Cowtown Clash over LGBT Rights

Christianists got in teh gays' faces during protests yesterday at the Fort Worth City Hall.  Mike Lee reports in the Star-Telegram:

The City Council voted 6-3 late Tuesday to expand its anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people, capping a marathon debate over a series of gay-rights proposals that were forwarded after a controversial inspection of a gay bar.

A majority of council members spoke in favor of the proposal when it was introduced last week.  The inspection at the Rainbow Lounge in June left a man injured and sparked protests in the city.  Fort Worth officials appointed a task force to recommend ways to mend fences with the gay community shortly afterward.  The vote dealt only with one facet of the proposals: expanding the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people. The ordinance already prevented discrimination based on race, sex, religion or sexual orientation.

A lot of the debate, though, centered on broader proposals, some of which the council has already tacitly approved. City staffers will be trained on dealing with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and the Police Department has appointed a liaison to the community. Other recommendations will require further study, including offering domestic-partner benefits and expanding the city health insurance plan to cover gender reassignment procedures, including sex changes.

Very amusing video report here for all you big confused, effeminate, hellbound sissy sodomites:

Fort Worth Cops Get Off Easy

An official apology:  Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead admits that his officers "violated the trust of the GLBT community" during a bar raid at the Rainbow Lounge last June that was "perceived to be aggressive, rude, and unprofessional" and left one patron hospitalized with a serious head injury.  Although the officers admittedly created an atmostphere of "fear and confusion," yet "It was very clear from this inquiry that there was no malice or ill will on the part of any officers who entered the Rainbow Lounge," he said.

Video of Chief Halstead's remarks and a response from Fairness Fort Worth as well as bar manager Randy Norman here.

Fort Worth Police released the final report of their internal investigation yesterday:  three officers were given a one or three days' unpaid suspension for not following proper procedures.  Norman calls the light disciplinary actions "a joke, a slap on the hand."  Fairness Fort Worth is calling for an independent investigation of the incident, as are city council members Joel Burns and Kathleen Hicks.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which fired two agents for misconduct during the raid, also released their report (pdf), which nevertheless concluded "no evidence agents used excessive force" although two patrons were injured and six arrested for "public intoxication."

Question:  Is there any other state besides Texas where people are routinely arrested for "intoxication" while in a licensed bar or nightclub?  Because cops barge in and "smell alcohol" on people's breath?  Read the FWPD report (pdf) - I'm not making this up.

How fucked up is this?  Let me know if that happens where you live, guys.