Restoring Reason

It is easy to understand how passion and frustration can build over time, especially for activists who are fighting for equal rights, recognition and protection under the law.

The gay rights movement is not unlike the civil rights movement fought by African Americans in the 1960s, or the women's liberation movement, or the ongoing movement towards enhanced rights through immigration reform. For all of these movements, tedious work is/was required to accomplish change.

The job of an activist is to ensure that their passion attracts the attention and support necessary to advance the aims of their cause. Activists often look for events and ideas that can be used as a rallying cry to bring together the masses.

Unfortunately, some activists follow passion instead of reason when seizing those rallying cries. One of the better examples in recent history where passion misled activists and public outcry involved the Duke lacrosse team. Three players were wrongly accused of crimes, including rape, that they did not commit. After an activist and media-fueled witch hunt, investigations found that there was absolutely, positively no wrongdoing. The official Duke website related to that incident states the following:

In dismissing the charges and stating the attack never occurred, Cooper spoke of a “rush to accuse” and said “there were many points in this case where caution would have served justice better than bravado." In one of the many similar judgments made about how the news media covered the case, columnist David Broder described “a painful exercise in journalistic excess.”

An even better and on-topic example happened more recently when the propaganda machine fired up after the Dallas Eagle, a gay bar, was visited by Dallas Vice and TABC. Activists looking for fuel began exclaiming that this was further evidence of discrimination. An immediate allegation was that TABC agents entered the bar wearing "ninja masks." Of course, this turned out to be Dallas Vice. It is a common practice for undercover officers to conceal their identity when they return to a location to make arrests, so that they don't burn their opportunity to work undercover again in the future.

Even though pictures clearly showed words or patches identifying the masked officers as DPD or Dallas Police, blogs continued to refer to TABC agents perpetrating oppression while wearing "ninja masks." Photos from the Dallas Eagle show TABC agents in dress clothes and DPD officers in masks...could the patrons who confused the two have already been on the road to intoxication? The only logical explanation for continued articles alleging a raid at the Dallas Eagle or mentioning TABC agents in "ninja masks" is the continuing intent of activists is to inflame where no actual issues exist. And how embarrassing when it came to light that the Dallas Eagle was operating without a permit and that the peace officers involved acted appropriately.

The case of the activists and outcry surrounding the Rainbow Lounge is similar. The editors of Restoring Reason know that there will be a similar outcome - a realization that no wrongdoing occurred = when cooler heads prevail.

Disclaimer: The information posted on this site has not been prepared or approved by any police agency, police association, or legal or law enforcement professional. It has been compiled through research of already available information and should not be relied upon as legal advice or as findings of an investigation.

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