News video: Ft. Worth Police gay-bashing at the Rainbow Lounge

It wasn't the only bar they "inspected" that night??

What a time warp. Sounds like the 1960's.  It'd be interesting to know how many times straight bars are "inspected" like this per year.

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by: Pollyanna @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 13:07:54 PM CDT

Good question

How would we find out?

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

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by: TruthandLove @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 13:21:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

We need to bring more awareness to this story

to make sure it doesn't get lost in the media shuffle/ sensationalism of current scandals.

Off to Twitter and Facebook this.

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by: Louise @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 13:19:13 PM CDT

TEXAS...nothing more needs to be added

They get away with this garbage, and busting Black drivers and confescating property....because they can.

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner

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by: peteyPornpig @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 13:28:46 PM CDT

Playing on stereotypes

So they claim that some of the officers were groped by bargoers.  Setting side the improbability of that, the cops are obviously trying to generate public sympathy by raising one of the most ludicrous gay stereotypes: gay men are all aching to molest/have sex with straight men.  It plays into the related myths that we are all 1) desperate, 2) "recruiters" and 3) so out-of-control obsessed with sex that we'd even cop (so to speak) a feel on one of the cops who are beating us.  (I don't know what cops in Fort Worth look like, but if they're at all like the slobs who enforce the law here in Pittsburgh, no sensible gay man would touch them with a barge pole.)

I have no idea whether people in Texas are dumb enough to fall for the cops' line, but I guess we can at least be glad this didn't happen in Oklahoma or Wasilla, or any other American suburbs of Iraq, where popular support for the cops would likely be instantaneous and overwhelming.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 14:42:39 PM CDT

MSNBC just covered this story

then went into discussing the WH Stonewall presser.

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by: Louise @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 14:52:15 PM CDT

This is complete bull#$%#

I have been in several bars in Texas when these inspections occur...

The cops come in, chat with the owner/bartender, stroll around, then leave.  These visits are cursory at best.

I have absolutely no doubt that this event was another (albeit smaller) "Police Riot" - and that a couple of steroid pumping fascist SS types in blue contrived to "Go beat us up some F%$#s" Yuk Yuk.

It is a matter of public record where the Alcoholic Beverage Board inspects - when, with what frequency, the results, whether any citations were issued...this is all FOIA material and should be readily available.

How much you want to bet that the records for that night are missing?

And of course we should all be confident in the Ft Worth Police Department investigating their brother officers in this matter.  Surely we will get a fair and unbiased report.

When is this country going to smarten up and commission an investigative service - which is not associated with either the police or the prosecutor - with the authority to investigate and prosecute this sort of blatant abuse of power?

How many more Death Row inmates have to be found innocent, how many more people need to be convicted based on perjured police testimony and falsified evidence?

Some of the most remarkable fiction I have ever read was contained in police reports about my own personal encounters with criminal cops.

I have been beaten while in handcuffs by these thugs and am certain that the Ft. Worth event was yet another example of badge wielding thuggery.

ENOUGH!

Question:  What does an atheist do when they fall to the floor and start "speaking in tongues"?

Answer: Get a CAT scan.

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by: Snooky Ookums @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 15:19:19 PM CDT

We have them SNOOKY.... They are called Grand Jury's

...and I hope this case goes to the cities AG and the GJ! plus the ACLU.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 19:18:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Grand Juries are a tool of the same corrupt prosecutors I want investigeted

Who was it that said "A good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich"

Prosecutors are notoriously unwilling to go after criminal acts by the police.  After all, they are on the same team.

I want an entirely different LEAGUE, not just the same old corrupt asshole buddies giving each other judicial 'reach arounds'.

Question:  What does an atheist do when they fall to the floor and start "speaking in tongues"?

Answer: Get a CAT scan.

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by: Snooky Ookums @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 20:53:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Blame it on Obama.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant to say.

The deepening and very public hostility of Obama's administration to the GLBT communities, from "gawd's in the mix" to comparing us to pederasts hasn't gone unnoticed. That hostility coupled with his endorsement of rabid bigots like Warren sends a clear signal.

It tells uniformed bigots and thugs that's it open season on the GLBT communities. It tells street thugs that its open season for harassment, intimidation and violence.

This police attack will have to be met with legal challenges claiming damages for false arrest and bigotry under cover of a badge and by demonstrations and protests. Otherwise there will be more of the same. Local officials should be asked to condemn it.

Those who advocated voting for Obama really did us no favors. The worse he gets the more they clam up. What they really should be doing is examining their theory that the Democrats can be reformed. It's absurd. But here's a test of that theory. All those friends of Obama should demand that he issue a statement critical of this attack. Demand a DOJ/FBI investigation of the bigots who run the FWPD.

Let us know how that works.

What we should all be doing is approaching celebrities, politicians and cult leaders to get statements critical of this attack and passing them on to our folks in FW.  

The looter rich much prefer working with Democrats like Obama and the Clintons - they're greedier, they fool more people and they're able to get away with a lot more than Republicans.  

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by: donal1944 @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 16:09:28 PM CDT

How can you be "publically" intoxicated inside of a bar?

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by: Scott_NC @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 17:32:58 PM CDT

A bar is public

A bar is public space.  

However, there are all kinds of laws regarding alcohol that are not typically enforced.  My favorite was from Virginia where I used to tend bar.  It is against the law to serve alcohol to someone who is already intoxicated.  

