Police or Gay Police?

metman

Outrage as police fly gay pride flag



FURIOUS senior cops hit out yesterday after the Union Jack hanging outside a police station was replaced – by a GAY RIGHTS flag.

Officers accused London’s Met of “playing politics” after the swap.

New Met boss Sir Paul Stephenson angrily ordered the rainbow flag to be taken down after he was informed. Met rules state only the Union Jack and its own flag can fly from force buildings. But the striped gay emblem was raised instead outside Limehouse Police Station in East London. It marks Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Month – a gay rights celebration in February. One officer said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it. The police are playing politics again. I can understand the need to show acceptance to people of all sexualities – but the Union Jack should never be taken down."

A senior source added: “Sir Paul was livid when he found out someone had put up the rainbow flag. He is anxious the Met does not stray into political territory and focuses on policing. The vast majority of the police and public will be fully supportive.”

Former Flying Squad commander John O’Connor said: “Celebrating gay rights is fine – but what’s it got to do with the police? We’re servants of the Queen, not the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender movement.”

A Met spokesman said: “All staff have been reminded of our policy on flags.”

Source
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As his first public action as Commish, nice to see he's not following Blair's precedent of politically correct nonsense. Who on earth authorised that Gay Association flag to be flown instead of the Union flag? :rolleyes: Some of these 'staff organisations' are becoming so political as to be incompatible with the office of Constable, in my view, e.g the BPA (Black Police Association) recently advising its members to boycott recruitment events because in their view the Force is institutionally racist.

Only in Britain......

jill_valentine

Gotta love The Sun capitalising completely RANDOM WORDS in order to add a BIT OF DRAMA.

No, the police shouldn't be playing politics, but I'd suggest that this was a rather clumsy attempt to make up some ground in terms of gay relations.

Silly, but I don't see the fuss either way.

JUSTaCURIOCITY

How this forum is relates to Gays??
It looks more like an add that a topic for discussion.

metman

JUSTaCURIOCITY wrote: »

How this forum is relates to Gays??
It looks more like an add that a topic for discussion.

In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary... come again?

Terrontress

I definitely think it is a good thing for a police service to ae representative of the community it serves but putting up a flag is another matter. They would want to have some amount of flags for all the different groups in London if this was policy!

What is the gay scene in AGS like?

jill_valentine

Man, I am not looking forward to the inevitable slew of Village People jokes this thread is gonna get.

Eru

Terrontress wrote: »

What is the gay scene in AGS like?

Why? you looking for a date?

pa990

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terrontress View Post
What is the gay scene in AGS like?

Eru wrote: »

Why? you looking for a date?

:pac: lmao

TheNog

Terrontress wrote: »

What is the gay scene in AGS like?

I would say fairly progressive tbh. There were about 4/5 gay women in my phase. They didnt get any hassle that I know of. One of them was in my class and was a popular person in the college.

There is a gay organisation within the AGS I think

pa990

TheNog wrote: »

........

There is a gay organisation within the AGS I think

its called HQ

deadwood

That flag sooooo doesn't match those curtains.

And what is that woman wearing?



Good on them I say!

Terrontress

Eru wrote: »

Why? you looking for a date?

No, I just think a Police Service should ae representative of the community it serves. Especially when the community in particular has been the subject of unwarranted attacks.

TheNog

Terrontress wrote: »

No, I just think a Police Service should ae representative of the community it serves. Especially when the community in particular has been the subject of unwarranted attacks.

AFAIK the AGS has had a liason officer for the gay community for several years now. Also there was an article in the Garda Review a couple of months ago on members within the AGS who are gay. THey had an inerview with one member

Rowley Birkin QC

TheNog wrote: »

There is a gay organisation within the AGS I think

pa990 wrote: »

its called HQ

I would have thought it was more likely to be the motorbike cops and the bicycle brigade with their leathers, tight shorts and whatnot. :p

eroo

deadwood wrote: »

Good on them I say!

+1

Terrontress

TheNog wrote: »

AFAIK the AGS has had a liason officer for the gay community for several years now. Also there was an article in the Garda Review a couple of months ago on members within the AGS who are gay. THey had an inerview with one member

That sort of thing will do wonders for the force as a whole.

Eru

Terrontress wrote: »

That sort of thing will do wonders for the force as a whole.

You will find that within AGS its a very small minority that hold anti-gay sentiment so I suppose we are similar to society as a whole. Also like society as a whole, they may hold the opinion but no one wants to hear it.

civdef

Getting back to the original story, I'm betting the brass who authorised it originally as a diversity celebrating career enhancing move was fair sickened when the commissioner went against it...

DARKIZE

metman wrote: »

Only in Britain......

And Ireland.............just give it time.



In fact I'm pretty sure there's already a gay organisation within the Garda force, which should be apolitical.

Eru

DARKIZE wrote: »

And Ireland.............just give it time.



In fact I'm pretty sure there's already a gay organisation within the Garda force, which should be apolitical.

You see this, I have a problem with. AGS has no sexuality or political leaning but yet, this is allowed. Why?

If I started a parade to proudly announce to the world that Im a heterosexual, white male the world would accuse me of all sorts from homophobia to racism with a dollop of sexism for good meaure.

You are what you are, I dont need to know nor do I care in the slightest. Why do you feel the need to tell me?

jill_valentine

That's an old discussion, Eru, and one that's still going. But the way I see it, it's not a useful or fair comparison. Straight white males, I'm sorry, just don't have to deal with the same issues as gay/ other than white/ females. I'm not saying you get a special Straight White Male Freemason card that gets you free massages and extra holidays or anything... It's just that you don't encounter the same issues because in general, stuff is kind of geared towards you by default.

To my mind, minority representation groups will always have a role. Whether those groups act responsibly is a whole other issue...

Eru

I fail to see how Jill. Theres just as much chance of me being victimised by a policy favouring females, or a shop treating me differently because Im white.

I have never heard an insurance ad for men only but I hear them for women only insurance companies. Sexist? Of course it is but because its not men being sexist thats ok. I dont see the mens mini marathon being run every year.

Ever walked into a shop on Moore Street? I never saw a 'no blacks' sign in an Irish shop but I have seen 'no whites'. I have also been accused of being racist for arrestiing a black man when the only person bringing colour into the equation is him.

I have had female Gardai tell me they want equality but then complain that I should do a job they cant because they are 'only little women'.

As for sexuality, well fair enough I have no negative experience in that department but theres no doubt that a gay Garda is just as capable of being an asshole as a heterosexual is. Theres also the distinct possibility that a gay man being assaulted had nothing to do with his sexuality but more to do with his attackers being scumbags looking for any target regardless of age, sex or colour, etc.


So please, what is geared towards me? What is naturally setup to favour me?

deadwood

Eru wrote: »

So please, what is geared towards me? What is naturally setup to favour me?

Well, everything!

We don't feel that way because it's the default setting.

If I was a gay guard, jesus, i'd want every bit of backing I can get. (Stop sniggering at the back)

It can be a bit o.t.t. though. There'll be a support group for vertically challenged guards next.

Eru

deadwood wrote: »

There'll be a support group for vertically challenged guards next.

Well we need it with all you lanky gits making comments! :P