[Vision2020] Sandpoint Ordinance Bans Sexual Orientation/Gender Identification Discrimination
Art Deco
art.deco.studios at gmail.com
Tue Aug 14 16:57:08 PDT 2012
I agree with Donovan.
The excuse of claiming that "those are just words" is chickenshit. Those
politicians using such a transparent lie are dishonest, cowardly, arrogant,
and if they believe it grossly ignorant.
The same excuse has been used for condone and continue discrimination
against women, blacks, and other racial or ethnic groups.
w.
On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 4:18 PM, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
> My apologies, Mr. Arnold, for over-reacting.
>
> My response was absolutely uncalled for.
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
> students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
>
> - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
>
>
> On Aug 14, 2012, at 4:10 PM, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> I never claimed Mr. Hansen was a bigot. It is very much to the contrary.
> Tom has done a lot to improve human rights in Moscow and raise awareness of
> discrimination. His work and efforts show he has more heart for the City
> of Moscow and ALL people in it then most the people born and raised in the
> City. However, I do think he doesn't always take the time to read what
> others write and has knee jerk reactions and sometimes childish outbursts
> in public. But, it is hard to expect anything less from such an impassioned
> loving soul which is what we all love about Tom Hansen.
>
> Donovan J. Arnold
>
> *From:* Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com>
> *To:* Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 14, 2012 3:37 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Sandpoint Ordinance Bans Sexual
> Orientation/Gender Identification Discrimination
>
> Contrary to Mr. Arnold's allegation, I am NOT a bigot!!!
>
> I could go into extensive detail relating how I have actively pursued and
> supported equality for all multi-celled organisms . . . substantiated by
> videos, documents, and various other media (including a short article in
> the LA Free Press - October 1968) . . . dating back to protests in
> McArthur Park in Los Angeles (1968 and 1969). But, Arnold doesn't
> deserve another breath of my time!
>
> 'Nuff said!
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
> students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
>
> - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
>
>
> On Aug 14, 2012, at 3:20 PM, Donovan Arnold <<donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
> donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I didn't misinterpret anything. "I know that they are merely words",
> was the exact words Mr. Hansen used. And that is what Dan Carscallen and
> many bigots have told me when trying to add the words to anti-bigotry
> legislation. It isn't just words. There is HUGE difference between saying,
> "Add the words" and saying they are merely just words.
>
> Moscow has a failed leadership in this regard. The US military and
> Sandpoint are less homophobic then Moscow. Moscow was known as being
> more educated, progressive, gay friendly and open minded in the 80s and
> 90s. It is not possible to make that assertion anymore. In this regard,
> it might as well be just another GED educated homophobic hick town in
> southern Idaho.
>
> Donovan J. Arnold
>
> *From:* Tom Hansen < <thansen at moscow.com>thansen at moscow.com>
> *To:* Nancy Chaney < <nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>
> *Cc:* Donovan Arnold < <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
> donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>; Jeanne McHale < <jeannemchale at hotmail.com>
> jeannemchale at hotmail.com>; Lois Blackburn < <loisb at q.com>loisb at q.com>;
> Tim Brown < <tbrown at ci.moscow.id.us>tbrown at ci.moscow.id.us>; Friends of
> the Clearwater < <foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org>
> foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org>; Moscow Vision 2020 <<vision2020 at moscow.com>
> vision2020 at moscow.com>; Walter M Steed < <wmsteed at ci.moscow.id.us>
> wmsteed at ci.moscow.id.us>; Mary Jo VanGerpen < <maryjovg at yahoo.com>
> maryjovg at yahoo.com>; Sue Scott < <sscott at ci.moscow.id.us>
> sscott at ci.moscow.id.us>; Aaron Ament < <aaronament at moscow.com>
> aaronament at moscow.com>; Fritz Knorr < <fritzknorr at gmail.com>
> fritzknorr at gmail.com>; Brett Haverstick < <bhaverstick at yahoo.com>
> bhaverstick at yahoo.com>; Marilyn Beckett < <marilynbeckett at gmail.com>
> marilynbeckett at gmail.com>; Northwest Coalition For Human Rights <<nwchr at uidaho.edu>
> nwchr at uidaho.edu>; Cheryl Halverson < <basketmakeart at yahoo.com>
> basketmakeart at yahoo.com>; Wayne Krauss < <wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us>
> wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us>; DanCarscallen < <dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us>
> dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us>; Tom Lamar < <tlamar at ci.moscow.id.us>
> tlamar at ci.moscow.id.us>; Wild Idaho Rising Tide <<wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com>
> wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com>; Helen Yost <<helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu>
> helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 14, 2012 8:23 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Sandpoint Ordinance Bans Sexual
> Orientation/Gender Identification Discrimination
>
> My apologies, Mayor Chaney, for Mr. Arnold's misinterpretation.
>
> I assure you that it does not reflect the sentiment of the majority.
