LA County Fire Department lifeguard sues after being forced to fly rainbow flag in violation of his First Amendment rights

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA - It’s June and you know what that means kiddos…30 days of seeing rainbows vomited all over the place because it’s–Pride Month! You know, the month we honor the group that claims to be oppressed and marginalized yet gets more months, days, and weeks dedicated to the various components of their alphabet soup than anyone else. And for those who don’t play along, you can lose your job. 

Such is the case of a lifeguard in Los Angeles County, who is suing the LA County Fire Department for punishing him when he refused to fly the rainbow flag in 2023, forcing him to choose between his job and his closely held religious beliefs, Fox News Digital reports. 

Capt. Jeffrey Little said that in 2023, he requested a religious exemption to prevent him from being forced to personally raise the pride flag at his station, which was granted. In March of that year, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion mandating the so-called “progress pride flag,” a conglomeration of colors that are supposed to represent every segment of the LGBT alphabet soup, be flown at county facilities for the month of June, aka “pride month.” 

When he received his exemption, Little, who has served the LA County Fire Department for 22 years, was told he would not have to personally raise the flag himself, nor ensure it was raised at his station. 

Two days later, a supervisor left three of the flags near his station, and lifeguards were ordered to fly the flags, according to his lawsuit. Little took down the flags, and later followed up with human resources, which did an about face on his exemption request and told him it was no longer in order. 

Section Chief Arthur Lester then ordered Little to put the flag back up at his guard tower, the suit said. Little told Lester about his religious beliefs and refused to comply, however Lester told him his religious beliefs “do not matter,” a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Lester then raised the flag himself and told Little it would fly there for the entire month of June. Because the alphabet mob is a “marginalized” group apparently. 

In clear retaliation for exercising his religious beliefs, Little was removed from his role on a background investigation unit despite holding an “exemplary record” and there “never being any concerns with his work or reputation,” his lawyer, Paul Jonna of the Thomas More Society told Fox News Digital. 

“I felt like I was being targeted or entrapped by [Section] Chief [Arthur] Lester and my religious beliefs were not being taken seriously,” Little wrote in a complaint to LA County, which was included in the lawsuit. “He did not notify me of this change and gave me no heads up that the flags would be flying.” 

Jonna said the act to remove him from the background investigation unit was clear retaliation. 

“He courageously stood on principle and asked for a simple religious accommodation, which he is rightfully and legally due, only to be first denied, then threatened, harassed, discriminated, and retaliated against for his widely shared Christian religious beliefs,” Jonna said in a statement. 

Little said the tolerant alphabet mob also lobbed death threats against him and his daughters at their family home. Little was forced to take time off from work for the month of June in order to uphold his closely held religious beliefs and not have to fly the pride flag at his work station, Jonna added. 

The issue has been raised again this year, with Little again requesting a religious accommodation to avoid flying the rainbow flag at his work station, however his requests have been “essentially ignored,” which forced Little to seek legal representation. 

In addition to the fire department, Little’s lawsuit names three lifeguard chiefs as plaintiffs and claims religious discrimination, retaliation, and harassment, as well as violations of his First Amendment rights. Jonna argues that Little’s accommodation should be granted since it is “so narrow” and places no burden whatsoever on his employer. 

“In this case, it’s so easy,” Jonna told Fox News Digital. “There are situations where accommodating a religious observer would be difficult. This is not one of them. This is the most straightforward possible accommodation request. And yet they’re just ignoring him.” 

The Thomas More Society told Fox that the suit seeks “damages and injunctive relief–a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction–to protect Captain Little’s religious rights during pride month.” 

Fox News Digital reached out to the LA County Fire District for comment, however they’re hiding behind “personnel issues” and “ongoing litigation.”