Joel Burns, an openly gay city councilman in Fort Worth, took a moment in this week's council meeting to reassure young LGBTQ Texans, and Americans, that "life gets better." In so doing, Burns engaged in a profiles in courage moment by an elected politician we rarely see these days.
Burns story, an emotional and detailed walk through the "coming out" process, was in reaction to the troubling increase of teen suicides and acts of bullying against young men and women who are conflicted about their sexuality. It's a heart wrenching situation to continue to watch unfold, and, unfortunately, an all too familiar one.
My own "coming out" process mirrors Councilman Burns. I find it fascinating that upon coming out and discovering one's individual identity, and then discovering one's community, how you're not alone anymore when the only feeling you experienced your entire life was in fact loneliness. There are many parallels to the millions of "coming out" stories that only the LGBTQ community knows. Our stories are the same. The process is the same. The emotional stress is the same. The bullying experience is the same. The whole process is the same. Something else is the same too-that it does get better. We as the LGBTQ community are that safety net for the millions of other Americans, young and old, who have yet to fully experience their own individual liberation from what I can only describe as an internal personal hell. If you find it puzzling as to why anyone would take their own life as a result of such a tormenting process, I challenge you to step into the shoes of a gay friend or loved one. I lost count by the age of 19 how many times I contemplated and attempted suicide just to relieve my own individual anguish and pain. As God is my witness, I'm thankful that I didn't because my life only became better.
On Thursday, September 23, 2010, 13-year old Asher Brown went to his stepfather's closet, took a gun from the shelf, and shot himself in the head. Asher had been the target of repeated and relentless bullying from students at Hamilton Middle School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. As the Houston Chronicle wrote:
Brown, his family said, was "bullied to death" — picked on for his small size, his religion and because he did not wear designer clothes and shoes. Kids also accused him of being gay, some of them performing mock gay acts on him in his physical education class, his mother and stepfather said.
The 13-year-old's parents said they had complained about the bullying to Hamilton Middle School officials during the past 18 months, but claimed their concerns fell on deaf ears.
According to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, 84.6 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students in the U.S. reported being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation in 2009. Additionally, 40.1 percent reported being physically harassed and 18.8 percent reported being physically assaulted at school. Nearly two-thirds of students reported feeling unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation.
State Representative Garnet Coleman has filed the "Dignity for All Students Act" -- which he may rename "Asher's Law" -- since 2003. The bill is designed to put an end to bullying and discrimination based on a person's "ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, religion or national origin." (Source: Texas Tribune). Before Rep. Coleman carried the bill, Rep. Harryette Ehrhardt filed the legislation from 1997-2001. Before her, Austin's own Rep. Glen Maxey carried similar anti-discrimination legislation that was not specific to schools but did raise awareness about the issue.
On Tuesday, another brave voice lent their name to the fight to end discrimination among gay teens. Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns gave one of the most inspirational speeches I have ever seen. I thank my friends for sending it along to me, and I in turn wanted to share it with you and hope you will share it with others.
To take action and learn how you can help or where you can send a friend or family member for help themselves, I'd recommend contacting the Anti-Defamation League in Houston or here in Austin. Another great group is Atticus Circle, also here in Austin. If anyone wants to share the names/numbers of other good groups that can be a useful contact, please share in the comments or e-mail me at phillip@burntorangereport.com.
Many gay activists across the United States are cheering the election of openly gay Mayor-Elect Annise Parker and her victory over Gene Locke in the Houston mayoral runoff--and rightfully so. As a gay man myself I find her election to be a stunning example of how one's resume, experience, and positive campaign can supersede ones' sexual orientation as motivating voters to elect an openly gay candidate. This is a very exciting step toward tolerance and inclusion of gay Americans as qualified choices for elected office.
What happens in Houston can't easily translate to what happens, let's say, in Maryland. Odd statement, wouldn't you think? Openly gay elected official in Texas and not in Maryland? My point is that I don't believe that Parker's victory gives life to wider LGBT agenda initiatives. But, I do believe that her election gives momentum toward qualified, experienced and politically savvy gay candidates running for public office. If you want to really make a mark, and move elements of the LGBT agenda forward, get members of our community elected into positions of political power.