>
> <image.jpeg>
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
> students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
>
> - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
>
>
> On Aug 14, 2012, at 8:06 AM, Nancy Chaney < <nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us><nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us><nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>
> nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us> wrote:
>
> All: The "Add the Words" campaign was the strategically-identified
> soundbyte and handheld sign shortcut to ask Idaho Legislators to afford
> the same rights and protections to members of the LGBTQA community:
> <http://addthewords.org/> <http://addthewords.org/><http://addthewords.org/><http://addthewords.org/>
> http://addthewords.org/ Please don't misinterpret that reference as a
> slight to those who are fearful, resentful, and discriminated against
> because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. I agree
> that compassion and equality are far more than buzzwords.
>
> *Nancy J. Chaney, Mayor*
> *City of Moscow*
> *206 E. 3rd St./P.O. Box 9203*
> *Moscow ID 83843*
> *Ph: (208) 883-7021*
> www.ci.moscow.id.us
>
> *From:* Donovan Arnold [ <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com><donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com><donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
> donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 14, 2012 4:20 AM
> *To:* Tom Hansen; Nancy Chaney
> *Cc:* Jeanne McHale; Lois Blackburn; Tim Brown; Friends of the Clearwater;
> Moscow Vision 2020; Walter M Steed; Mary Jo VanGerpen; Sue Scott; Aaron
> Ament; Fritz Knorr; Brett Haverstick; Marilyn Beckett; Northwest
> Coalition For Human Rights; Cheryl Halverson; Wayne Krauss; Dan Carscallen;
> Tom Lamar; Wild Idaho Rising Tide; Helen Yost
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Sandpoint Ordinance Bans Sexual
> Orientation/Gender Identification Discrimination
>
> Pardon my language but this is *bullshit!* Protecting the LGBTcommunity from hatred and discrimination is not just
> *words*. Is the Constitution just words? Is the Idaho State Statutes just
> words? Is a "stop ahead" sign just words? Do you have any idea at all,
> how hard it is to hide who you are for decades and decades out of fear of
> losing your job, medical benefits, and even housing? It is exhausting!!!
>
> I am unable to do it anymore, that is why I moved to Washington State,
> where I don't have to hide who I am or get tossed out of a job. I have
> been fired two times from a job for having the audacity of being born gay.
> And there isn't any legal action I can take because it is legal. I have
> been beaten twice for being gay, and I could not do anything about it
> because it is not a hate crime in Idaho. It is your word against the
> people that beat you as to who started the fight, and you being gay in some
> people's minds is starting the fight even if you are just minding your own
> damn business in your home.
>
> Everyday, thousands and thousands of teens, adults, and their family
> members live in fear, in Idaho, including Moscow, and hide who they are
> because of not having the protection from law enforcement that everyoneelse has.
>
> It is nothing less than a disgrace that the leadership of Moscow cannot
> adopt laws that are not homophobic and bigoted. Every member of the Moscow
> City Council that voted to deny members of the LGBT community the same
> rights and protections as all other law abiding tax paying citizens has
> earned their legacy in Moscow history as bigots. Because that is exactly
> what they are. It is pathetic that some people even in the
> 21st century think they are better then others and deserve more rights
> just for being born white and straight.
>
> My only consolation is that while I was at NIC and UI I helped write an
> made sure that students would not be discriminated against in any student
> fee funded event, group or organization. But I find it tragic that 17-24
> year-olds did before 2004 what grown adults still cannot figure out in
> 2012.
>
> A just community must stomp on the ugly head of bigotry wherever and
> whenever it dares surface.
>
> Donovan J. Arnold
>
> *From:* Tom Hansen < <thansen at moscow.com> <thansen at moscow.com><thansen at moscow.com>
> thansen at moscow.com>
> *To:* Nancy Chaney < <nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us> <nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us><nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>
> nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>
> *Cc:* Jeanne McHale < <jeannemchale at hotmail.com><jeannemchale at hotmail.com><jeannemchale at hotmail.com>
> jeannemchale at hotmail.com>; Lois Blackburn < <loisb at q.com> <loisb at q.com><loisb at q.com>
> loisb at q.com>; TimBrown < <tbrown at ci.moscow.id.us> <tbrown at ci.moscow.id.us><tbrown at ci.moscow.id.us>
> tbrown at ci.moscow.id.us>; Friends of the Clearwater <<foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org><foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org><foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org>
> foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org>; Moscow Vision 2020 <<vision2020 at moscow.com><vision2020 at moscow.com><vision2020 at moscow.com>
> vision2020 at moscow.com>; Walter M Steed < <wmsteed at ci.moscow.id.us><wmsteed at ci.moscow.id.us><wmsteed at ci.moscow.id.us>
> wmsteed at ci.moscow.id.us>; Mary Jo VanGerpen < <maryjovg at yahoo.com><maryjovg at yahoo.com><maryjovg at yahoo.com>
> maryjovg at yahoo.com>; Sue Scott < <sscott at ci.moscow.id.us><sscott at ci.moscow.id.us><sscott at ci.moscow.id.us>
> sscott at ci.moscow.id.us>; Aaron Ament < <aaronament at moscow.com><aaronament at moscow.com><aaronament at moscow.com>
> aaronament at moscow.com>; Fritz Knorr < <fritzknorr at gmail.com><fritzknorr at gmail.com><fritzknorr at gmail.com>
> fritzknorr at gmail.com>; Brett Haverstick < <bhaverstick at yahoo.com><bhaverstick at yahoo.com><bhaverstick at yahoo.com>
> bhaverstick at yahoo.com>; Marilyn Beckett < <marilynbeckett at gmail.com><marilynbeckett at gmail.com><marilynbeckett at gmail.com>
> marilynbeckett at gmail.com>; Northwest Coalition For Human Rights <<nwchr at uidaho.edu><nwchr at uidaho.edu><nwchr at uidaho.edu>
> nwchr at uidaho.edu>; Cheryl Halverson < <basketmakeart at yahoo.com><basketmakeart at yahoo.com><basketmakeart at yahoo.com>
> basketmakeart at yahoo.com>; Wayne Krauss < <wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us><wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us><wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us>
> wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us>; Dan Carscallen < <dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us><dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us><dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us>
> dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us>; Tom Lamar < <tlamar at ci.moscow.id.us><tlamar at ci.moscow.id.us><tlamar at ci.moscow.id.us>
> tlamar at ci.moscow.id.us>; Wild Idaho Rising Tide <<wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com><wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com><wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com>
> wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com>; Helen Yost <<helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu><helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu><helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu>
> helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu>
> *Sent:* Sunday, August 12, 2012 4:43 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Sandpoint Ordinance Bans Sexual
> Orientation/Gender Identification Discrimination
>
> Thank you, very much, for your response, Mayor Chaney.
