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Rainbow Lounge Raid
Police went too far says officer's daughter

By Elizabeth Pax, Guest Columnist
Thursday, 2nd July 2009

Eyewitnesses claim six Fort Worth police officers and two agents from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission entered the Rainbow Lounge pushed people around, were incredibly rude, arrested people for no reason, and physically assaulted patrons. One man, Chad Gibson, was violently thrown to the ground. Today, Gibson is in the intensive care unit at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth with serious head injuries. Updates on his condition are being posted on the Dallas Voice Instant Tea blog. Clearly, the police used “excessive force”. 

 

My father has been a police officer for over 20 years. I grew with cops and have always loved and respected them. Whenever I see a man in a police uniform I always feel safe. It absolutely broke my heart to hear that police were hurting people. I didn't want to believe it at first. I wanted to believe that there was some misunderstanding or that maybe people were exaggerating. I was absolutely torn down into the deepest parts of my heart and I kept waiting to hear a report back that things weren't as bad as they first sounded, that everyone was actually OK.           

 

The most popular conspiracy theory circulating is that this “raid” was meant to send a message to the gay bars. People have been calling this 'Stonewall 2009' and insist the raid was planned to coincide with the 40^th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, a turning point for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. In the 1960s 'homosexual acts' were illegal and police regularly raided gay bars, harassed the patrons, and arrested people for being gay. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The patrons rebelled and fought back, refusing to quietly take police abuse, and that began protests, riots, and pride parades. I honestly believe the Rainbow Lounge raid last Sunday, June 28th was an unfortunate coincidence.

 

I do not believe this was a premeditated attack on the LGBT community. Two 'straight' bars were raided earlier that night. I don't believe the Fort Worth police officers or TABC agents knew the significance of the date. People within our own community don’t know the significance of June 28 either. We can't assume that officers knew it was the anniversary of Stonewall. It is clear; however, that the level of violence was a result of homophobia. Arresting officers claim the violence was a ‘gay panic defense’, a legal defense used in assault and murder cases where used by defendants who claim they were overcome by a moment of temporary insanity brought on by the romantic or sexual advances of a homosexual. The Fort Worth police officers are claiming they reacted harshly because the gay men in the bar made sexual comments and 'groped' them. Really? The scary gay man felt you up? Chad Gibson is lying in a hospital bed right now with a cracked skull and the excuse you are giving us is that some fairies in a bar made dirty comments toward you? I wish I had known long ago that if a drunk guy makes a sexual comment at me that makes it acceptable for me to assault him! WATCH OUT BOYS!

 

I'm not one to believe things without some investigation so I attended the Fort Worth Police Department’s community forum Tuesday. Police Chief Jeff Halstead said TABC officers arrested Gibson and they are responsible. He said Fort Worth police officers didn’t target gays. I was amazed at his blatant attempt to dodge any responsibility! So the TABC officers happened to be the ones who arrested Gibson. Am I supposed to take that to mean that the Fort Worth Police Department is completely off the hook? I asked Chief Halstead, “Why didn't the Fort Worth police protect their citizens?” They were there, they saw what happened and yet they did nothing to stop TABC from harassing and assaulting people.

 

People at the bar that night have a different story to tell. They insist Fort Worth police officers assaulted patrons just for asking what was going on. At the forum we heard stories of police abuse and inconsistencies between police reports and eye witness reports from other members of the Fort Worth community as well. 

 

I asked Chief Halstead to tell us what he is going to do to stop his police from abusing the people they are suppose to protect and serve. He says he is looking into appointing an LGBT police liaison for Fort Worth. We have an LGBT police liaison in Dallas. Her name is Laura Martin. Officer Martin is an amazing asset to the LGBT community in Dallas. Anytime we rally, protest, or have any LGBT issues we need to discuss she is available and has always been very helpful. I think that would be an excellent step forward and we all need to hold Chief Halstead to his word.

 

Chief Halstead also said that he will have his officers undergo sensitivity training. It seems to me that the chief is passing the buck an awful lot here. Why should we have to do the department's job? It's not up to the citizens to make sure that they are not being abused by the officers who are supposed to protect them! Well, Chief Halstead, today is your lucky day. It just so happens that the Resource Center of Dallas offers police officer sensitivity training. Chief Halstead can contact the Resource Center at 214-528-0144. Ask for Henry Ramirez. Tell him Elizabeth Pax gave you the number.

 

It is unfortunate that we live in a society in which police officers, whether city or state, need to undergo training to know that it is wrong to commit acts of physical violence against the citizens they have sworn to protect. If they need people to teach these officers that violence is wrong, I have the solution: kindergarten teachers! They are experts at teaching people not to hit each other and it is summer so we know they are available.

 

 

 

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