Rainbow Lounge marker blocked by homophobic Christian Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare.
Another action by O'Hare in his continuing attacks on the Gay community.
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Letter by Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare to block the Rainbow Lounge historical marker.
Text:
May 12, 2025
Chairman John L. Nau, III Texas Historical Commission 1511 Colorado Street Austin, Texas 78701
Re: Request for Rescission of Historical Marker 24324 – Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Chairman Nau and Esteemed Members of the Commission:
As Tarrant County Judge, I write to bring to your immediate attention a matter concerning the approval process of Historical Marker 24324, proposed for installation at 651 S. Jennings Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas.
It has come to our attention that this marker did not undergo a proper and thorough approval process through the Tarrant County Historical Commission (TCHC). Instead, email authorization was given unilaterally by a single committee member—acting independently and without the consensus or input of the full Commission—to City of Fort Worth employee Lorelei Willett. This action bypassed established precedent intended to ensure fair, transparent, and collective review of historical marker submissions.
Due to nature of Marker 24324, such a deviation from standard protocol is particularly concerning. Allowing the marker to proceed under these circumstances risks generating unnecessary controversy and undermining the credibility of both the local and state historical commissions. [Boldface added.]
I am formally requesting the approval of Marker 24324 be rescinded immediately, as full and appropriate authorization from the Tarrant County Historical Commission was never granted. Given the advanced stage of the marker in the process, we respectfully request that this rescission and denial be expedited to prevent further complications.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and for your continued dedication to preserving and honoring Texas history with integrity and due diligence.
Respectfully,
Signature
Tim O’Hare County Judge
The letter as an image.
News Reports
Fort Worth Report, June 12, 2025, “Fort Worth LGBTQ historical marker abandoned after letter from Tarrant County judge.”
Almost one year after the Texas Historical Commission approved a city of Fort Worth application for a historical marker recognizing the city’s LGBTQ history, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare shut down the project with a letter to the commission demanding that the application be rescinded, according to documents obtained by the Fort Worth Report.
In O’Hare’s letter to the state commission, dated May 12, 2025, he demanded the application be rescinded because it did not follow the Tarrant County Historical Commission’s “proper and thorough approval process” before being sent to the state for approval. Historical marker applications, whether submitted by localities or individuals, must be reviewed by the county’s historical commission before going to the Texas Historical Commission for approval.
However, local persons with the Tarrant County Historical Commission said the application and procedure was correct.
In response, Ray provided a written statement without answering specific questions.
“It should come as no surprise Judge O’Hare doesn’t support a historical marker glorifying radical gender ideology and drag performances,” Ray said via email. “People visit public spaces for recreation and relaxation, often with their children. As the vast majority of our nation agrees, transgenderism should not be pushed on our children.”
A Gay bar doesn’t have anything to do with transgenderism. Ruth Ray is just throwing out talking points without any basis.
The article explains the application and p;rocess was correct, the Texas Historical Commission just aceded to Tim O’Hare’s request without a real reason.
Other articles on the marker being blocked.
https://www.chron.com/culture/article/fort-worth-texas-lgbtq-history-marker-20379741.php
History of the Rainbow Lounge Raid
Contrast this to the response to the police raid of the Rainbow Loung in 2009 in Forth Worth, Texas. Two police officers were fired.
A movie was made. This is the trailer for the “Raid of the Rainbow Lounge.”
You can watch it on Amazon Prime.
https://www.amazon.com/Raid-Rainbow-Lounge-Meredith-Baxter/dp/B06XYHL78F
You can watch on Vimeo for a small rental.
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/raidoftherainbowlounge
Fort Worth has had a human rights commission since 1967, but Dallas doesn’t have a human rights commission and the so-called LGBT leadership in Dallas finds this tolerable.
The raid on the Rainbow Loung is remembered.
https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/14-years-since-police-raid-fort-worth-gay-bar/
Three Fort Worth officers were suspended because of the raid.
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/three-officers-suspended-in-rainbow-lounge-raid/1861859/ The Gays in Fort Worth protested. From the above report.
Officers are supposed to write arrest reports by the end of every shift, but in this case their supervisors called them in the next day – after gay groups had launched protests, Halstead said.
Gay bar patrons got compensated for what was done. Dallas Morning News, “Fort Worth to pay $400,000 to Rainbow Lounge patron injured during raid on gay bar.”
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission fired three agents and disciplined two others.
Tim O’Hara has a history of campaigning against the Gay Community.
His church
The Gay Community needs to get tough and start fighting back.
Poorly organized protest where people are just cosplaying social justice activist won’t do. Plans which are constrained by the concerns of the Democratic party won’t protect the Gay community.
Cowering and begging for approval and not challenging the system won’t protect the Gay community. Saying sappy things like, “Don’t fight hate with hate,” won’t protect the Gay community. Gay Christians, your babbling about Jesus won’t protect the Gay community.
We need a systematic determined plan to bring down these Christians and their homophobic Christianity.
