Petition Signer Denied Reappointment to Local Board

Getting Local -  In the small Cape Cod town of Truro, anti-gay marriage petition signer Leo Childs recently lost his bid to stay on the volunteer board of fire engineers.  Here is the article from the Cape Cod Times:

Gay marriage petition signature riles selectman

By Eric Williams, Cape Cod Times  |  April 22, 2006

TRURO - The usually dull and genteel business of appointing members to a volunteer town board took a peculiar and aggressive turn at this week's selectmen meeting.

A candidate for reappointment to the board of fire engineers, Leo Childs, was called on the carpet by Selectman Paul Asher-Best for signing a recently circulated petition opposing gay marriage.

Childs' bid for reappointment was denied when selectmen voted unanimously to appoint other candidates. Most selectmen said their reason for not reappointing Childs was in the interest of having new faces on a town board.

Asher-Best defended his vote not to reappoint Childs on more personal grounds during an interview yesterday.

''If you think I'm not entitled to civil marriage, then the only conclusion I can draw is that you don't think I'm fully human, or that my humanity is not on par with yours,'' he said.

Asher-Best, who said he recently married his longtime partner, said he felt Childs had shown a bias against gay people by signing the petition.

''There are a lot of households in Truro headed by gay and lesbian people, and I just need to make sure that they're going to have equal protection and not have people who are biased against them in charge of public safety situations,'' he said.

Selectman ''out of line''

Two selectmen took issue with Asher-Best's criticism of Childs.

''I think it was extremely personal on Paul's part,'' Selectman Gary Palmer said. ''I understand that he takes the issue very seriously. But, I personally think it was inappropriate. It didn't relate, in my mind, to the issue at hand.''

Fred Gaechter, chairman of the board of selectman, agreed with Palmer.

''I thought (Asher-Best) was out of line,'' Gaechter said. ''Not that he doesn't have the right to his personal opinion, but so does Leo. You don't take people's political positions and use them to determine whether they can serve on the board or not.''

Gaechter said he voted for other candidates for the board because it would best serve the town to have some ''new blood'' on the panel.

Childs did not respond to several phone messages seeking comment. According to town reports, he had served on the board since 1998.

The fire engineers panel is the only town board whose members are allowed to work in the department for which they make decisions, according to the town charter. Fire Chief John Prada and Deputy Chief John Garran both serve on the board.

''It is more than an advisory board,'' Gaechter said. ''They make decisions that help run the fire department.''

Gaechter said the panel's duties include drafting a contract for a fire chief, which would have to be approved by the board of selectmen.

Web site publishes names

Asher-Best said he became aware Childs had signed the anti-gay marriage petition by checking the Web site KnowThyNeighbor.org. The site has published the names of people who signed the petition, searchable by name, address and zip code.

The site bills itself as a ''grassroots, nonprofit organization promoting dialogue on marriage equality in Massachusetts.'' It discourages actions by anyone to harm a person ''for exercising their democratic right to sign the petition.''

The organization's director said he could not recall a similar circumstance surrounding the publication of a petition signer's name but said he supported Asher-Best's inquisition.

''This is exactly what we hoped KnowThyNeighbor would do, start conversations,'' said Tom Lang.

''Gay people are the ones who have been shut up and quieted and shamed into keeping their lives quiet, private, out of the public sector for so long,'' he said. ''I applaud the selectman. It's his responsibility to ask these questions.''

Tom Lang & Aaron Toleos
Directors, KnowThyNeighbor.org
Contact us at (978) 335-0477 or info@knowthyneighbor.org

Comments

[John Hosty]

The winds of change have only begun to blow. This is a great step in weeding out discrimination in our government.

[John Hosty]

"You don't take people's political positions and use them to determine whether they can serve on the board or not."

Of course you can. People look at gays all the time and decide things like whether or not they can have marriage, health care, adoption. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

[soavifox]

Nice. IF they are going to do it to us, why not do it to them?

[soavifox]

They always complain about being persecuted when they are not. Well I guess they are going to get their wishes.

[Callie Wise]

As a gay person, I don't have security in my job if my employer finds out I'm gay or if I take a personal stand on an issue. Others can hide their bigotry behind their religion or political views and get away with it, but we can't. Maybe it was cold what he did, and I'm not sure I completely agree with it, but I can understand why he did what he did. Sometimes these people need to know what it's like.

[John Hosty]

"No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."
- Ronald Reagan

[John Hosty]

22-April-2006
Benjamin Cohen

Despite it being a predominantly Catholic country, most in Spain believe that introducing gay marriage was right.

A survey by the Instituto Opina polling organisation found that 61 per cent of those questioned agreed with the statement: “Do you agree or disagree with the government’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage.”~Pink News

[Richard Gregoire]

John;
Yes John, the winds of change are blowing....however it is certainly an ill wind when it comes to the means that was used to force this change on our society.
Yes Callie, "these" people are feeling your wrath in increasing measure. Are you pleased?

[Joe S]

Richard...we are VERY pleased...he got what he deserved...and so will you and those that follow you!

Have a nice day!

[Paul Jamieson]

LET THE PEOPLE VOTE

[Paul Jamieson]

Let's hope nobody in Truro dies because of Tom Lang and Aaron Toleos' stupidity

[Paul Jamieson]

http://www.dayoftruth.org/main/default.aspx

[Tyler Dawbin]

"Others can hide their bigotry behind their religion or political views and get away with it, but we can't."

