Prove it
Alan Steen, the director of the TABC, finally admitted that the raid on the Rainbow Lounge was unfair and that policies were not followed, and he apologized. The sergeant in charge of the raid has stepped down from his position, and the other two officers are on desk duty during the remainder of the investigation.
These are all great steps in resolving this assault on our community, but there’s still more work to be done. (Notably, Steen makes no reference to the demands that the city take care of Chad Gibson’s medical bills.) And, although the Forth Worth police department’s decision to create a gay-liason position is a nice gesture, it remains to be seen how effective this move will be.
But, for now, kudos to the activists who have propelled this issue into the limelight. Make no mistake, without organizations such as Queer Liberaction and other advocacy groups, and without the support of each and every community member (regardless of gender or orientation), this issue would certainly have been swept under the rug. It’s good to see progress.
Sex in Power 