There’s no good reason anti-discrimination laws should not be extended to people based on their sexuality and gender identity. But that doesn’t mean some religious people won’t try to justify their bigotry.
The Goshen City Council in Indiana had a chance to offer protection to GLBT people.
More than 500 people showed up to the meeting and most wanted to share their opinion on the ordinance that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of protected classes. Other classes already included are race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin and ancestry.
The council decided to hold the meeting at the high school instead of the regular meeting room to accommodate for the large crowd.
It was standing room only inside the auditorium and some people were kept outside by the fire marshal.
So how did it turn out?
The ordinance was rejected on a 4-3 vote. GLBT people won’t be getting that protection.
You know religion had to play a role in this…
Some speakers discussed religious reasons for their stance on the law.
“This is an issue of morals, if we start telling people in our schools everything’s okay, where do we draw the line? I want to know where do we draw the line,” said one resident who said he talked with his pastor about the ordinance.
You draw the line in favor of helping people who are being discriminated against for things that are not in their control. That’s what the moral thing to do would be.
When I hear things like this, it just adds to the stereotype that the “Christian” thing to do is give the middle finger to people whose sexuality you don’t understand.
It’s pathetic.
The most depressing part is that the ordinance was so close to passing, but the person who co-sponsored it switched his vote:
Councilman and co-sponsor of the ordinance Chic Lantz switched his vote. According to our news partners at the Elkhart Truth, he originally supported the ordinance in its first reading, but now says he’s changed his mind after looking at similar laws in other cities.
If you live in the region, maybe you can shed more light on this story. But no one seems to have won in this situation — not the city of Goshen, not the residents who now have to face another uphill battle, and not the religious residents who embarrassed themselves by fighting against tolerance.
(Thanks to Rodney for the link!)