Ordinance 2012-296 ACTION NEEDED

[Leanne King]

     By now you heard of Ordinance 2012-296. The previous communications have detailed the ordinance and its specific implication.  To site the Ordinance Preamble, “Whereas, the City of Jacksonville seeks to build a reputation as a welcoming community for bright and talented members of a workforce…..”; this is a suggested ordinance giving the Human Rights Council the powers to enforce the ordinance against businesses “should it be proven that they discriminate” on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identification.  The original ordinance also eliminated references to the United States Constitution and laws of the State and failed to define sexual orientation and gender identification.  Is this a new special class of people?   It suggests that Jacksonville is an environment that is hostile to the gay/lesbian/transgender people. This suggestion has been disproven by recent two national level survey’s that document that we rank number 3 and 4 for being a friendly city and a great place to live.

 

     This bill is in front of our city council for vote.  It has met some resistance from conservatives, Tea Party, religious organizations and other First Amendment Rights organizations. The opposition stands just as firm in their beliefs that this ordinance is needed so that they are treated fairly. While there are some personal level stories as to their treatment none relate to workplace/community or housing discrimination. We know that you cannot legislate the personal behaviors of some individuals who make a choice to be hateful to another.

     There is now an attempt to amend the proposed ordinance by reinstating verbiage to the US Constitution and eliminating “gender identification” and perhaps “sexual expression.” This however will not solve the issues that this ordinance in any form will create.

     I ask that you email the city council members listed below and feel free to utilize any of the information presented below.

 

                               Ask yourself and your council member:

   Are you willing to commit to the premise that Jacksonville is hostile to the gay/lesbian community?

   Are you willing to believe that only the gay, lesbian world is creative as your message so clearly stated in the council meeting last week?

   Are you willing to commit that this is the most important issue to attract business to Jacksonville?

   Are you willing to lay the legal and financial burdens of this legislation at the feet of thousands of the small business owners in our city?

   Are you willing to impose the so called special needs of these citizens while ignoring and removing the rights of so many others?

   Are you willing to take the responsibility for the thousands of other employees who while utilizing their freedom of speech about their beliefs both personal and religious may be sued or their employer sued by someone who finds an innocent comment “offensive to them”?

   Are you willing to accept the ultimate personal responsibility that comes with your support of this ordinance when it is now perfectly clear that the origin of this ordinance came FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE, with monies behind it being QUESTIONABLE?

   Are you willing to tell the pubic the truth that this is being pushed at the NATIONAL LEVEL by those who have a much larger and destructive AGENDA?

   Are you willing to be honest and know that this group of OUR CITIZENS are being used to push a much larger attack on EVERYONE’S freedoms? Specifically of SPEECH AND RELIGION?

                    This bill is not needed.  There is no systemic discrimination. 

 

In addition to the above questions the following information is provided for understanding.

The Ordinance:

1)     Creates New and Special Rights for Homosexuals: The ordinance creates new and special rights for homosexuals by creating a new protected class and a special legal classification based upon “sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression”.  

 

2)     Weakens Florida’s Marriage Amendment as the Union of One Man and One Woman:  The ordinance like others around the country have been used to undermine and overturn state marriage laws and state constitutional amendments defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  Gay rights activists around the country have used the collective scheme of nondiscrimination laws like this one to create a new protected class and legalize homosexual marriages in states like Vermont, Iowa, New Hampshire and Washington, DC.

 

3)     Removes All References to the U.S. Constitution:  The ordinance (unbelievably) removes all references to the “United States Constitution” in the city code and deletes all language referring to “civil rights found under the US Constitution”. The ordinance language thereby removes the rights, protections and limitations given to citizens by the highest law of the land. 

 

4)     Creates Legal Defenses for Pedophiles:  The ordinances gender identity and gender expression language would allow men to be able to use women’s bathrooms (and vice versa) in “public accommodations” based upon their subjective sense of whether they are a male or female allowing for pedophiles to have a defense for using girl’s bathrooms.  This shocking provision is being forced onto cities all around the country.  The security and privacy of locker rooms, dressing rooms, bathrooms and other separate facilities are all compromised. 

5)   Creates More Lawsuits and Regulations for Businesses: The ordinance forces individual citizens, businesses and landlords in Jacksonville to be liable to be sued for money damages if they choose to not hire homosexual, transgendered, bi-sexual or gender confused persons in their small businesses, or choose not to accept similar persons as tenants in their private homes or apartments. 

 

6)     Violates Religious Freedoms- The ordinance forces Christians and other people of faith to violate their rights of conscience and good faith religious beliefs in business and employment situations and with housing decisions for private property owners.  

 

     I implore you to send a message to your city council NOW!  Tell them that you oppose this ordinance in any form.  Additionally, if you can get to City Hall this Tuesday for the next meeting PLEASE ATTEND.

Our physical presence makes a HUGE difference. 

     Send this to your list of small business owners so that they too can respond. Send it to your friends and ask them to email and support their city.

