Birmingham Mayor Sued for Discrimination

A gay rights group in Alabama is filing a lawsuit against the mayor of Birmingham for not allowing city workers to hang banners supporting Gay Pride Week.

A gay rights group in Alabama is filing a lawsuit against the mayor of Birmingham for not allowing city workers to hang banners supporting Gay Pride Week. Central Alabama Pride Inc. filed the federal suit, claiming that Mayor Larry Langford's actions violated workers' First Amendment rights, according to the Birmingham News.

Some workers wanted to hang banners on city property, as other workers have done to promote football games and music festivals. However, individuals were denied use of city property to advertise for Birmingham's 20th annual gay pride parade on June 7. Langford said he turned down the request because it was inappropriate for the government to endorse a "lifestyle choice," according to the lawsuit. He then said he would not interfere with a permit request as long as he did not have to sign it. Birmingham police later issued the permit, and the Birmingham City Council passed a resolution supporting the event.

"The bottom line is, I don't condone the lifestyle and what they were asking me to do," Langford said in the article. "Proclamations are under my purview as mayor, so they're asking me for a personal endorsement." (The Advocate)

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Name: Gary Bryson
Date posted: 9/1/2008 9:04:00 PM
Hometown: Brevard, NC

Comment:
Good for the mayor. He did the right thing. Now if we could just run the queers out of the entire South, life would be better.
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Name: Chris
Date posted: 8/31/2008 3:52:00 PM
Hometown: Birmingham

Comment:
I am very glad to see that the Mayor has finally done something right... Being gay is far from natural, in fact it is just plain weird and perverted... I am proud that my Mayor has decided to take a stand for morality.... being gay is not more acceptable than a grown man having sex with an under-aged girl... You can call me intolerant if you would like but you are as well.... We are all intollerant when it comes to Morality...the only question is where will you draw the line? I draw the line at being gay whil you may draw the line at a certain age or a certain number.(multiple wiver ect.).... hooraaa for the mayor!!!!
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Name: James Klich
Date posted: 8/30/2008 5:43:00 PM
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Comment:
There is no grey area when it comes to discrimination. You cannot pick or choose who you like or don't like. You are for everybody or you are for nobody. This is true 100% of the time. The laws in the United States are outdated when it comes to sexual orientation. They need to be updated. We will all be discriminated against at some point in our life. I am a Christian and treat others how I would want to be treated. This is what Jesus would do. Jesus would let the signs go up.
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Name: Daryl
Date posted: 8/28/2008 1:40:00 PM
Hometown: Indpls

Comment:
Actually, Mr. Langford, it's your JOB to do that. You support the entire city, including those you don't like or approve of. That's your J.O.B. It's been well documented that employee's cannot discriminate at work, and that if you allow one type of event to be advertised, you have to allow them all. It's been gone over time and again in the courts.
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Name: Steve Ribisi
Date posted: 8/28/2008 12:09:00 PM
Hometown: Quincy, MA

Comment:
Sadly, the answer to the nature/nurture BS is probably never. For those who hate LBGT people it is compelling to make believe that we all choose to be the way we are because then they, as the bigots they are, don't have to feel too bad about treating us like dirt. The issue is further complicated by folks who are themselves gay and make the argument that they in fact did choose to be attracted to members of the same sex. There aren't many such folks, but there are some. I for one won't argue that point with them. Instead I think folks will come around as they realize that the "lifestyle choice" they are condemning comes down to a matter of love. Love is never a bad thing be it hetero or homo (Ok, let's all sing Kumbaya now!). The true bigots will likely never change their minds about us. They will just get old and die, still the bigots they ever were. We can only hope that they are not replaced by new bigots at quite the same rate at which they die.
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Name: Roger Burr
Date posted: 8/28/2008 11:16:00 AM
Hometown: Marble Hill, MO

Comment:
When will this genetic deficient learn that being gay/lesbian is not a 'lifeSTYLE';, or a 'choice'? We are, or are not, that way from BIRTH. Does one CHOOSE to be black, or white, or male, or female? Neither does one 'choose' to be gay! I'm glad to see the city council voted against him. Let's hope the INTELLIGENT people of Birmingham have the good sense to vote this homophobic idiot out of office!
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Name: Chris Sullivan
Date posted: 8/28/2008 11:00:00 AM
Hometown: Chicago, IL

Comment:
I don't condone having an ignorant mayor but I support his rite to be one if enough ignorant people in his area vote for him - just don't ask ME to vote for him.

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