This is from a hetero friend of mine...
Find a Conversation
| Fri, 12-02-2005 - 5:43pm |
here in indy. The Star Is our main Paper.
Dear Ones,
In response to the upcoming vote in the City-County Council regarding protection from discrimination for our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters, I sent a letter to the editor of the Indianapolis Star today (see below). I intend on sending a similar letter to members of the City-County Council.
If you have not already done so, I urge you to contact your city-county councilor to make your opinion known. It would be a shame if we were to lose this simply because not enough of us spoke up.
Please make your voices heard. People are depending on us.
To the Editor of the Star:
The arguments against the ordinance before the City-County Council that would provide equal protection for our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters seem to fall into three categories: 1) Homosexuality is a choice and we shouldn't provide protection for people's personal choices; 2) God doesn't like homosexuality; and 3) the laws already on the books are sufficient to protect gays.
If homosexuality is a choice and we shouldn't protect people from being discriminated against on the basis of choices, why not eliminate equal protection under the law for other choices-- such as religion? I am certain that a Christian who finds himself confronted by an employer or a landlord who says "You're out of here unless you convert to my religion" would gladly embrace the protection the law provides for his choice of religion. Suppose someone is disabled because he chose to drink and drive and had an accident? Should the protection afforded by the Americans With Disabilities Act not apply to him?
According to a variety of interpretations of the Bible, there are a lot of things God doesn't like: unmarried couples living together, people having children out of wedlock, people who eat pork--the list is endless. Some people still maintain that interracial relationships and marriages are wrong in the eyes of God.
And yet it is illegal to discriminate against someone because he or she is married to or involved with a person of a different race. It is illegal to fire someone merely for being a single parent. It is illegal to evict someone because they love pork ribs and their landlord doesn't.
But it is perfectly legal to say, "I'm sorry, but you're involved with a person of the same sex, so you're fired." Or evicted. Or denied access to public benefits. It is absolutely legal and there is no recourse for those affected.
You may not like the fact that a man and a woman live together without being married. You may have disdain for people who have children out of wedlock. You may not like the fact that some people don't share your religious convictions. It's ok to not like those things, and to wish that people were more like yourself. But it's not ok to deny people access to housing and employment because they're not like you. And that should include people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered.
I pray that the members of the City-County Council will put aside their prejudices and see that equal protection under the law should be available to all people.
Laurie
Check out my new blog.
co-cl of Lesbian Life Message Board
Email- didoangst@comcast.net
http://didoangst.blogspot.com/
http://www.4-lesbianlife.com/

Wow Laurie that's really great that they spoke up for our community!
hugs
halo
I've always said, that no one knows the injustice, until they feel the injustice themselves. Then and only then, will someone stand up and speak up for themselves, and possibly others.
It only goes to say, if I point a finger at someone else, then three are pointing back at me.
Thanks, Laurie.
Hugs!
Hugs,
Sebastian
http://www.facebook.com/sebastianbruce
Yes, I am going to write a letter and I know my Mom will. The shame of it is that my hetero friend beat me to it. But I guess that is what friends are for. She is the friend who is an ordained Minister and say's she looks forward to the day she can marry us legally. She and I met doing comedy together. We did alot of overnight road trips together too for comedy.
Laurie
Check out my new blog.
co-cl of Lesbian Life Message Board
Email- didoangst@comcast.net
http://didoangst.blogspot.com/
http://www.4-lesbianlife.com/
Laurie
Check out my new blog.
co-cl of Lesbian Life Message Board
Email- didoangst@comcast.net
http://didoangst.blogspot.com/
http://www.4-lesbianlife.com/
There's the wind and the rain
And the mercy of the fallen
Who say hey it's not my place to know what's right
There's the weak and the strong
And the many stars that guide us
We have some of them inside us
Mercy of the Fallen
worlds undone
Laurie
Check out my new blog.
co-cl of Lesbian Life Message Board
Email- didoangst@comcast.net
http://didoangst.blogspot.com/
http://www.4-lesbianlife.com/
We're going through something similar with our City Council. Your friend's letter was excellent, very well-written.
Hugs,
Ting
Always nice to hear that from an editor! ; )
Laurie
Check out my new blog.
co-cl of Lesbian Life Message Board
Email- didoangst@comcast.net
http://didoangst.blogspot.com/
http://www.4-lesbianlife.com/