There is much discussion each election cycle of how sometimes in some areas of our communities we often lack a "bench" from which to tap qualified candidates into running for higher office. In some cases we may have a "bench" to tap into, but that "bench" is hardly--lets say, diverse? In fact, it reminds you of a really, really white only country club. It's time that as we pursue diversity on our bench that the discussion of diversity not only include the color of ones' skin or even their gender, but also their sexual orientation.
Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, after way too much delay, finally has broken his silence and released, by means of Councilman Joel Burns, the following statement calling for the U.S. Attorney's office in the North Texas region to review the investigations into the Rainbow Lounge raid once completed:
We all join in wishing Mr. Gibson a speedy and full recovery.
Currently, two investigations are underway to review the circumstances and events that took place at the Rainbow Lounge early Sunday morning. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) is conducting an investigation and the Fort Worth Police Department's Internal Affairs Division is conducting its own investigation.
I join Police Chief Jeff Halstead in encouraging any eye-witnesses to the events under review to come forward and share their observations.
Members of the City Council and I have confidence that Chief Halstead is leading a thorough and professional investigation. Once the Fort Worth Police Department's examination is complete, I have asked the acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, James T. Jacks, to independently review the findings of the Fort Worth Police Department's investigation to ensure the department has thoroughly and impartially carried out its obligation to all the citizens of Fort Worth. I encourage the TABC to follow the same course.
Fort Worth has a history of inclusiveness, and the Fort Worth Police Department has a history of responsible and professional service to our citizens. The police department's internal investigation and the outside review is meant to ensure all citizens are professionally and responsibly represented by our police department. I am most appreciative to the U.S. Attorney's Office for assisting us in this effort.
I want to know why it took Moncrief six days to break his silence. I want to know why it took him as many days to "wish" Chad Gibson a "speedy recovery." That is entirely too long for a sitting mayor whose city is ground zero in a huge, national conversation regarding LGBT equality and human rights. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe my emotion at this time.
The ongoing blame game resulting from the Rainbow Lounge raid took another turn today as it would appear that Fort Worth Police Chief, Jeff Halstead, appears ready to lay all the blame at the feet of the Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission.
But Halstead on Thursday suspended joint operations between the two agencies "until we gain a better understanding of the events that occurred at the Rainbow Lounge," according to a news release from Sgt. Pedro Criado, police spokesman.
We are starting to see some movement but I don't think it is going to be the movement we in the LGBT community will want or be satisfied with. Halstead is saying all the right things at the moment about "diversity training," and establishing "clear guidelines" for future joint operations, but there is still the refusal on his part to take any responsibility for a raid that happened in his departments jurisdiction. Plus, continuing to insist on perpetrating these stereotypes such as "patrons grabbed our crotch" so that is why we acted the way we did is counterproductive and harmful. The evil gays prayed on our crotches so the excessive force the officers used was really an exercise in "restraint." Pathetic and disgusting on the part of a chief of police.
I am really upset that Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief continues to remain silent, as do a few other city councilmembers, on this whole terrible incident. Their silence speaks volumes. No amount of diversity training will be enough to break there apparent dislike of the LGBT community. It also tells me that when this investigation is over we're likely to see little or no change, and probably the same "grabbed my crotch so we took action" outcome is to be expected.
Going a bit farther though I will say an extraordinary amount of responsibility now rests on the LGBT community too. For meaningful change to be enacted we must continue to stand up and hold our elected officials accountable. That doesn't mean stand up and act a fool. That doesn't mean get radical with it as that will only serve to be counter-productive. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi enacted the change they wished to see by peaceful demonstrations and accountability of elected officials. We can do the same thing and achieve many of our goals toward equality and protection under the law.
State Senator Wendy Davis and State Representative Lon Burnam just issued a joint statement regarding their efforts to investigate the Fort Worth Rainbow Lounge raid:
We want to provide you with an update of our response to concerns raised about the actions taken by City of Fort Worth Police officers and Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission agents on the early morning of June 28, 2009 at the Rainbow Lounge, which is located in the Fort Worth portion of the districts that we represent. We are deeply concerned about eye witness accounts of the events that occurred that morning and intend to activate all possible investigatory methods to learn the truth about those events.
