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Thursday, June 01, 2006

Volunteer Fireman Loses Job For Signing Marriage Petition

So much for "tolerance" these days...

After five years, Skip thought his reappointment to the Board of Fire Engineers would be routine. Then Selectman Paul Asher-Best spoke up: "Recent action you took, Mr. Childs, indicates to me that you think that gay people are less than fully human, and not entitled to all the civil rights that are afforded to them. The Supreme Judicial Court talks about marriage rights being a basic civil right. ... I need ... assurance from you that you would offer equal protection to everyone in Truro, including households headed by gay or lesbian people, because to me your action speaks otherwise."

Skip is scratching his head at this point. How could signing a marriage petition make you unfit to rescue people? He tried to be conciliatory: "I'm more concerned that a special interest group with a strong lobby would be able to influence a judge in our state. ... I wouldn't have a problem with it if it passed on the referendum."

But with that comment, Paul Asher-Best went ballistic. As Asher-Best later told me, "I consider myself one half of a loving couple who has been together 27 years. I don't consider myself a special interest.

"Mr. Childs' explanation, just like I said, amplifies his bias," he pronounced, "and I think for that reason I couldn't support him."

The town council voted for a new Board of Fire Engineers, minus Skip Childs. The Childses were humiliated. After nearly a decade of volunteering every spare hour to rescue your neighbors, this is your reward? Dressed down as a bigot in public for signing a marriage petition?

Comments

Avatar for The Whistler

So being willing to put your life to save the public including gays doesn’t matter.  Expressing your personal political views in a legal manner does.

The Whistler on June 1, 2006 at 10:41 am
Avatar for Chief RZ

These liberals are the new thought police.
Glad I retired when I did and have the time, authority and permission to speak freely.
This is still a free country, but was more free when I was a child.

Chief RZ on June 1, 2006 at 10:49 am
Avatar for robert108

Supporting marriage as it exists is a bad thing?  What about his free speech rights? What about his right to dissent?  I smell a Supreme Court case here.  Hope so.

robert108 on June 1, 2006 at 10:52 am
Avatar for The Whistler

Hopefully this becomes an election issue in the next city election.  Not whether or not gay marriage should be the law, but whether or not a gay selectman can discriminate against people for their private political activity.

The Whistler on June 1, 2006 at 11:00 am

but whether or not a gay selectman can discriminate against people for their private political activity.

Don’t misunderstand—Childs wasn’t fired from his job, he was “voted off the island” by the town council, after the apallingly intolerant tirade from Mr. Asher-Best.

Who undoutably found Child’s name on the petition through the website knowthyneighbor.org.


[Feet make good soup!]

Marty on June 1, 2006 at 11:08 am
Avatar for Bat One

Sadly, “tolerance” like its rhetorical stablemates, “diversity” and “inclusiveness” are nothing but tired, old, leftwing parade horses that are brushed down, saddled up, and pranced around the ring as part of the liberal rodeo show.  The rhinestone cowboy riders of the left with their silk bandanas and designer jeans are lucky to be able to spell the words… never mind actually living up to the meanings.

Bat One on June 1, 2006 at 11:10 am
Avatar for robert108

That town council needs to be slapped.

robert108 on June 1, 2006 at 11:10 am
Avatar for Bat One

What’s unfortunate is that the twon’s taxpayers will ultimately have to pay the price for this bit of civic intolerance.  To remove someone from a government position, paid or not, for the sole, demonstrable reason of his personal political and religious beliefs, is an act of stupidity almost beyond comprehension.  The lawyers will be licking their chops by dinnertime.

Bat One on June 1, 2006 at 11:16 am
Avatar for Zsa Zsa

Robert 108, I can help with the slapping thing if you would like!

Zsa Zsa on June 1, 2006 at 11:21 am
Avatar for likwidshoe

It’s Massachusetts. Let ‘em burn!

likwidshoe on June 1, 2006 at 03:44 pm
Avatar for TwoHotel9

What is real funny is that members of this community will come out and denounce Mr. Childs for not continuing to freely give his time and risk his life as a volunteer fireman because of his hate filled ideology. Bet on it. If someone has not allready they will. Your life is not your own, it belongs to the state. That is the reasoning of tiny minded socialists.

TwoHotel9 on June 1, 2006 at 04:07 pm
Avatar for Zsa Zsa

Massatooshits!…

Zsa Zsa on June 1, 2006 at 04:22 pm
Avatar for Robert Perry

One wonders how they found out he signed the petition, and it’s telling how bigoted this shows Mr. Asher-Best and the town council to be.

Slap him?  No, just remind him that he wants to be tolerated too.  Or was that never the point?

Robert Perry on June 2, 2006 at 11:58 am
Avatar for robert108

Robert: The real goal of leftie pressure groups isn’t tolerance; it’s domination by legalism and politics, not the will of the voters.

robert108 on June 2, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Avatar for robert108

The claim for a Palestine is the same as the claim for an Israel.  At the time of the establishment of Israel in 1948, the area was called Trans-Jordan.  The so-called Palestinians of today are really Jordanians.

robert108 on June 2, 2006 at 12:20 pm
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