COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATIVES

By the Bush/Fleischer definition, John Ashcroft is an inclusive man:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Homosexual employees of the US Department of Justice have been forbidden to hold an annual "Gay Pride" event at the department's headquarters, a gay DoJ employee said Friday.

Attorney General John Ashcroft "will not allow us to hold our annual pride ceremony in the building," said Melissa Schraibman, who works in Justice Department's tax division.

The Justice Department has held gay pride events at the Department headquarters annually since the early 1990s, when Bill Clinton -- a gay rights supporter -- was president and Janet Reno the US attorney general.

(snip)

The cancellation "is definitely a surprise," Schraibman told AFP. All the preparations for the event, to be held in the Department's main hall, had already been finalized.

According to Schraibman, the prohibition is "in accord with a new department policy that prohibits commemoration unless it is supported by a presidential proclamation."

"This is something we have never heard of before," she said. "It doesn't exist in writing yet."

You know what they should do? I know it's playing by their rules, but call their bluff: Try to get a presidential proclamation! Imagine the political position in which Dubya would be stuck. If he prohibits it, he could upset a great many moderate, potential Bush04 voters who don't take kindly to such bigotry. If he allows the event to go forward after being lobbied, his rabid righty base will be pissed off. And who knows, wouldn't this open him up to questions about Santorum and his "inclusive" nature? (is there a "no pets allowed" policy at DoJ headquarters?)

UPDATE: HRC and gay/lesbian employees of the DoJ strike back:

DOJ Pride head Marina Colby told Reuters she was taken aback when she was informed the employee group's annual awards ceremony would not be permitted because President Bush had not officially sanctioned it.

"All we want is the same opportunity to recognize contributions to and from our community like other employee associations," she said. "We don't want special treatment, we want equal treatment."

The nonpartisan Human Rights Campaign said Ashcroft canceled the events after being lobbied by conservative groups.

"It's shameful that the federal agency that is in charge of protecting civil rights in this country is singling out one group for disparate treatment," said spokesman David Smith. "It sends a chilling message that gay employees are not a welcome part of the Justice department work force."