Dallas’ LGBT Pride parade, the Alan Ross Freedom Parade, is Sept. 18. The parade’s “special VIP Guest” is English rugby star Ben Cohen, whose StandUp Foundation works to raise awareness of the long-term damaging effects of bullying. Cohen, who is straight, was inspired to create the foundation after hearing from LGBT friends about the difficulties they experienced. “I am passionate about standing up against bullying and homophobia in sports,” says Cohen, “and feel compelled to take action. It is time we stand up for what is right and support people who are being harmed.”
In honor of Cohen the week leading up to the parade, Sept. 12-16, has been declared “Stand Up Against Bullying Week” in Dallas. According to this Facebook event the week will culminate in a fundraiser for the StandUp Foundation on Friday night at the Highland Park home of Jim Pitts.
Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, is chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee and a 20-year Republican member of the House … which begs the question of whether the Jim Pitts who is hosting Cohen’s event is the same Jim Pitts who supported efforts this last session by Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, to ban LGBT resource centers from Texas college campuses.
A search of the Dallas County Central Appraisal District’s website indicates that the address given for the fundraiser is owned by Pitts 2007 Properties LTD, which is a subsidiary of Pitts Property Management LLC, which is owned by none other than Jim R. Pitts, the honorable representative from House District 10.
So it seems that Rep. Pitts is, indeed, hosting the event: for which I give him kudos. The StandUp Foundation does good work and Ben Cohen is, by all accounts, a fierce advocate for the LGBT community. Hosting the event is in keeping with Pitts’ voting record this last session, when he voted for both HB 1942 (the “super” anti-bullying bill) and HB 1386 (the teen suicide prevention bill).
I would ask, however, that Rep. Pitts consider his votes on other issues and how they affect bullying in Texas schools. It’s not enough to say that LGBT kids shouldn’t be bullied or harassed if your actions tell their tormentors that LGBT kids aren’t as deserving of respect or resources as other people. There is a direct line running through Christian’s statements on the House floor calling LGBT people disgusting and the middle school student who punches an effeminate child for being a “fag.” When Pitts fails to stand up to the former he enables the later. This inconsistency, this willful refusal to see the systemic discrimination faced by LGBT adults as the license that allows the torture of LGBT children, is, in ways both figurative and literal, killing our children — and it has to end.
Instant Tea has left a message with Pitts’ legislative office seeking to confirm that he plans to host a fundraiser for Cohen’s foundation. We’ll let you know what we find out.
While I understand the somewhat weak point you are trying to make…I think you are missing the point of this event and the potential benefits for the LGBT youth. Your comments may very well have caused support and money to be taken away from groups that could prevent teen suicides and begin mature discussions within schools about this problem. Because of your short-sightedness you choose to focus on a man’s mistakes of the past instead of the direction he could possibly be beginning to take in the right direction. When the spooked horse finally begins to come into the barn, you don’t smack it on the nose for not coming sooner.
I think you are in grave error, and your paper is incredibly hypocritical. Trying to be mature and intelligent while posting other articles about “The Lost Art of Cruising”. THAT, my friend, is what is disgusting.
Shame on you. Sit back and watch the damage your comments and quick trigger reaction will cause.
So incredibly irresponsible. I cannot contain my anger at your paper at the moment.
I thought Jim Pitts represented the Waxahachie (Ellis and Hill Counties), what is he doing living in Dallas?
What an incredibly sophomoric article. Blaming Jim Pitts, who never hurt anybody, for Wayne Christian’s hurtful actions and speech is just plain wrong. It’s not Pitt’s style to engage in schoolyard confrontations on the House floor, which you’d surely be aware of if you’d ever paid attention to the goings on in Austin. He’s always been more effective behind the scenes, and as you’ve pointed out he always casts votes in favor of people. So, you’ve struck a blow against an ally and empowered your own enemies with your unbelievably stupid scribblings. Happy now?
Well put, TexPol. What a black eye on such a welcoming attitude that the StandUp Foundation had been receiving up to this point. Bringing politics into the mix was a low blow…and the blow goes right to the guts of the kids that might have benefited from the programs that would have received this donation money.