A group of gay grassroots activists plans to confront staffers for Sen. Saxby Chambliss on Wednesday to demand an apology for a recent slur posted from a computer in the senator’s Atlanta office.
Members of the Queer Justice League, which met at Blake’s Monday to plot strategy, called on Chambliss to respond. Now, they are heading to Chambliss’ office along Interstate 75 near the Cobb Galleria.
“We want an official, contrite apology for Senator Chambliss, to the LGBT community and to all Georgians,” QJL member Art Izzard says in a press release. “We also want Senator Chambliss to commit to engaging his employees in sensitivity training, to equip them to better handle the concerns of his constituents.”
Jeff Schade, one of QJL’s founders, says he’s prepared for a hostile response from Chambliss’ staff.
“I think we’re all well prepared for the possibility of this,” Schade writes in response to a comment posted on the QJL website. “Speaking as an individual, I’m tired of grievous events like this being swept under the rug, and if it takes us making a stand (and the ramifications of that), then I am all for it.”
The group plans to meet at Chambliss’ office at 4 p.m.
On Sept. 21, as Chambliss (photo) and Republican senators beat back an effort to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a commenter on Joe. My. God. left this screed on a post about the vote: “All faggots must die.”
A little web sleuthing by blog author Joseph Jervis tracked the IP address of the person who left the comment to an area near the Atlanta office of Chambliss along Interstate 75 near the Cobb Galleria. Readers of the popular blog helped hone in on Chambliss’ office after some initial speculation placed the comment’s origination at the nearby office of Sen. Johnny Isakson.
On Sept. 22, Chambliss issued a statement confirming that the blog comment came from his Atlanta office. But he declined to take action against any of the 42 staff members that work there, instead deflecting the issue to the Senate sergeant at arms.
The comment – and Chambliss’ lack of a direct response to it – has created a firestorm of controversy and extensive media coverage. On Thursday, Georgia Equality asked people to call Chambliss’ offices and air their concerns about the slur and the senator’s response to it.
