City-sponsored meetings for gays trigger showdown over privacy vs. public records

[foxfeet]

In a showdown over privacy versus the public's right to know, a judge today will hear arguments about whether the city of Seattle must release the names of city employees who attended or were invited to attend meetings of a city-sponsored group of gays, lesbians, transgender people and their friends.

By Lornet Turnbull

Seattle Times staff reporter

Over the last two decades, Philip Irvin has pushed, prodded and challenged the city of Seattle, his employer, on a host of minority-rights issues — all in the name of what he considers equal treatment.

The 58-year-old senior power analyst for Seattle City Light, who is not gay, has crashed gay-rights events at City Hall and sued when he felt he was being excluded from such meetings.

A conservative Christian who describes himself in public papers as "a Caucasian with no African-American blood," he became a dues-paying member of the City Light Black Employees' Association.

Now he's picking another fight: A judge today will hear arguments on whether the city should release to Irvin the names of anyone who has either attended, or received e-mails to attend, meetings of a city-sponsored affinity group at Seattle Public Utilities — the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Transexual (LGBT), Questioning Employees and Friends group.

more at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009347295_citygays17m.html

[xchrom]

1. i think mr irvin needs meds. nt

[foxfeet]

2. At least he's something of an equal-opportunity asshole.

And he's been at this stuff for years.