The Washington Post today reports on the state of Gay Pride Month in various Federal agencies. As you’d expect under the Bush administration, the news is dismal.
The Ashcroft Justice Department has banned the holding of any event at all on it’s property. Hardly surprising. I’m sure that Ashcroft, at his office prayer meetings, has prayed for a large blue curtain to encircle his gay employees.
Meanwhile, at the White House:
The Bush administration has issued scores of proclamations over the years, honoring, for example, National African American History Month, Irish-American Heritage Month and Leif Erikson Day, which honors the 11th-century explorer.
The White House has declined to issue a similar statement in support of Gay Pride Month. “[The president] does not believe we should be politicizing people’s sexual orientation,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
Ah, but he obviously believes in politicizing their race and ethnic heritage.
The Department of Justice yesterday said it will allow employees to hold events marking Gay Pride Month on its property, a statement that comes days after reports that it had banned such events.
Gay activists said last week the department told them they could not hold Gay Pride Month observances — the first time, they said, that a federal agency had disallowed them. That prompted criticism from gay rights groups and some lawmakers, who called the decision discriminatory.
Justice Department officials did not return calls Friday about the issue. But spokesman Mark Corallo said yesterday it had never banned the events and attributed the imbroglio to “miscommunication.”
… That did not satisfy Marina Colby, president of DOJ Pride. “I can’t believe they said that,” she said. “We were told we couldn’t have the event at all, even if we paid for all of it.”
She called the announcement a “partial reversal,” but said it was still discriminatory. Colby said the department sponsors other heritage and diversity events, such as those honoring Black History Month or Hispanic employees. Last year, Justice sponsored the group’s gay pride event and Deputy Attorney General Larry D. Thompson addressed the group.
