun-un
oh-oh girls just wanna have fun...
"While walking through the Rainbow Lounge, an extremely intoxicated patron made sexually explicit movements toward the police supervisor"
(not that there's anything wrong with that....)
link:http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1458523.html
Girls just wanna have fun-un
oh-oh girls just wanna have fun...
"While walking through the Rainbow Lounge, an extremely intoxicated patron made sexually explicit movements toward the police supervisor"
(not that there's anything wrong with that....)
link:http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1458523.html
26
@9: I think that's a bit unfair. They have certainly had a lot of meaning to my family. In separate incidents they murdered my uncle, beat up my brother, and assaulted me in my own home over a false accusation. So you see they take care of quite a bit of the punishment end of the justice system.
27
For what it's worth, I was in a Dallas Pizza restaurant Saturday night and when one of my friends ordered a glass of wine, the waitress was careful to check his ID even though he's over 40. She explained that TABC had been in the area lately making unannounced visits to restaurants, checking every detail down to giving breath tests to bartenders. This whole thing appears to be part of a major crackdown (on what?) or self-justification exercise, depending on your point of view.
28
Dan,
do you realize there are real newspapers out there?-
do you get ALL your news and posts from gay blogs?
do you realize there are real newspapers out there?-
do you get ALL your news and posts from gay blogs?
29
Texas has very strict public intoxication laws, and they DO enforce them in straight bars. My boyfriend works as a bouncer at one of the popular clubs in Dallas for extra money a few times a year and the cops show up and arrest people who are intoxicated every weekend.
32
"a phenomenon that's never been observed in straight bars in Texas"
You are wrong. About a year ago there was a big controversy about several situations where cops arrested drinkers who were drinking at a hotel bar WHERE THEY WERE STAYING. This was ballyhooed as an anti-drunk-driving effort, but people were pissed, and they were arresting people who had no intention of driving anywhere.
Get off your faggoty persecution complex and wake up to reality.
You are wrong. About a year ago there was a big controversy about several situations where cops arrested drinkers who were drinking at a hotel bar WHERE THEY WERE STAYING. This was ballyhooed as an anti-drunk-driving effort, but people were pissed, and they were arresting people who had no intention of driving anywhere.
Get off your faggoty persecution complex and wake up to reality.
34
Hey Dan, are you going to admit that you were just plain flat-out WRONG when you wrote: ""a phenomenon that's never been observed in straight bars in Texas""
austindwiattorney . org / tabc /
"This is the second time in three years that the TABC has been embarrassed by an undercover sting operation. In 2005, the commission used undercover agents to target 'problem' bars that had been identified as the most common places where drunk drivers arrested for Texas DWI had received their last drink. Under the 'Sales to Intoxicated Persons' (SIPS) program, agents were on the lookout for bartenders and waitresses over-serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons. The effort quickly morphed into a focus on the drinkers rather than the establishment and the servers. Under the guise of stopping intoxicated patrons before they could get to their vehicles and drive while drunk, agents were making arrests for public intoxication in the bar. The program was obviously unpopular with bar owners and patrons alike.
Then in April of 2006, a woman was arrested in an Irving, Texas hotel bar. She, however, was a guest at the hotel and had not planned on driving anywhere that evening. Immediately afterwards, TABC officials were called to legislative sessions and grilled over their policies. Paul Dunham, principal of an Austin Texas DWI defense firm, says "drunk driving should never be condoned, but I have a concern over the reach of the TABC program. It is one thing to make an effort to reduce incidents of driving while intoxicated in Texas, but it is another to initiate an arrest without proper analysis of the scene or situation." The SIPS program and now the undercover retail sting efforts have been suspended by the TABC.
Posted by Dunham Law Firm, P.C. | Permalink | "
More...
austindwiattorney . org / tabc /
"This is the second time in three years that the TABC has been embarrassed by an undercover sting operation. In 2005, the commission used undercover agents to target 'problem' bars that had been identified as the most common places where drunk drivers arrested for Texas DWI had received their last drink. Under the 'Sales to Intoxicated Persons' (SIPS) program, agents were on the lookout for bartenders and waitresses over-serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons. The effort quickly morphed into a focus on the drinkers rather than the establishment and the servers. Under the guise of stopping intoxicated patrons before they could get to their vehicles and drive while drunk, agents were making arrests for public intoxication in the bar. The program was obviously unpopular with bar owners and patrons alike.
Then in April of 2006, a woman was arrested in an Irving, Texas hotel bar. She, however, was a guest at the hotel and had not planned on driving anywhere that evening. Immediately afterwards, TABC officials were called to legislative sessions and grilled over their policies. Paul Dunham, principal of an Austin Texas DWI defense firm, says "drunk driving should never be condoned, but I have a concern over the reach of the TABC program. It is one thing to make an effort to reduce incidents of driving while intoxicated in Texas, but it is another to initiate an arrest without proper analysis of the scene or situation." The SIPS program and now the undercover retail sting efforts have been suspended by the TABC.
