Posted on 04/30/2003 6:50:25 AM PDT by new cruelty
Covington city commissioners Tuesday unanimously supported a new human rights ordinance which extends protections to gays and lesbians. "I guess the basic question that needs to be asked is should we allow discrimination in this community?" said Commissioner Jerry Bamberger. "The answer is no."
The new law, which Mayor Butch Callery hopes will be a model for cities across the country, will take effect in about a week.
"Some day, I think the entire nation will one day wake up and realize that guess what: Equal rights is something that should have been done 100 years ago," said Commissioner Alex Edmondson.
The law's implementation will be carefully watched by the Sharonville-based Citizens for Community Values which campaigned hard against it.
CCV said it intends to help find lawyers to represent landlords or businesses which feel their rights are infringed, the group's vice president, David Miller, said after the vote. It also is forming a political action committee, which can be used to fund tri-state candidates who oppose such measures.
Covington's new law bans discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, marital status and parental status. It applies to employment, housing and public accommodations, such as hotels and restaurants.
It expands a city law which prohibited housing discrimination because of disability, gender, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, family status and place of birth.
"I'm just completely elated and pleased and so happy with the leadership of Covington," said Dean Forster of the Northern Kentucky Fairness Alliance. "The people of Covington clearly supported this ordinance, clearly made a stand that discrimination is wrong and all people should be accepted equally."
Frank Warnock, the lawyer Covington hired to refine the ordinance, explained how the law will work:
• Upon receiving a discrimination complaint, the city manager would have discretion to try to resolve the conflict before launching a city investigation into the allegation.
• If reconciliation is not possible, the manager or a designee would investigate.
• After the investigation, the manager could choose to dismiss the complaint or seek an amicable resolution. "I think that's probably one of the most important parts of this ordinance, is the idea that you're trying to educate, you are trying to correct a wrong, and one of the best ways to do that is reconciliation."
• Failing that, a hearing officer appointed by the city manager would reach findings of fact and conclusions of law, which would become an order of the human rights commission.
• Fines could range from $100-$250, and a business which willfully violated the law three or more times could lose its business license.
CCV spent $10,000 this month mailing 20,000 anti-gay booklets to Covington households and sent letters to all Catholic churches in Northern Kentucky because all five city officials who voted are Catholics.
Bamberger said the mailings did not sway him: "I didn't hear too many complaints from residents after they sent out their messages. I believe the city of Covington and the city officials here have a responsibility to deal with our own issues, and deal with our citizens."
After the vote, commissioners sat quietly during almost 30 seconds of a standing ovation.
Bamberger said his goal was that everybody be treated equally. "For the many people who opposed the ordinance -- and I received a lot of input from those people, and I appreciate that input -- I wish that they would take the time now. I wish they would review that ordinance, and look at it, and see if they still have any concerns about it."
"No one would choose to be discriminated against, no one would choose to be hated, no one would choose to be treated differently," Edmondson said. "And someday, I believe the city of Covington will have a small piece in that understanding, of creating tolerance, bridging the gap, and more importantly, allowing people to know that yes, a small city like Covington can show the entire region: Yes, we can."
Sorry, but this is a PUBLIC FORUM. Any comments or claims you choose to post in a PUBLIC FORUM are subject to being debated and refuted with ample documentation. If you post ANY comments or documentation in this PUBLIC FORUM and I choose to refute them, then my reply WILL be addressed to you. Noone is forcing you to participate in this forum.
Your little diatribe is exactly what we expect to hear from the homosexual community. Any disagreement with the homosexual lifestyle or documentation refuting homosexual claims is met with ranting and name-calling.
So why don't you address the fact that the The American Psychological Association actually published a comprehensive research paper on sexual-orientation change in one of their journals? If it's all "junk science" as you claim, why is it now being published in APA journals?
I call homo activists Nazis because they (you?) use Nazi and Marxist propaganda tactics. One of the founders of ACT-UP (Larry something or other) admitted they read Mein Kampf for their inspiration and guidance. The Big Lie is glaring evidence. You guys are like the Undead Unman.... You just repeat the same lies over and over, and you are never able to refute the facts presented.
I call homo activists Nazis because they (you?) use Nazi and Marxist propaganda tactics. One of the founders of ACT-UP (Larry something or other) admitted they read Mein Kampf for their inspiration and guidance. The Big Lie is glaring evidence. You guys are like the Undead Unman.... You just repeat the same lies over and over, and you are never able to refute the facts presented.
I realize that there seems to certain cachet attached to "differentness" nowadays, but I hardly think I can be convinced that lesbians or male homosexuals are in any immediate need of corrective relief from me or my government based solely on their so-called sexual orientation.
In the first place, homosexuality is indefinable absent a reference to behavior or practice observationally and lately by a declaration of option to join the ranks of those already so defined.
If there were an affirmitative-action program for homosexuals how would I, as an employer, verify that the applicant met the category of the target group?
My neighbor doesn't cut his grass to suit me, but I don't make a big issue of it -- I do take great exception of his allowing his children to operate the mower while barefoot.
It must be the Freeper who fled and refused to answer direct questions? I like the way you went on a rant about not fleeing then fled! LOL!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.