Ashcroft Forbids Gay DoJ Staff to Meet

Posted on June 6, 2003

Jen Klyse is calling out John Ashcroft for what looks like Yet Another egregiously closed-minded act by our fearless Attorney General. This time, he’s refused to allow gay and lesbian Justice Department staff to hold their annual Gay Pride Month celebration at the Department’s headquarters — the first time that such an event has apparently ever been prohibited by a federal agency. He’s apparently doing this after being lobbied by “pro-family” groups (God, I hate when advocacy groups couch their purpose in doublespeak like that).

So why should the hundreds of gay & lesbian employees effected by this care? Wouldn’t you care? After all, it’s not a blanket ban on all of these types of events. Black DoJ employees can still meet for their heritage month. But they’re singled out for prohibition — and their employer knows who each and every one of them is.

If it was you, wouldn’t you be worried about how an official decision to single out gays might affect your next performance review? Or, for that matter, your holding the position at all?

Ashcroft is an embarrassment to the United States and the biggest stain on Federal law enforcement since J. Edgar Hoover. This country will be better when we’ve finally seen the back of him.