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Ordinance 2012-296 ACTION NEEDED
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 WBishop@coj.net
District 11: Ray Holt Holt@coj.net
At Large (Group 4) Greg Anderson GAnderson@coj.net
At Large (Group 5) Robin Lumb RLumb@coj.net
District 3: Richard Clark RClark@coj.net
District 5: Lori N. Boyer LBoyer@coj.net
District 7: Dr. Johnny Gaffney - Gaffney@coj.net
District 8: E. Denise Lee EDLee@coj.net
District 9: Warren Jones WAJones@coj.net
District 10: Reginald Brown RBrown@coj.net
District 14: Jim Love JimLove@coj.net
At Large (Group 2) John R. Crescimbeni JRC@coj.net
At Large (Group 3) Stephen C. Joost Joost@coj.net
District 1: Clay Yarborough Clay@coj.net
District 4: Don Redman Redman@coj.net
At-Large (Group 1): Kimberly Daniels KimDaniels@coj.net
District 6: Matt Schellenberg MattS@coj.net
District 12: Doyle Carter doylec@coj.net
District 13: Bill Gulliford Gulliford@coj.net
In addition to your emails you can do more, there is a City Council meeting scheduled at City Hall tomorrow June 26th 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
Views: 1989
Comment
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Comment by Patricia M. McBride on June 30, 2012 at 8:23am
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Jay, by normal gays, I mean the folks in our community (and there are many of them) who have a job, family, friends, partners and a home in neighborhoods where they are accepted and liked, because they are just like everyone else that lives there (home, job, respected members of their community and well like etc). The majority of gay residents in Jacksonville are not down at city hall whining about how badly they are treated, because they have a life just like everyone else, and what goes on in the privacy of their home is no one's business but their own. It is all about choices and you can be a victim or you can get your act together and live your life. It is a choice. If you are someone people would like, the fact someone is gay is not going to change that! Many at city hall asking for this bill to be passed, choose to be victims and make that choice freely and on their own, and then, expect those who do not agree with them about their victimization will be forced to be dragged into the human rights council if any one of these whiners perceive they have been slighted.
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Good to see you John. Agree. Right now all the rights are vested in a chosen
behavior that is abhorrent to many, and they should not be forced to associate
with, rent their property or hire someone by force of the law. We have a fine
city that is not discriminatory over all, and this bill basically says we have a
serious problem here, and not problem exists. Most of the folks who want this
bill, can't give specific instances where they didn't get a job or refused a
rental based on their gayness. All they can do is get up and supply the old "I
am discriminated against and these awful things have happened to me without
details or information relevant to what this bill is all about. Actually, this
bill says something really awful about our city, and it is being brought to you
by the same folks who started the Human Rights Commission in spite of the fact
this function is taken care of at the state level. This whole boon doggle is
nothing but a justification to turn the Human Rights Commission into another
giant money gobbler for the tax payers of the city and justify their existence
by fabricated cases and "perceived" slights.
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Amanda, find the part that says I will throw the judges out. I know I certainly entertained the thought a couple of times right after the "verdict", but huh really or is that another of you "guesses"????? Inquiring minds want to know!
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Leanne, I gave up trying to keep folks on topic. We have a few that are chronic offenders, and I used to comment.............but got sick of beating my head against a wall! Never used to be this way, but most of the time now adays I feel like I over on Huffington Post and suspect there are a couple others on here who might agree :). Your plan sounds good (and yes, most blogs require you to stay on topic or they don't allow your comment up, they don't allow cus words, etc.
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Comment by Leanne King on June 29, 2012 at 9:16pm
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I know that a blog is supposed to be a place where information is shared and people "Chat" about the issues. I am new at this and given what I have seen today I decided to go out and do just a little self- study about blogging. Based on the fact that I did not create this site and there does not appear to be any BLOG policies established it is something else that I will need to look into. I did find the information below interesting.
Creating Policies
(about the development of a blog site)
Your blog is your own space on the web, and depending on your goals, you can publish the type of content you want and not publish the type of content you don’t want. That’s where blog policies come into the picture. Policies are intended to protect you and your audience as well as set expectations about the type of content that will or will not be published on your blog.Comment Policy
As your blog grows and your posts receive more and more comments, you’ll undoubtedly receive comments you don’t want to publish on your blog or that require minor editing before you’ll publish them. For example, hateful comments that attack individuals usually aren’t welcome on blogs, and comments that include obscenities could be offensive. Similarly, comments that might be spam can hurt the user experience on your blog and should be deleted.
A comment policy allows you to define what types of comments you will delete or edit using the comment moderation tools in your account. Your comment policy also protects you, so you can refer visitors whose comments are edited or deleted to your established policy to understand why their comments were revised or not published at all.Right now there does not appear to be a way to review comments before they are published. I guess I will need to look into that as well.
