Busch's gets bashed

ANN ARBOR - There was a lot of rainbow support in Maize and Blue clad Ann Arbor Saturday morning.

Bound for the U-M v. Notre Dame football game, drivers fought their way down hectic Main Street, just a mile and a half from the University of Michigan stadium, and blared their horns in support of the 30-plus people picketing in front of Busch's Inc.'s main store and headquarters.

Toting rainbow flags and signs written with phrases like "Boycott Busch's" and "End Job Discrimination," The Michigan Democratic Party's LGBT and Allies Caucus and others protested the grocery store's firing of a man, allegedly for being gay.

"We've been here since 9, making signs," said Sam Marvin, chair of University of Michigan College Democrats, at approximately 11 a.m. "We've gotten a lot of honks, only a few people have been less than constructive. I think we've increased visibility with the traffic. The more people who see us, the more they're affected."

The Ann Arbor location of Busch's grocery store fired Marc Roark of Farmington Hills in April of this year, and Roark claims it's because he's gay. Roark stated that he knows of other Busch's employees who have been harassed and demoted for being gay. His case, he said, is but one example.

The store is subject to the City of Ann Arbor ordinance (City Code 112) banning employment discrimination against gays. Roark and his lawyer have notified the city's attorney in writing about the firing, but "The only thing I've been told so far is that they're investigating the issue," Roark said. "I filed with the attorney's office, workers compensation, and EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). I was sent an apology letter (from the EEOC) that said they were deeply sorry for what had happened to me, but there are no federal laws to protect me."