Engineer of Metrolink Train Had Troubled Past

Mike, I wasn't wondering and I don't care. It has no relevance to your point of view.

Forget about the gay engineer for a second. Can someone please tell me why all gays, lesbians, transvestites and transgenders want to be lumped into one catagory? Aren't there some "moderate" gays and lesbians that would just as soon not be mentioned in the same breath with the freak show that is the the TV and TG community? I know you're all wondering: yes, I'm very straight. Mike

I agree that the tickler link on the front page is inappropriate because it sensationalizes the story. The headline over the article is fine. I don't think that the article represents the level of journalism that I expect from Advocate, but it's okay. Though it should have been handled much more competently, I would rather get the information from Advocate than from some less sympathetic source. The fact that he was gay is relevant because it's been reported and will be a talking point. Knowing his background prepares me for having an informed discussion with friends and co-workers, as well as the bigots and homophobes.

The engineer's gayness had nothing to do with the story about the tragic train crash. There are more relevant issues, such as the commuter line's lousy safety record. Concurrently, the gayness of the Los Angeles Police officer who died in the crash is similarly irrelevant. The officer was sitting in the badly damaged first car. Her life partner, also an LAPD officer, was one of the first responders at the crash site, and therefore saw her body being removed from the wreckage. But the fact that two of the principal "players" in this sad event were openly gay is of interest to me, perhaps just because it is a bizarre coincidence, but also because it illustrates a very important point that all of us should remember---especially as Californian's prepare to decide whether gay people are entitled to the same marriage rights as everyone else. That point is that we are everywhere---and sometimes, tragically, we are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Forgive me and please don't judge me- but I've always liked my men a l'il on the STUPID side... so George, from Warrenvville, IL.? Whatd'ya say? Are you busy later tonight, hon? Wanna cum w/ your big daddy on a ride down some secluded country road and park and suck face? I love guys like you- they squirm more. You make me HOT!

It seems that George from Warrenville is the one with the "personality disorder." That disorder incorporates ignorance with being non-educated and what do you have? You have George from Warrenville. Try not to spout your idiocy for all of the world to hear George; you will be doing all of us a favor. Now go on, crawl back into the hole from whence you came.

George, my dear apparent homophobe. There is enough sadness connected with this tragedy without damning homosexuals as having a "personality disorder". We don't know for sure what was the cause of this horror. Mr Sanchez was also Mexican. Does that add to his guilt? And, finally, "impact" is not used as a verb - except by those who can't thiink of a synonym.

Since homosexuality is a personality disorder, journalists have a responsibility to report aberran behavior that impacts on public safetly. The man was suicidal and used the train as his method of killing himself. Too bad the mainstream press refuses to tell the truth about "gayness" and what it really means.

The latest from the L A Times is that investigators are exploring whether fatigue played a role. Apparently Sanchez typically worked a split shift that had him starting at 6am and finishing work after 9pm, with a few hours break in the middle, five or six days a week. The conductor on the train that crashed apparently reported that Sanchez was so tired that he tried to nap during his breaks. The bottom line in all this is that the man's sexual orientation is pretty much IRRELEVANT to the investigation. So why is this still a story in the Advocate?

So what if he was gay, bi, TV, TG or a red-necked homophobe. This man's sexuality had no bearing on how he did or did not do his job. Isn't that what "we" want? This was a tragedy for all affected. My condolences to all families.