Dallas group holds post-Rainbow Lounge raid "teach-in"

When the Fort Worth Police Department and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission raided the Rainbow Lounge on June 28, their unusually aggressive action had a lasting effect upon LGBT Texans.

Members of Fairness Fort Worth and Queer Liberaction have kept the pressure on Mayor Mike Moncrief and police chief Jeff Halstead, who have angered and further alienated the city's LGBT residents with a series of comments, clarifications and disclaimers considered by many to be baffling in their lack of sensitivity and awareness.

In a statement widely interpreted as referring to officer claims Rainbow Lounge patron Chad Gibson made sexual advances on them, Halstead said officers were " touched and advanced in certain ways by people inside the bar, that's offensive."

"I'm happy with the restraint used when they were contacted like that," he continued.

A July 12 Dallas Morning News article reported chief of staff Lt. Paul Henderson noted Halstead's "comments were taken out of context." The statements, Henderson said, referred to a reporter's question about how other bar patrons reacted to the officers that night.

Referring to the unfortunate timing of the raid (which took place on the 40th anniversary of Stonewall,) Moncrief further speculated.

"It might have been helpful if the owner of the lounge had informed [officers] this day was more than just another day of the week," he said.

Area activists criticized that statement as both a passing of the buck and convenient Monday Morning quarterbacking. It drew further ire from local residents and calls for apologies.

Seeing the Rainbow Lounge raid and its subsequent fallout as an opportunity to raise public awareness and encourage sensitivity among Fort Worth's politicians and police, the Dallas-based activist group Queer Liberaction held a "teach-in" on July 31 near the steps of the Fort Worth Central Library.

A Queer Liberation press release sent in advance of the event declared the teach-in as an opportunity to "illustrate how the LGBT community is upset by many of the remarks made by our public officials." It vowed to present "religious and political leaders of the LGBT North Texas community" to serve as "teachers for a day as they address the public to illustrate how the LGBT community is upset by many of the remarks made by our public officials" as well as demonstrate "the damaging effects of homophobia and heterosexism."

Speakers at the event included Beau Heyen from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. He emphasized he feels homophobic and heterosexist statements reinforce the notion "our GLBT youth that they are second class citizens."

A milk crate (called the "Milk Box" in tribute to Harvey Milk) was placed between two placards that featured definitions of homophobia and heterosexism - as well as the quotes from Moncrief and Halstead that inspired the event. Doctor Steven Sprinkle of Texas Christian University was among those who stood on top of it.

"We thought it was important to have him there, because all too often the religious right tries to claim a monopoly on issues of GLBT equality from a Christian perspective," Queer Liberation founder Blake Wilkinson said.

Wilkinson further pointed out the mayor and chief of police's statements.

"Homophobic rhetoric should be brought out into the open to illustrate how the chief of police and the mayor have not been friends of the GLBT community throughout any of this," he said.

Halstead's quote that referenced Gibson especially bristles Wilkinson. Gibson was hospitalized with brain injuries he suffered during the June 28 raid.

Wilkinson further noted he feels the educational aspect of the event was meant to convey the need for enlightenment on the part of "the mayor, the chief of police and all of our elected officials, who need to be taught and educated on how to address an oppressed group of people."

"Yes, they need to be taught," he said.

For Wilkinson, the motivation for lasting activism comes not only from outrage over the initial raid, but the events that have since transpired. Moncrief has publicly apologized and Halstead has appointed a LGBT liaison officer.

"Everything the GLBT community has been doing in terms of making noise and being visible has generated results," Wilkinson said.