America's "Coolest Small Town" Fire Department not so cool with gay workers

[astro]

Award here - Cool town honor fuels increased interest

BERLIN — Merchants in Berlin area already seeing an increased interest in the town just two weeks after it was named “America’s Coolest Small Town” by Budget Travel.

Debbie Frene, owner of Victorian Charm on Main Street, said she had customers last weekend who came to town from Delaware after hearing that Berlin had beat out 14 other towns for the Budget Travel honor. She expects the distinction to bring in visitors, particularly those that vacation in Ocean City, all year.

But some things are not so cool after all - Lawsuits, money issues have strained relationship between Berlin and its fire company

The lawsuit stems from the alleged harassment Tyndall — who did not return several calls for comment for this story — experienced as a member of the Berlin Fire Company. According to court documents, the defendants believed Tyndall was gay and repeatedly showered him with homosexual slurs.

Jeff Dean, the paramedic assigned to be Tyndall’s partner, said the problem was started by two people but gradually spread throughout the organization.

“It wasn’t just one person,” Dean said in a September interview. “It became a kind of one-upsman situation. There were two primary actors, but then it became this whole clique of people trying to impress them by bullying.”

The contrast is interesting. Berlin. MD has always been an aspirational town since it was the location site for “Pretty Woman”. It’s on the way to Ocean City Maryland and has been a favored site for new couples moving to the area. It has a neat Micro-Brew ale house, art galleriesand all the other cool kid stuff that endears it to twenty and thirty somethings. It’s also in the one of the more rural and conservative counties in Maryland and the good 'ol boys who make up the majority of the Berlin Fire Department do not tolerate homos in their presence.

[Claverhouse]

There’s a distinct danger that gay firemen might molest one as they save your life.

I’m reminded of the weird American panic of gay service people a few years back, despite most countries militarys have briefly considered the moral implications and decided nah, they wanted as many people ready to kill strangers as possible and damn the consequences.
On the other hand it doesn’t say the chap is gay, merely that his attackers are crude scum.