I believe that everyone who belongs to the FCTP belongs because they have a great love of America and a deep appreciation for the freedoms that we enjoy. Right now I believe that we are upset, we are frightened at the events that are occurring in our country. I would like to believe that we understand the personal level of pain and struggle that many before us have offered up so that we can live in this great land. They may not have agreed on everything, but they agreed that America was worth fighting and dying for and they joined together for the greater good.
I also believe that we all can look at the same picture and see something very different just as it is with our personal opinions about the same issue. There is nothing wrong with that, being different and sharing our different views is a good thing. That is how great ideas are born. Blogging like e-mail is a great little gift, but it in no means is a substitute for face to face conversation, it is just too easy to hide behind the screen.Why do we want to argue or attack the person instead of the issue? If we were to focus on the situation, the action or the idea instead of the person who has expressed the thought we might be a lot more effective, learn something new and certainly we would be more respectful of each other.
If you are out here then YOU ARE A TEA PARTY MEMBER. That is something special. We have far too much TO DO to spend time beating each other up. We must stay focused on our goal and work together. I would love to have all this energy at the table helping to make a difference. When will I get to meet you all in person?
That is all I am going to say on the topic.
Leanne
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manda, you are clueless about me, so please don't start you foolishness about I will support anyone with an R behind their name or telling me who and what I am, because you flat out don't know, but much of what you spout is a fairy tale anyway.
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Ken, I actually, agree that a justice should not change something to make it right and then, write the decision on it (and Roberts did that.........I agree). Right now, I have read so much stuff on this, I will be grateful for the heritage or cato to come out with something one of the legal eagles has written about it. A couple of business law courses in no way prepare you to do anything but participate in a discussion like this on any level that makes sense, but I do at least have a working knowledge of the law (and understand what a judge can and cannot consider when they have a case under consideration), and I have a pretty solid understanding of what a judge is supposed to do, since I had a couple of pretty decent "real life" lawyers teaching the courses, and I also pay attention to attorneys I have heard speak on issues related to the constition etc. Still remember one of the lawyer jokes one of them told in a class (about a porche which was a hoot). Anyway, I am confused and working this whole thing out and have been thinking out loud on here as I hope others have been as well, since none of us has had time enough to digest this whole thing. There were so many little side notes.
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Amanda, because some of those people who don't have health insurance can't afford to buy it, and are barely making it now. Unfortunately, they also make just barely enough money not to qualify for federal help, and by the time they pay a fine, it will make it hard for them to even buy food as it is difficult for them to feed themselves right now (I know some people this will happen to). Now I understand in whatever perfect little liberal, well ordered world you live in, there is justice there in killing off old people, forcing those who can't afford health care to pay a fine, and all the rest you flaming lunatics believe in, so you don't have to contribute anything to anyone but your little own self. I certainly hope you never, ever reach a day when you are in the same spot many of the people in this country are in right now, but should it happen to you, I wish you someone who will plague you with the same liberal crap you spout on this web site. You also will get old (you won't feel any different, but you will suddenly one day be old), you also may have hard days in your future, or you may be unemployed and find it difficult to make ends meet. At that very time, I hope you find someone just like you to tell you the same things you have come on here and said! And by the by, you do whatever it is you wish to do with any property that belongs to you, but have the good grace to allow others to do likewise (lose the liberal I know best crapola................what is ok with you may not be OK with someone else or I am guessing you don't own rental property and don't have a clue what it is like to have someone come in and destroy the place). You are one of the most arrogant human beings I have met on this site. I have no idea who you think you are trying to tell others how to live or your idea of what is acceptable based on what you would do. Typical liberal..............if they become vegans, they want it legislated so every one has to become one etc etc etc. What rock did you crawl out from under anyway????
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Comment by amanda choate on June 29, 2012 at 8:47pm
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Patricia, how do you support the guy who invented Obamney Care. You are for throwing out the justices who voted for it and charge Obama and democrats with treason. Not my idea of a solution but it is yours. Yet those priciples go out the window so long as there is an "R" behind his name. Romney wrote an op-ed stating that the mandate was the solution for America. You seem angry because you are trying square that circle. Roma and Tom are at least true to themselves.
I must quote the Bard here, "To thine ownself be true".
And as soon as someone tells him who he is, Romney will be him. He makes Kerry look like an idealogue.
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Roma, you don't know who or how many people there are involved with FCTP or anything about the membership that I know of. I have NOT seen you at anything in a very long time nor have I seen you at any meeting or taking an active part in anything we do. Do you even know who the team leaders are? And for the inth-teen time, Mitt Romney is the GOP candidate for president, please accept that. Ron Paul is not the candidate, and we are going to go racing over to his camp. I know Paulites never give up (ever), but you are beating a dead horse. I understand he is an inspriring person in many respects, but he has withdrawn from the race. For the sake of our country, stop it. The man has many good ideas, but he didn't get traction because along with a number of good ideas, he has some other ideas that many of us worried about!
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