     While it appears to be most important to send the message to Lori Boyer, Jim Love, Greg Anderson. Robin Lumb, Bill Bishop, Ray Holt and Dr. Johnny Gaffney a message to each member is highly effective.

 

District 2: William Bishop                                        [e-mail]

District 11: Ray Holt                                                [e-mail]

At Large (Group 4) Greg Anderson                           [e-mail]

At Large (Group 5) Robin Lumb                                [e-mail]

District 3: Richard Clark                                          [e-mail]

District 5: Lori N. Boyer                                           [e-mail]

District 7: Dr. Johnny Gaffney -                              [e-mail]

District 8: E. Denise Lee                                          [e-mail]

District 9: Warren Jones                                           [e-mail]

District 10: Reginald Brown                                     [e-mail]

District 14: Jim Love                                                [e-mail]

At Large (Group 2) John R. Crescimbeni                   [e-mail]

At Large (Group 3) Stephen C. Joost                         [e-mail]

District 1: Clay Yarborough                                     [e-mail]

District 4: Don Redman                                           [e-mail]

At-Large (Group 1): Kimberly Daniels                      [e-mail]

District 6: Matt Schellenberg                                   [e-mail]

District 12: Doyle Carter                                         [e-mail]

District 13: Bill Gulliford                                          [e-mail]

 

     In addition to your emails you can do more, there is a City Council meeting scheduled at City Hall tomorrow June 26^th at 5PM. It is critical that as many people as possible show up as a public display of support  AGAINST this bill. Know that the opposition will be there in mass.

Thank you

[Robert Henderson]

FYI, I sent the following to Gaffney and Brown; Hope it helps! 

I appreciate your vote against 296. I am certain you made the correct decision! As we have seen with Chick-fil-A and now with the attack on the Family Research Council, those with opinions that differ from Gays will be harassed, to say the least!

The rights of others will be restrained and their businesses will be subjected to frivolous law suits! In Federalist 10, Madison warned against ‘factions’ and that is what this ordinance creates!

Please don’t give in to personal harassment, and if you need further input, I encourage you to contact me! Remember Ben Franklin: “The heart of the fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of the wise man is in his heart. “

May God Bless, Bob

[Leanne King]

John, I will be there as I got a notice this am..Do you have more information?

[Tom Wright]

How about some of getting back on subject.

I thought we were talking about a gay rights bill.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Roma, you have crossed a line for me. I have asked you time and again not to denagrate the republican candidate for president, Romney. You just won't stop with the Ron Paul crap. And no Mr. Romney will not take us off the same cliff at 85 miles an hour. What the heck is wrong with you????

[vonnise cobb]

It looks like our election choice in November will be Obama or Romney.  Somemay not be happy with the choices, but the fact remains, that is what it is!  In that light, I wish the conservatives would stop bashing Romney. It is just causing hate and discontent. They both have baggage, which would you prefer? The Obama baggage or the Romney baggage?  I will be taking my chances with the Romney baggage in November. At least I don't think he is out to turn our country into an Islamic state and become the first American dictator like Obama is hell bent on doing and will do if we don't come together and get him out of our oval office.

Let's just concentrate on getting HIM out in November, we can then turn our attention to the RINO's after that.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Jay, people have the option of unelecting and putting someone new in congress, but they don't, because they believe it is not their guy (or girl).  That thinking is what has us in the mess we are in, because these folks go into it for the money and the power, and they need to be allowed to do a couple of terms, if they do a good job, and then, they need to be replaced by someone else.  If that were to happen and we got rid of all the benefits like retirements etc., people would come back into the private sector after a couple of terms and that is what needs to start happening.  Right now , it is just plain to lucrative.............................

[Patricia M. McBride]

Roma, I was not disputing that the court at one point or another has been used by presidents and the congress to get what they want at the expense of the LAW, and the CC and WC have been a stop gap into forever...............and now we can add the right to tax (unless that is we repeal the tax amendment?).  Perhaps time to add something about the list of duties being the only ones the federal government can attach themselves to and take out the opportunity to use these 2 clauses somehow which would also serve to get rid of the precedence that goes with all the law breaking and stretching that has been done to accomodate our other 2 branches at the expense of the people!

[Patricia M. McBride]

Agree that the supreme court now has also been corrupted.  It is not longer about determining constitutionality and has become very political with the 2 appointments made by Obama (which was all the appointments were ever meant to be..............he needed folks on the court that would argue his case for things period........................and it appears it worked).

[Patricia M. McBride]

Jay, I do tend to agree that without any demand, the drug business would be no more.  So now, how do you get people to get off them............or do we hook them to something else as many programs do where they go get a shot that replaces the drug of choice and that shot is also addictive but not as damaging to the body (or at least we are told it isn't as damaging).

[Patricia M. McBride]

And Amanda, there are many good taxpayers who might not agree to paying more in taxes for state run prisons (or anything else). You paint a pretty picture about how wonderful it will all be with the state running things, but rarely is government run anything a pretty picture..............more like a nightmare. And the private companies put folks to work as well!