Reporter suspended for appearing in Pride parade

You have to check out this story out of Pennsylvania.

A longtime columnist and features writer for The Morning Call of Allentown said Friday that he was suspended from the newspaper for serving as the grand marshal of a gay pride parade.

Frank Whelan, who is gay, said he was suspended for two days without pay over what the newspaper called a violation of its ethics policy, which prohibits employees from publicly associating themselves with causes.

Whelan, who has not worked since the parade, said he is planning to file a civil rights lawsuit against the paper and pursue the matter with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces laws against workplace discrimination.

You can read E&P's and The Morning Call's coverage of it as well.

I wonder if the paper would axe any black reporters who appeared at an MLK Day or "traditional" civil rights celebration.

Hat tip, Kevin.