In Texas' case, I'd like to see how many cases of public intoxication have been brought against people in straight bars.

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by: TrumpetDC @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 17:53:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Same law in Texas

Bartenders are supposed to decline to serve anyone who appears to be already intoxicated.  I've seen plenty of drunk fraternity boys cussing out bartenders who told them they couldn't have another drink.

TABC does go out to bars looking for people who are obviously drunk and will ticket offenders as well as bartenders who are serving intoxicated patrons.  But police officers coming in and arresting people?  That is something I've never seen or heard of.

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by: JosephineTx @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 20:45:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Here from Waymons blog... There is a gay City Councilman.

.Not surprisingly, the raid has been met with outrage from both local leaders and the entire community across the country. Joel Burns, a Fort Worth city councilman and Tarrant County's first openly gay elected official, attended one of the rallies at the Tarrant County Court House protesting the raid and had this to say:

"Rest assured that neither the people of Fort Worth nor the government of the city of Fort Worth will tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens."

Burns is also pushing for a full investigation into the raid. The Cathedral of Hope in Dallas also released a statement against the violent raid.

.... a fairly violent raid... on a practically private birthday party!

The newly opened Rainbow Lounge was hosting a birthday celebration for Todd Camp, the founder of Q Cinema, and screening documentaries about the Stonewall Riots to commemorate the 40th anniversary of one of the defining moments in LGBT history. Witnesses say the police showed up with a paddy wagon and began to roughly arrest men, focusing mainly on "effeminate men."

One bar patron, Chad Gibson, is in a local hospital with a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage after being "choked, pulled back, then slammed into a wall" by police during the raid. Police say he was resisting arrest and made "sexual advances to officers", a claim witnesses dismiss as outright lies. They say Gibson, who weighed "maybe 160 pounds soaking wet", did not resist and merely stumbled when police grabbed him by the arm.

...we can only pray the young man recovers... and recovers wholey.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 19:24:54 PM CDT

I know this may sound heartless...

On the one hand, I do hope the young man recovers.  However, if the worst did happen, and he died, I wonder if the incidents would be investigated more thoroughly?  If the assailants involved in the alleged attack were civilians, they would be charged with assault and maybe even attempted murder.  If I'm following my law shows correctly (see what happens when you watch 'Law and Order'?)if the victim dies, it becomes Murder 1 with a much stiffer penalty.  I wonder if the same would hold true for cops?...

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by: gayjaybird @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 21:32:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

If he dies,

he cannot give his side of the story.

Pretty much the only way there would be anything approaching a proper investigation would be if there was a video of the assault, which was then circulated on the internet all over the world.

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by: rfloh @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 00:45:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Building, but...

I've been monitoring this and the story is appearing in newspapers throughout the U. S. and even foreign newspapers.

ODDLY, the story has not been mentioned in the New York Times.

Let's hope a reporter asks Obama for a comment. I predict that Obama will not say, "Oh good, my propaganda campaign against the homos is working." -- Even though that is what he would be thinking.

It is important that we fan the flames on this and that a large crowd shows up at the Fort Worth Convention Center for the rally next weekend. The convention center is a huge place and 500 people will look like a huge failure there.

The Fort Worth PD released the names of the officers who participated in the raid:

Officers arrived at the Rainbow Lounge to conduct the scheduled inspection. The Fort Worth Police Officers who participated in this bar check included the following: Officer K. Gober, #3656, Officer J. Ricks, #3484, Officer M. Marquez, #3655, Officer J. Jenson, #3731, Officer J. Back, #3863, Officer J. Moss, #3722 and Sergeant Morris.

I wish I had the nerve to picket their houses, but I'm afraid the FWPD released the names in the hope they will be assaulted so they can gain sympathy for the police and increase the hatred of gays.

Liz

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. -- John F. Kennedy (inspired by Dante's Inferno)

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by: oldbrit @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 07:18:24 AM CDT

Police Forum This Evening

If you live in the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area, tonight will be a great opportunity to stand up.  Please see the details.

Fort Worth Police are having a Community Forum today, June 30th at 7 PM located at New Beginnings International Church.
2000 E Loop 820, Fort Worth, TX - (817) 492-8540
If you can, please attend to tell them that we will not tolerate police brutality and discrimination in our community.

Join us and let them know we are not an invisible community.

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by: texasman @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 11:09:33 AM CDT

Police Public Forum in Fort Worth, Texas

I just arrived home from a community forum that the Fort Worth Police have in their different communities.  The Police Chief assured us that the investigation is continuing.

He also read a press release, which I have not been able to find on the TABC website, that the TABC is also starting an internal investigation.

He asked two things of the community.  1) That we be patient as he continues the investigation.  2) That if you witnessed anything at the Rainbow Lounge please go to the Police and file a report.  

He assured the community that this was not targeted and that the event was headed by the TABC and not the Fort Worth Police Department.

I hope that we will soon see results from this.  He also said he believes that we need a LGBTQ liason on his staff.  

If and when I can find the press release from TABC I will copy it here.

Later,

Marlin

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by: texasman @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 22:18:35 PM CDT

Audio from the Forum

A straight ally was smart enough to use his iPhone to record some of the conversation tonight concerning the events at Rainbow Lounge and the GLBTQ's concerns.  Please feel free to listen in.

http://tinyurl.com/lh3xqb

Later,

Marlin

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by: texasman @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 23:10:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]