Prominent gay and lesbian activists are spearheading a petition insisting actor Isaiah Washington shouldn’t have been booted from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ after making homophobic remarks against co-star T.R. Knight.

Jasmyne Cannick worked with Isaiah on the Pan African Arts Festival. She say she’s infuriated that ABC fired the actor from the show’s upcoming fourth season for calling Knight the “F-Word” during a scuffle on the set and believes it smacks of racism. She has launched a petition - which had 1,233 signatures as of last night - to get the actor his job back:

“Isaiah has done more for the gay and lesbian community than T.R. Knight did in or out of the closet,” Jasmyne fumed. “He did what they asked him to do, and now they want to make sure he will never work again. At what point is enough enough?”

The petition claims Isaiah’s firing “further adds to a disturbing new trend at ABC wherein minority actors have been dismissed at an alarming rate over the past two years. Blacks, including . . . Star Jones (’The View’), Harold Perrineau (’Lost’), Alfre Woodard, Mehcad Brooks and Page Kennedy (’Desperate Housewives’) have been let go . . . One must ask themselves, what is going on? . . . While we don’t approve of [Washington’s] use of the F-word at the Golden Globes, Washington has since apologized and gone on to perform community service by way of a public service announcement for the very organizations that have been orchestrating his dismissal. But it seems it wasn’t enough.” The actor came under fire last fall after getting into an altercation with Patrick Dempsey, during which he slurred Knight. He later repeated the word at the Golden Globes. Washington later apologized, checked into rehab and met with gay leaders.

A rep for Washington denied the actor was behind the petition but added, “We appreciate [Cannick’s] support.”

Isaiah needed to go. He’s a homophobic lame who outed some poor sap and ruined the best role of his career all in one breath. Carry on.

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