As part of learning as much information as possible about the incident at issue, we requested a meeting with Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission. As a consequence of that request, today we met with TABC representatives Joel Moreno, Chief of Field Operations, and Carolyn Beck, Public Information Officer. In that meeting, we made a very detailed request for information regarding the factual events that occurred at the Rainbow Lounge on both June 25, 2009, when TABC agents first conducted investigation activity at that location, and on June 28, 2009, when TABC agents returned to that location. Additionally, we requested detailed information with regard to the TABC agents' compliance or non-compliance with procedures and policies of TABC as those are expressed in the TABC Enforcement Division Policy, Procedures & Forms manual.
It is our hope that through a thorough investigation and analysis of the events that occurred at the Rainbow Lounge, particularly in the early morning hours of June 28, our community and those outside our community who have raised concerns, will be able to get the answers they need to their valid questions. Most importantly, Chad Gibson and his family, for whom we are deeply concerned, deserve answers.
To that end, we intend to make a written request to TABC for answers to the questions raised in the meeting that we held today. Tomorrow, we will issue a joint letter detailing that request.
Additionally, in order to assure that we and the community at large receive the answers deserved regarding the events of that morning, it is our hope that an objective, outside investigation be made which would examine internal investigation reports of both the Fort Worth Police Department and the TABC, as well as eye witness accounts. Through such an independent review, truth will be best assured. Our community deserves to know whether unacceptable actions were taken at the Rainbow Lounge, and, to the extent they did, that the persons responsible for those actions will be held accountable.
I want to publicly thank Senator Wendy Davis and State Representative Lon Burnam for being on top of this incident and answering not only the call of their constituents to get answers to important questions, but the state and nation in whole. Coupled with Councilmember's Joel Burns,Sal Espino, and Kathleen Hicks, elected officials that care have been at the forefront of getting answers to this incident versus remaining silent like Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief.
Fort Worth Police Chief, Jeff Halstead, has begun the blame game by punting responsibility for the Rainbow Lounge raid this past weekend to the Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission:
"They were not my employees," Halstead said during a meeting at an east Fort Worth church.
Oh yes, when all else fails and the pressure is on simply blame someone else, right? No need to take responsibility for the actions of a few officers under your supervision raiding an LGBT bar within your police departments jurisdiction, right? The fact is that someone is going to have to own up to this very big mistake. Pointing fingers and deflecting responsibility doesn't bring forward necessary answers.
As of yesterday, Chad Gibson, the young man injured during the reckless Rainbow Lounge raid on the eve of the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots, is improving. But questions are beginning to arise as reports of Gibson drinking water versus alcohol when he was roughed up begin to surface. That's why a complete and thorough investigation into this matter, as first called for by Councilman Joel Burns, and echoed by fellow members Hicks and Espino, must be pursued.
What is disappointing is that Fort Worth Councilmembers Burdette, Moss, Zimmerman, Jordan, and Scarth remain silent. Why? Maybe you should call and ask them. I see no harm in joining with colleagues in calling for a complete and thorough investigation into this appalling incident. This raid is a black eye on all of Tarrant County, but certainly Fort Worth, and the Fort Worth Police Department. That's unfair to the vast majority of the police force that is in good standing with the community, does great service in protecting Fort Worth residents from crime, and are otherwise tolerant of all individuals regardless of sex, race, religion, and certainly sexual orientation. Those councilmembers who remain silent not only owe it to their constituents to demand a thorough investigation, they also owe it to the Fort Worth Police Department.
A Candlelight Vigil for Gibson will be held tonight at 8PM at the Rainbow Lounge, 651 Jennings Street in Fort Worth. Even if you are not able to attend, but wish to show your solidarity and support with Gibson, and the push for equal rights and protections for the LGBT community under the law, light a candle at your home. Then call your friends and family across Texas, or the United States, and have them do the same thing. It is in larger numbers that our voices for equality ring loud, and hopefully are heard.