Posted by Dunham Law Firm, P.C. | Permalink | "
35
@33, What is the deal with the sudden influx of registered spammers? They are worse than the Stormfront trolls.
36
When has Dan ever admitted that he was wrong, even when it has been indisputably proved that he was wrong?
37
Dan, why did you pull the comment that proved, beyond all doubt, that you were flat-out wrong in stating? WHY DAN? :
"a phenomenon that's never been observed in straight bars in Texas"
austindwiattorney . org / tabc /
"This is the second time in three years that the TABC has been embarrassed by an undercover sting operation. In 2005, the commission used undercover agents to target 'problem' bars that had been identified as the most common places where drunk drivers arrested for Texas DWI had received their last drink. Under the 'Sales to Intoxicated Persons' (SIPS) program, agents were on the lookout for bartenders and waitresses over-serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons. The effort quickly morphed into a focus on the drinkers rather than the establishment and the servers. Under the guise of stopping intoxicated patrons before they could get to their vehicles and drive while drunk, agents were making arrests for public intoxication in the bar. The program was obviously unpopular with bar owners and patrons alike.
Then in April of 2006, a woman was arrested in an Irving, Texas hotel bar. She, however, was a guest at the hotel and had not planned on driving anywhere that evening. Immediately afterwards, TABC officials were called to legislative sessions and grilled over their policies. Paul Dunham, principal of an Austin Texas DWI defense firm, says "drunk driving should never be condoned, but I have a concern over the reach of the TABC program. It is one thing to make an effort to reduce incidents of driving while intoxicated in Texas, but it is another to initiate an arrest without proper analysis of the scene or situation." The SIPS program and now the undercover retail sting efforts have been suspended by the TABC.
Posted by Dunham Law Firm, P.C.
More...
"a phenomenon that's never been observed in straight bars in Texas"
austindwiattorney . org / tabc /
"This is the second time in three years that the TABC has been embarrassed by an undercover sting operation. In 2005, the commission used undercover agents to target 'problem' bars that had been identified as the most common places where drunk drivers arrested for Texas DWI had received their last drink. Under the 'Sales to Intoxicated Persons' (SIPS) program, agents were on the lookout for bartenders and waitresses over-serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons. The effort quickly morphed into a focus on the drinkers rather than the establishment and the servers. Under the guise of stopping intoxicated patrons before they could get to their vehicles and drive while drunk, agents were making arrests for public intoxication in the bar. The program was obviously unpopular with bar owners and patrons alike.
Then in April of 2006, a woman was arrested in an Irving, Texas hotel bar. She, however, was a guest at the hotel and had not planned on driving anywhere that evening. Immediately afterwards, TABC officials were called to legislative sessions and grilled over their policies. Paul Dunham, principal of an Austin Texas DWI defense firm, says "drunk driving should never be condoned, but I have a concern over the reach of the TABC program. It is one thing to make an effort to reduce incidents of driving while intoxicated in Texas, but it is another to initiate an arrest without proper analysis of the scene or situation." The SIPS program and now the undercover retail sting efforts have been suspended by the TABC.
Posted by Dunham Law Firm, P.C.
38
@16:
What Carollani @13 is getting at is that the message sent by the Obama administration in the DoJ brief helps to nurture and support the idea that it is acceptable to treat members of the GLBT community with less respect than "regular citizens" - it further legitimizes the thinking that non-straights can be treated "rougher and harsher" since they are "lesser beings" under the law.
It doesn't matter if the police involved were or weren't aware of the DoJ brief - what matters is that they were part of a mindset that condones that level of disrespect to GLBT citizens.
This incident also shows that there is still a great need for sensitivity training and education about minority groups in the communities served.
Raiding a gay bar on the anniversary of Stonewall is not unlike raiding a bar with a Black clientele on MLK day (or Juneteenth) or raiding a bar where Jews are gathered on Hanukkah or on Passover. It shows ignorance of major events within persecuted communities - times during which any action may be seen as further harassment and persecution.
What Carollani @13 is getting at is that the message sent by the Obama administration in the DoJ brief helps to nurture and support the idea that it is acceptable to treat members of the GLBT community with less respect than "regular citizens" - it further legitimizes the thinking that non-straights can be treated "rougher and harsher" since they are "lesser beings" under the law.
It doesn't matter if the police involved were or weren't aware of the DoJ brief - what matters is that they were part of a mindset that condones that level of disrespect to GLBT citizens.
This incident also shows that there is still a great need for sensitivity training and education about minority groups in the communities served.
Raiding a gay bar on the anniversary of Stonewall is not unlike raiding a bar with a Black clientele on MLK day (or Juneteenth) or raiding a bar where Jews are gathered on Hanukkah or on Passover. It shows ignorance of major events within persecuted communities - times during which any action may be seen as further harassment and persecution.
41
I met the owner of this bar a couple of weeks ago, he told me that the city of Fort Worth fought them tooth and nail for 6 months while trying to get the bar open. They were barley open two weeks with no history,and then this happens?
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