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."
So you say, but believing something to be faslse doesn't make it false, just like believing something to be true doesn't make it true. Here's a pedophile that disagrees with you:
Pedophilia is a sexual-orientation, like heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, etc. ...There's a lot more there and I encourage everyone to read the above website.The bottom line is pedophiles must no longer be victims of hate-crimes and censorship for their beliefs. We must unite and stand against intolerance until we are accepted like gays are. My being a pedophile is simply a sexual-orientation, nothing more.
You can choose to rent or to not rent to anyone so long as you have a valid reason for exclusion.
You're not listening. No, I can't, not with laws similar to this one. You know this but insist it isn't true.
If he can’t prove that that was your motivation then he doesn’t have a case.
The damage is already done - that's the point. This law just creates more victims.
There is that phrase again,sexual orientation.
That could cover a lot of things, animals, children, etc
One day, probably not very far off, the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law will set this issue on its head.
Nice attempt at misdirection. His opinion carries as much weight as yours. As far as scientific discovery, there's as much evidence to support pedophilia is genetic as their is that homosexuality is genetic. In other words, none.
You have fallen prey to the rhetoric. The law does not "force" you to rent to anyone... that's a lie. You make it sound like you'll be prosecuted for leaving an apartment vacant and that is ridiculously untrue.
You are being very disingenuous here and everyone can see it. With this new law, if I chose to rent to one person and not another who just so happened to be homosexual, the homosexual now has his sexual orientation to use as victim status.
If you read the procedures you will see that the burden of proof in on the one bringing the complaint. He brings the complaint with WHAT evidence? An anecdote? "He said, she said?" There would have to be witnesses, and/or a paper trail, and/or an admission on the owner's part before the commission could take any legal action. There's no "damage" there, unless you were demostrably engaging in invidious discrimination.
Again you are being very disingenuous or you have never been in business for yourself. You're not fooling anybody. While the truth may get sorted out in court there's a lot of damage in the process in regards to time, money, and reputation, but you don't appear to care as long as you get to push your agenda.
Sorry, you're wrong. The law protects religious freedom, and prohibits discrimination against people because they practice a particular religion. People such as Osama bin Laden do not fit into this category because he is an evil madman, not a regular Muslim. If a Muslim peacefully practices charity, namaz, etc then there is no reason to discriminate against him. If a Muslim straps on bombs etc then discriminating against him is not because of his religion but because of his criminal acts. So-called religious behavior that is evil (such as the afore mentioned examples, there are many more) are not evil because they are religious, they are evil because they are criminal. The actors are using religion as a pretense to shield or justify their criminal acts.
Additionally, sexual behavior can be benign, beneficial or harmful in ways that are quantifiable. You (apparently) would not agree, but on FR there is more information available than anywhere on the planet illustrating the harmful nature of homosexual behavior.
LOL!!! Yes, we are takling about trying to make an un-natural act the basis of marriage. But, if you want to be judgmental and deny someone their rights you may try to do so. LOL!!!
So you are OK with fathers getting married to their daughters. Since that is two humans, and that is the only basis you want for marriage (two humans wanting it) you must be OK with incest.
And please let us know what God you worship when you say "God Bless." It's not the God of Christianity or the Jewish faith. Or Muslim for that matter. All of those Gods insist that honosexual acts are sin.
Your post has nothing to do with the discussion. Please let me know why you endorse killing, assuming that you endorse homosexua relationships between men? Why should we endores and condone homosexual men spreading AIDS? AIDS kills. Honosexuality kills.
Actually, it does. Govt. has a role in keeping society stable. The foundation for doing that is the family with a father and mother. Therefore the govt. should promote marriage between mother and father. Since homosexuals can't have children they have no reason for marriage (other than to try and normalize their deviant behavour).
LOL!!! What a silly statement! LOL!!! Homosexuals have the same rights as non-homosexuals. Trying to use "all men are created equal" to give special rights based on what type of sex acts one performs is obsurd! Remember it's "all men are created equal" not "all men are created equal but homosexuals should have more rights." LOL!!!
Oh... God help you!
Actually, it doesn't.
The role of government in a free society is to defend rights. Not to keep things stable.
Stablity is another term for stagnation. You might like things stable (living to 53 yrs old on average and owning slaves) , but I don't.
PS........Please see the Declaration of Independence for confirmation of the rightful role of government in the American expeience.
And if you ask these pastors if the Bible is the inerrant word of God they will either refuse to answer or say no. Therefore, they are not believers. Most maniline pastors are social workers, not teachers of God's word. They teach man's way not God's way. It's very sad.
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