Posted on 06/23/2011 1:41:32 PM PDT by darrellmaurina
HOLLAND, Mich. — It seems like just yesterday Holland was basking in the glow of being named one of the happiest places in the nation. But those smiles may be a bit strained. Some people are painting Holland as unwelcoming after its City Council recently voted against adding sexual orientation and gender identity to its anti-discrimination policies. The fallout is drawing criticism far beyond the waterfront community’s borders. A Facebook page calling for a boycott of the city has more than 1,000 members. But it also could have ramifications for Holland-area businesses. Being perceived as intolerant could hurt local companies’ efforts to recruit workers, especially among the coveted creative class and those in their 20s.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlive.com ...
Let's see if some Freepers who support family values would like to chime in.
In response to Humblegunner and his friends about the reasons for excerpting: I definitely have no ownership stake in the Grand Rapids Press, but I know too many people who work there, and I'm not going to post a full-text article from that newspaper even if it's allowed, since I risk getting personally attacked with accusations of copyright violations. I don't think I'd be sued, but I'd probably have a lot of people sending me nastygrams telling me I ought to know better and might easily get attacked publicly for posting the full text.
If somebody else wants to post full text of this article, that's up to them, but I won't do it myself. The excerpt is more than adequate to give the flavor of the article under the "fair comment" doctrine.
Maybe somebody said they were one of the gayest places in the nation, and it was misconstrued.
On the other hand, with unemployment so bad in Michigan, are we really to believe that people are going to stay unemployed out of a fit of pique because of some "intolerant" comments about 2% of the population?
isn’t it a form of bigotry to suggest that the “creative class” will stay away from Holland Michigan if we don’t have this ordinance passed???????
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(My posted comments)
To even have this discussion in Holland is crazy. It's going to antagonize people and companies who may want to move where there is a conservative family-friendly environment without doing anything to make Holland anywhere near as homosexual-friendly as other nearby small communities like Saugatuck. To put this on Holland's agenda does very little to “help” homosexuals if it passes; they have plenty of nearby places they could live if they were afraid of discrimination. On the other hand, if it fails, it makes the conservative majority in the community look bad. In other words, “flip a coin: heads I win, tails you lose.”
Is that maybe the real agenda?
Also, what would this ordinance really do? Some are pointing out that landlords and employers can discriminate against them based on their sexual practices. What ordinances banning such “discrimination” against homosexuals actually do is restrict the rights of employers to hire who they want. Why on earth does a business like Herman Miller want even more government-imposed restrictions?
If Herman Miller is so concerned about attracting “young talent,” then make clear to prospective employees that they offer “domestic partner” insurance benefits, and advertise that widely in the general media as well as taking out ads in publications targeted toward the homosexual community. That makes crystal clear that the company is friendly to homosexuals by not only putting its money where its mouth is but also making very clear to everybody they they don't fit any preconceived stereotype someone might have about Holland and West Michigan.
If that's not enough, then move to San Francisco, or at least Saugatuck, and stop trying to impose your values on the majority who disagree. Why be where you're not wanted?
And as there could actually be upwards of a DOZEN faggots in Holland, I don’t see how the country can possibly SURVIVE the ruling!!!!!
The gay and lesbian crowd are the biggest bunch of sissies and cry babies, pouting because they can’t wankify the entire world. Crap, they are only 2% of the population. Go terrorize somewhere else.
That didn’t accomplish anything but I feel better. I swear to G-d, I wish these folks would just shut the hell up.
If that’s not enough, then move to San Francisco, or at least Saugatuck,
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or they could simply move to Dearborn.
i’m sure they’d be welcomed with open arms... ?
This is a huge fraud.
Gay people are just like the rest of us. They aren't any more "anything" than anyone else (except for being queer, of course).
2% is a very liberal estimate.
I would like some lefty to explain why it is SOOOOO important to normalize homosexual behavior.
I know the underlying cause of the agenda, but I’d like some “well meaning” lefty to defend normalizing such destructive behavior, and doing homos the disservice of telling them there’s no need to seek help, that they’re perfectly OK.
Boycotting Holland won’t mean much.
When I was a kid we used to go over that way and pick a truckload of various fruits and veggies every fall.
Many places are rejecting these ordinances. To paint one town as having a problem because they did so is ridiculous.
The laws will do nothing but cause more trouble and expenses for businesses.
Wouldn’t it be charming if these laws pass, and STRAIGHT people succeed in suing because the wonderful “creative class” has become a gay mafia.
Maybe then there can be an episode of Glee which does not revolve around that annoying gay kid.
Right... I wonder if anybody has tried this in Dearborn? If so, how many police had to be sent to the city council to enforce order and to protect the homosexual activists against threats?
Isn't it interesting how a gay rights group decided to target a community like Holland for this “pro-homosexual” ordinance, knowing that the worst thing most conservative Christians would do would be to quote the Bible back at them, but aren't trying to get something like this passed in a community known for being friendly to conservative Muslims rather than being friendly to conservative Christians?
I'll give homosexual activists credit for the courage of their convictions when they target communities and countries where homosexuals face a serious risk of real persecution, rather than trying to tell predominantly Christian communities how to run their business.
If anyone found the status quo in Georgia intolerable, they would not presently be there. There is no logic to arguments that maintaining the status quo would cause great disruption, either in Georgia or in Holland, MI.
Re the “Michaelangelo” argument.
If they can show me one modern artist, gay or straight, who is the equal of Michaelangelo (Who Lived And Worked Within A Catholic Church That Is Supposed To Be So Intolerant!) they can use my living room for gay marriages whenever they like.
Have these idiots seen any of the art being produced today?
because they would not give special rights to a BEHAVIOR?
this article is BS.
if anything this is GOOD for business.
That's based on the writer's own bias that the only good artist is a gay artist.
The writer is very mistaken.
We might also note that advertising a "gay free" Holland Michigan will probably increase family vacationers!
LOL...your living room is safe.
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