So then, you've decided to hide your bigotry behind your sexual orientation?

Tell me that this isn't bigotry. This guy deserves to serve as a fire engineer.

I simply cannot believe that KTN has taken the position that, "This is exactly what we hoped KnowThyNeighbor would do...I applaud the selectman."

May 10th is fast approaching, and I'm thankful that the public can finally see that you are forcing coercion, not encouraging dialogue.

God bless America, and God bless Massacusetts.

[Lizbeth Betancor]

"I'm thankful that the public can finally see that you are forcing coercion, not encouraging dialogue"
Just because you say it is not encouraging dialogue, and that we are forcing coercion, does not make it so. The selectman was taking an oppressed group of people's welfare into account when making his decision. When a person chooses to make such a political stance against an entire group, their motives should be questioned. Remember the personal is always politial, no matter what people may want to believe.

[John Hosty]

The people have every right to ask tough questions, and vote accordingly to their understanding of those answers. These people on this fire board are being selected to represent their best inteterests in an important job. When you wish to hold a public office, even one that is voluntary, your views on the people you will be serving, your polititcs, your religion all become open for questions. In politics we want our representatives to be smart, passionate, strong, kind, but most of all fair.

[Joe winn]

Bigotry needs to be addressed and dealt with directly - when the rights of one group of people are undermined and denied, then the rights of all people can be targeted for elimination. It was not so long ago that Catholics and other European immigrants were the targets of political persecution under the "know nothing party " of the 1860's. In Boston the persecution of the Irish was legendary, signs in businesses read "Irish need not apply", Italian's were also seen as "less than human" by many in New England, the Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and other social "undesirables" were slaughtered by the action and indifference of the masses, and African Americans were, and continue, to struggle for full equality in this country. In other parts of the world millions of people have been oppressed, and murdered, in genocide's many American’s are not even aware of, because of racial, social and religious intolerance, hatred and Government sponsored violence. Almost all of these atrocities were voted into place by citizens who decided which groups were "worthy" of full inclusion and protection under the law - if the United States is going to hold to it's promise of Democracy and Justice for all, then we must always be aware of the political agendas and attitudes of those who are given any position of power in which they are sworn to protect ALL members of society - Good for you Truro, while community leaders may have decided to invite new faces to participate in it’s local government, it’s elimination of Leo Childs suggests that Truro will not tolerate the faces of those who wish to undermine the rights of others.

[Ron Cisneros]

This is exactly whatI hoped KnowThyNeighbor would do...I applaud the selectman. I am tired of the silent and not so silent bigotry still remaining in the State.

[Tyler Dawbin]

"Remember the personal is always politial, no matter what people may want to believe."

I personally believe that marriage is one man, and one woman, to the exclusion of all others...and I cannot wait to vote my voice, no matter what you believe.

[Tyler Dawbin]

"Good for you Truro, while community leaders may have decided to invite new faces to participate in it’s local government, it’s elimination of Leo Childs suggests that Truro will not tolerate the faces of those who wish to undermine the rights of others."

People, like, say...Margaret Marshall, for instance?

[Bluer Mass]

Anyone who wants to voice their support for Paul and his brave move, please e-mail me at keepmassblue@yahoo.com and I can give you some contact info for him.

[John Hosty]

"I personally believe that marriage is one man, and one woman, to the exclusion of all others...and I cannot wait to vote my voice, no matter what you believe."

I think we've got it Tyler. Care to move on to the part about loving thy neighbor now?

[johnson]

I don't think Tyler is in ANY position to pass judgement on marriage as he himself is a negative statistic on that institution. Divorce sure does seem to be prevalent among those fundies, doesn't it? It's practically a pastime in the Bible belt, since those states do seem to have the highest rates.

[ryan charisma]

I can't wait till this list is used again and again in the name of right. Perhaps we should refer to/check this list for everyone we meet and vote for. Let the poeple vote? They did, and gays stay!

[John Hosty]

"Just don't be gay."

I watched a movie once where the mother, somewhat homophobic about her son, was relieved to here he would be playing a different part in his play than he had expected. Upon her glee he said, "So you would rather I be cast a murderer than a homosexual?" She didn't understand what the problem was.

You can be a non-practicing homosexual if you obstain from sex. But are not the thoughts of homosexual sex sinful as well? To covet what you cannot have is a sin, is it not? The answer is no. God made everyone, not just the beautiful, the rich, and the straight. He loves you just the way you are. Love yourself first, then go share some with your friends! Then some strangers! Then your enemies! United we stand, Divided we fall.

These people that say they have led a homosexual life, or otherwise identify within themselves something that relates the issue to them, who then decide to live heterosexual lives, as they really straight? How can one be sure? First and foremost they would need an extremely low self esteem. Their self lothing would have to be the fuel for this fire. The desire for the attention of others is a powerful motivator, and should not be easily dismissed as the possible catalist for these "conversions" we seem to have.

If life a wise man is an informed man. When in doubt or ignorance of the facts question everything. When people decide they won't answer, remember that their silence is an answer itself with very strong implications.

[John O'Brien]

Bravo:
Leo Childs is a blemish on such a beautiful town like Truro.....