Gay rights ordinance passes (Indianapolis, Indiana)

7:40 PM December 19, 2005

Gay rights ordinance passes

The City-County Council tonight passed legislation banning discrimination in the workplace and housing market based on sexual orientation or gender identity.


Proposal 622 passed 15-14.
The vote quickly followed the council's vote to merge the city and county police departments. Both issues were handled in less than 45 minutes.

Both measures also appeared to be dead earlier this year, only to return to the council to win narrow victories. The police consolidation plan passed 16-13.

Opponents to Proposal 622 said little evidence was presented that gays and lesbians had been discriminated against. Others contended the measure was a step closer to sanctioning gay marriage.

Supporters argued the anti-discrimination ordinance merely extends the practices of most large companies, the governor's office, the prosecutor's office and city hall and applies them to all businesses and landlords within Marion County.

Advocates also say the measure sends a message that Indianapolis is a friendly city to gays and lesbians. Business leaders supported the measure to attract top talent here.

As the vote was announced supporters applauded and cheered. Among them was Jeff Miner, pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, which says it has the Midwest's largest gay and transgender congregation.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051219/NEWS01/51219027

-Jeff Miner, pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, which says it has the Midwest's largest gay and transgender congregation.

Great quote.


How long until Pat Robertson condemns us to hell?

but no, you didn't listen.

However, in doing so, he will also be damning many Republicans. It so happens that this ordinance passed because its language was similar to the one used in executive orders signed by GOP Governor Mitch Daniels, Indianapolis-Marion County GOP prosecutor Carl Brizzi, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, a Democrat.

Good news, good work Indiana! :applause: and :toast:

is not a very big margin.
But congrats Indianapolis anyway!

The business community and their GOP allies supported it. The Xtian Taliban opposed it! The GOP has a slight edge in the City Council. This would not have passed had it not been for a couple of GOP votes.

That really pisses me off! Not so long ago, they were the target of discriminatory laws. How can they justify the discrimination of another group of people? It's like they're saying, "We got our rights ... screw you!" :grr:

Sexual orientation is a choice, they said, while race is something they had no choice.

What can you expect from people that reject science? Fundies are all alike, no matter the color of skin.

People may speculate about the causes of sexual orientation but they DON'T really know.

If they did know there would no controversey about the topic.

What puts Colin Powell in a position to make such strong statements about sexuality? Is he a psychologist? Doctor of some sort...

Powell is not even a good professional in his own field of diplomacy and international relations since can't even distinguish fake documents or fake trailers.

But for some reason he's an expert on 'homosexuality'.

Please!

Give me a break!

People DO choose their life-styles ... I know I choose mine.

And that's the way it should be.

Period.

I have seen some hateful quotes from some leaders in the African American community over gay rights. It's very sad. Even one of MLK's nieces (right?) has traded on her relationship to that great man in order to publicly condemn gay rights.

This continues to baffle me. Born black, CHOSE to be a Christian. Either gays were born gay and they deserve the same protection as the black race, or they choose to be gay and they deserve the same protection as the Christian lifestyle.

How can I be free to choose my religion but not free to choose who I love because it doesn't fit into someone else's idea of religion? If God is love, then who decided that one-man one-woman missionary sex for procreation is the only kind of love approved by God?

Anyone who opposes gay rights is trying to force their chosen lifestyle on others and deny them same rights they enjoy.

The Dems have a 1 vote majority. About 4 or 5 of the dems are heavily influenced by some black churches that have an anti-gay bias, probably the same black churches that brought Reverend Moon to the city several years back in conjunction with the efforts of Republican wacko, drunken alcoholic, former sheriff, Jack Cottey. My, but that was weird, if you remember it.