The First Amendment lets people say all kinds of wacky things, like Magic Mike XXL was a really great film.
Total lie, but who cares? First Amendment!
But this story out of Stockton, CA seems to cross all sorts of lines.
Lt. Toby Will, a veteran of 20 plus years in the department, wrote a letter-to-the-editor that was published by the Stockton Record in response to the landmark Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.
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Except he didn’t sign it “Toby Will.”
Underneath his name was the very official looking title of “Lieutenant, Stockton Police Department, Modesto.”
And the substance of the letter would rightfully make any LGBT resident a bit fearful.
“When the highest office in the land publicly declares the legitimizing of homosexuality to be a great victory for the nation, you can be sure God is giving the nation over to its own destruction,” he wrote, referring to being gay as, “vile and sinful passions.”
Will was placed under administrative leave as the police department investigates and attempts to restore ties with the local LGBT community.
“I was very shocked,” said Renee Hall, president of the board for Pride Center. “I feel like if something like that gets out in the public from a pretty prominent person, then it gives folks the ability to act on those things.”
Thanks for watching this week’s episode of Americans Who Are Armed But Shouldn’t Be; be sure to tune in every Monday.
tricky ricky
oh I think we know who’s a closet case secretive knob gobbler now don’t we.
Rogelio Lopez
Sigh…
aliengod
I think he had every right to write a letter to the editor. Where he went wrong was to place his title below his name. He crossed the line with that and deserves to be punished.
Realitycheck
He should be fired, clearly he is not capable of being an objective police officer,
as he is totally biased against gays.
Glücklich
Stockton. ‘Nuff said.
For those unfamiliar with California geography, the Central Valley is California’s Alabama. Look at a map and pretty much anything east of our two largest coastal metros is like crossing the Mason-Dixon. It’s not all SF and L.A. out here by a long shot.
Rimminit
He’s not a “Chist-ian” he’s a bigoted Biblican!
BigG
Yep. If he would have said that about a race, he would have been fired immediately. He cannot protect our community. Voids the oath. Can his hateful ass
Giancarlo85
He should absolutely be fired. Not just temporarily suspended. He has no right to use a public agency designation for his own private uses. He can write whatever letter he wanted with his own name. His big error came with stating “Stockton Police Dept.”
Navalator
@Glücklich: Your assessment is painfully correct. One trip down I-5 of the Central Valley listening to the local radio hate sermons of the ignorant redneck “born again” preachers will clearly substantiate your observations. Anyone who thinks that California is a liberal state is disillusioned. We know that individual delusion is labeled as insanity and that mass delusion is called religion.
Cam
And another self hating closet case self destructs.
Harley
GoFundMe in 3…..2…….1
Will Moor
@tricky ricky: I don’t think that we need to assume everybody who is violently anti-gay is actually secretly gay. Do you really believe that only gay people hate gay people?
BlueDude
Is this goober yet another of the “good guys with guns”? Armed gay-haters worry me. Have y’all heard? Texas-tards can openly carry guns now, or will be able to, very soon. WTF?
Misty Bolling
Good
Avery Alvarez
I can’t help but think Will included his official title as an act of intimidation. I’m glad the local police are doing their best to distance themselves from Will’s statements.
But they’re cops. They face psychological tests, don’t they? They should know better than most that it’s not right to let someone with such an obvious ax to grind be able to exert authority, or revenge, against his “target”.
tusgold
Stupid is as stupid does
charlieeod74
Ultra right wing christians are what’s wrong with America today. If you don’t like SSM fine don’t get married to someone of the same sex. But, don’t expect me to rollover for your religious bigotry if I do.