← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Kentucky Knight
Thread ID: 15750 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2004-11-23
2004-11-23 18:52 | User Profile
[font=Arial]By Joseph Gerth [/font][email="jgerth@courier-journal.com"][font=Arial]jgerth@courier-journal.com[/font][/email][font=Arial] The Courier-Journal
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A Louisville Metro Council committee yesterday approved two versions of a civil-rights ordinance ââ¬â one that includes gays and lesbians, and one that doesn't ââ¬â in an effort to keep the legislation moving.
The measures now go to the full council. A vote could come Dec. 9, council President Kelly Downard said.
The committee's decision came with little comment after an hourlong public hearing in which people on both sides of the gay and lesbian issue urged the committee to side with them.
Downard said he expects to have another hearing in which experts on both sides of the issue address the council before it comes to a vote.
The council must adopt some form of civil-rights law by the end of 2007 or, under the city-county merger law, the existing legislation will be stricken from the books.
Council members on both sides have predicted approval of the version that includes civil-rights protections in hiring, housing and accommodations for gays and lesbians.
During last night's hearing, nine people spoke in favor of the protections, which supporters call the "fairness" law. Five people spoke against it.
Faye Goodman, who identified herself as "a queer woman," said she was fired from a job as a pastry chef because of her sexual orientation.
She asked council members to re-enact the legislation.
The Rev. Cindy Weber, of Jeff Street Baptist Community, also urged the council to approve the version that covers gays and lesbians.
"My church has been gifted with lesbian women and gay men. This community has been gifted with lesbian women and gay men," she said. "They enrich the lives of the church and ... of the city. They deserve to have their rights protected."
Maureen Keenan said she took offense at arguments that civil rights were "special rights" for gays and lesbians. "The only special rights being sought here is for one set of bigots seeking to discriminate," she said.
But opponents argued that such protections aren't needed and legitimize what they consider sinful acts.
Walter Jones, an analyst for the Family Foundation, said he was upset that the gay-rights issue has been linked to civil rights for minorities. "As a black man, that is disturbing."
The Rev. Cecil Blye Jr., of More Grace Ministries, told the committee that gays and lesbians don't need the protections, citing figures that indicate that they have a high standard of living. He said the council is being "hoodwinked and bamboozled." Ed Britton urged the council