Update:I received a copy of a joint statement by Councilman Sal Espino and FWISD Trustee Dr. Carlos Vasquez that was issued on June 29th. Thanks to Councilman Espino for forwarding a copy of this statement to me.
"We have confidence in the professionalism of our Police, nevertheless, I must insist upon a full investigation. Fort Worth residents must be confident that we remain an open and inclusive City and that all questions about this unfortunate incident will be answered," he [Espino] said.
Trustee Vasquez expressed his hope that an investigation will uncover the facts to the satisfaction of the public. "We must have answers and will not accept any form of discrimination against the GLBT community. I know that our Fort Worth Police Department and City leaders understand that gay people are taxpayers and deserve the full protection of the police department," said Vasquez. "Now we must await a full disclosure of the facts," he said.
Condemnations surrounding the Fort Worth police and Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission raid of a newly opened gay night club on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots continue to pour in--- as does a growing chorous of people demanding a full investigation. The Dallas Voice has been capturing eyewitness reports which appear to contradict FWPD statements.
The Texas Stonewall Democrats, speaking on behalf of all chapters across the state, issued a more forceful condemnation complete with a request for resignations:
The Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus (TSDC) and local Stonewall Democrats chapters in Texas strongly condemn the police raid that was carried out in a gay bar, the Rainbow Lounge, in Forth Worth early Sunday morning, June 28. The TSDC calls for a prompt investigation of this incident and the immediate resignation of the Chief of the Fort Worth Police Department and the Administrator of the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC).
You'll recall that Fort Worth Councilman Joel Burns was the first to demand a full investigation into the matter. Fort Worth Mayor Pro-Tem, Kathleen Hicks, joined her colleague in forcefully demanding such an investigation as well:
I join with Councilman Joel Burns in wanting all citizens of Texas and Fort Worth to know and be assured that the laws and ordinances of our City will be applied fairly, equally and without selective enforcement or targeting. As an African American I understand the distrust and fear that grows throughout a community when the belief that there is no recourse or protection is allowed to grow and fester.
I want every resident of Fort Worth to have the confidence of knowing that when tough issues such as this arise, we will require a full accounting of actions and demand honest
and complete answers. Rest assured that neither the people of Fort Worth, nor the city government of Fort Worth, will tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens.
Equality Texas has begun a grassroots push to encourage supporters of LGBT rights to contact Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and demand a full investigation into this matter. I've also been placing these call to actions on Facebook and Twitter, to which many of you have taken very quick action. I took action today and received an auto-response from City Manager Dale Fisseler stating:
Thank you for your e-mail. This investigation began earlier this morning and will address the issues you have included in your request.
I also called and sent a letter. Won't you do your part?
Everybody knows somebody who is part of the LGBTQ community. We need your help in standing up for our rights and our equal protections under the law. As we did 40 years ago we once again stand united against brutal action targeted at our community. We stand for equal justice and protection under the law. The voices of many are far more powerful than the voice of one. Stand with us today.
Polls closed in Forth Worth at 7 pm but results in this race will likely take a while to come in as they report to Tarrent County and not the Texas Secretary of State.
7:30 PM - Points of Interest: Joes Burns is an endorsed candidate of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund though both candidates are Democrats.
8:00 PM - Joel Burns leads the Early Vote with 56%.
8:20 PM - Muse emails in the latest update and says Burns continues to lead 55%-45% after the first 8 precincts reported in but I don't have the number online to update the total votes as of yet.
Joel Burns, an openly and unabashed gay man, proud Democrat, and current Commissioner for Zoning in Fort Worth District 9, announced last night at the Tarrant County Stonewall Democrats meeting that he will be running for the vacant District 9 council seat opened up by the Wendy Davis resignation.
This marks a historic moment for not only Fort Worth politics, but Tarrant County politics as well, considering no open member of the LGBT community has so proudly run for public office. It was an exciting and proud moment for those of us who share Joel’s pride in not only being gay, but also announcing a run for higher office too.
Check out Joel’s website and be prepared to chip in some change to help him make important history.
In other news, sounds like tonight’s CEC meeting could be full of exciting political drama centered around the SD 10 race. Look for a report tomorrow about all the happenings.
Stay tuned…..As Tarrant County Turns will continue.
