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

[Patricia M. McBride]

Way to go Roma! We have become so acclimated by the feds doing anything they want no matter whose power some things fall under! Heaven knows the feds have talked about it.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Amanda, this was many, many years ago, and it wouldn't have mattered if there was a union or not. My parents gave me and my brothers and sisters a gift that cost them nothing: a work ethic and it was set by example. I said they were poor; I didn't say they didn't work their fannies off cause they did. I had a helper on Friday nights at the store, and when Frank and Marty went out to dinner, we used to work as fast as we could to finish wrapping everything in they put in the run before they got back.......every week they put out more, and every week the run was empty when they came back and both us us were straightening the counter and talking to customers. It got to be quite a joke with all of us, and we had a good bit of fun with it. Although I worked on Saturday, which was the busiest day of the week at the store, rarely did I have anything to wrap as we had done it all the night before. That is how I work period. No contests with others, the only person I ever competed with was me, so no, I didn't need a union to get paid a fair wage and have never taken money I didn't deserve. I straight out have always earned every dime I was paid fair and square, and I do windows too if that's all there is to do (cause I would rather be busy and if someone is paying me to do a job, I would think that might prefer someone who is industrious and actually works rather than hang out...........so don't even go there with me!

[Tom Wright]

Pat Mc B,

I too, was a employee of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company 1960-1970

Started @ .75 cents per hour, became full time @ $54.00 per week for 45 hours,left them in 1970 as an Asst. Store Manager $ 120.00 a week.

Yes, there were some great people, however you are correct the unions caused the death of the A&P in Florida.

When "Retail Clerks" came in, the regular employees decided they would not work any more and only worried about when was their breaks, and what time they went to lunch.

As a Manager, we had to take up the slack, I worked 60-70 hours a week, until I just could not do it anymore.

Tom Wright

[amanda choate]

So Patricia, did unions kill the A&P? What was it like working with those thugs?
As to our nation's drug, what a debacle. Look at arrests, it is staggering. The costs go beyond trial, incarceration do not begin describe the costs to us. We have the highest rate of incarceration in the world which is creating an entire class of people, ex-cons. In a tight economy they can't find decent jobs. Hell, Ken's son can't find a decent job. They are uneducated and unskilled and really it wouldn't matter if they were as employers are going to hire a guy without a record. Which is all bad for them, but worse for us. These guys are known as "turnips". They have kids whom they owe support, but they are unable to do so, which results in, get this, their arrest. Or maybe their license is taken, just as bad. We then have to help these kids, who through no fault of their own, find themselves living on the very ragged edge of our social cloth. We must be smarter than this, we must. But we will have to take a different view. This problem belongs to us all. It is non-patisan. For profit prisons are a loser because it builds nothing. At least state run system builds some lower middle class who can care for their families. Not just a rich corporation. I am willing to pay a little more so that prison towns like Starke, Lawtey, Belle Glade and elsewhere have citizens who can invest in their children.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Great commentary Ken, and true. I am so grateful for those who refuse to do the politically correct thing and just say it like it is!

[Patricia M. McBride]

Wow, they say a picture speaks volumes and that graph is unreal. So, what is the solution? I can't image legalizing drugs, but if they were legalized, would it get them off the streets and away from young children? Would it make it less profitable for the drug folks? Would it make it unprofitable enough where they would dry up and go away?

[Patricia M. McBride]

Well, now I really am totally confused :). Someone said their son had a summer job making $2 hour............didn't they? Right now having a summer job at all is a good thing since there are few of them out there. And it was not Amanda that worked at the A & P, it was me. I had the job before I turned 16 and the day after my birthday I worked my first day and stayed with them until 6 months after I graduated from high school by which time I was going all over the area training meat wrappers and knew every meat cutter in the whole area since I worked with most of them. It was a good job and a good paying job, and the fact the company was unionized helped my pay quite a bit even though I was part time and was not a member of the union (but I made about 4 times what most of the others in my high school class did and worked very nearly full time in the summer when they put me in stores all over the area to fill in for their full time employees when they went out on vacation. Great job, great people, and since we were poor people, me having a job allowed me to help out at home as well as buy my own clothes .............

[Patricia M. McBride]

If Ken's son is happy to have a summer job, and he has agreed to that amount, perhaps Ken and his son should decide if it isn't fair...........or perhaps there are perks of some sort?  Or perhaps it is the only job in the area?  There are so many other elements that could come in to play or maybe Ken just wants him to work to have a feel for getting up, getting ready and being someplace at a stated time ready to work.  Lots of things go into the choice of a summer job when you are still in school.  Maybe Ken will share the story :).   I think perhaps we all had after school jobs during high school; I know I did (but mine paid fairly well since the A&P was unionized and even part time employees got bumped up pay because of it.

[amanda choate]

Ken, I was serious, if your son is only earning two bucks an hour then melon picking is where he should be. Fifty bucks a day.

[Patricia M. McBride]

The young ladies that are accepted into Pace pretty much have to have the Payne attitude!