>
> I know that they are merely words. But, they are words that reflect
> heavily on the culture and integrity of this community. Adopting those
> words emphasizes what I have grown to feel since my first here, that . . .
>
> "Mosow Cares"
> <http://www.moscowcares.com/> <http://www.moscowcares.com/><http://www.moscowcares.com/><http://www.moscowcares.com/>
> http://www.moscowcares.com/
>
> I may not have ben born here in Moscow, Idaho, but I got here as fast as
> I could.
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
>
>
>
> On Aug 12, 2012, at 4:22 PM, Nancy Chaney < <nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us><nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us><nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us><nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>
> nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us> wrote:
>
> Dear Tom,
>
> Thank you for posting the article on Sandpoint's recent action to
> prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
> There's also an editorial on that topic in the Aug 12 Lewiston Trib(reprinted from the Idaho Statesman). The premise is, as you also suggest,
> "In Idaho, leadership begins at the local level." Although, when I proposed
> "adding the words" in Moscow, that effort failed 5-1 (March 2, 2009;
> <http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/mediaplayers/stream.aspx?mediaSource=Video/cc/council_03-02-09.wmv&title=City><http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/mediaplayers/stream.aspx?mediaSource=Video/cc/council_03-02-09.wmv&title=City><http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/mediaplayers/stream.aspx?mediaSource=Video/cc/council_03-02-09.wmv&title=City><http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/mediaplayers/stream.aspx?mediaSource=Video/cc/council_03-02-09.wmv&title=City><http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/mediaplayers/stream.aspx?mediaSource=Video/cc/council_03-02-09.wmv&title=City>
> http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/mediaplayers/stream.aspx?mediaSource=Video/cc/council_03-02-09.wmv&title=CityCouncil Meeting on 03-02-09), Council members indicated that they believed
> that gender identity and expression were already protected, and that it was
> not their intent to discriminate. Moscow has earned a reputation as a
> welcoming and inclusive community. We are fortunate for the vigilance and
> outreach by Moscow Human Rights Commission and Latah County Human
> Rights Task Force and our allies. As other communities around our State
> and Nation "add the words," the topic is likely to come up here again. How
> soon is unknown, but it is important to continue asking the hard questions,
> as you do so well.
>
> Appreciatively,
> Nancy C
>
> *Nancy J. Chaney, Mayor*
> *City of Moscow*
> *206 E. 3rd St./P.O. Box 9203*
> *Moscow ID 83843*
> *Ph: (208) 883-7021*
> www.ci.moscow.id.us
>
> *From:* Tom Hansen [ <thansen at moscow.com> <thansen at moscow.com><thansen at moscow.com><thansen at moscow.com>
> thansen at moscow.com]
> *Sent:* Sunday, August 05, 2012 11:46 AM
> *To:* Moscow Vision 2020
> *Cc:* Aaron Ament; Lois Blackburn; Tim Brown; Brett Haverstick; Marilyn
> Beckett; Cheryl Halverson; Nancy Chaney; Dan Carscallen; Friends of the
> Clearwater; Mary Jo Van Gerpen; Fritz Knorr; Helen Yost; Wild Idaho
> Rising Tide; Jeanne McHale; Wayne Krauss; Tom Lamar; Northwest Coalition
> For Human Rights; Walter M Steed; Sue Scott; Vera White
> *Subject:* Sandpoint Ordinance Bans Sexual Orientation/Gender
> Identification Discrimination
>
> Greetings V-Peeps, Mayor Chaney, and Members of the Moscow City Council -
>
> As a citizen and resident of Moscow, Idaho, I consider equality to be the
> primary ingredient in the foundation of all aspects of daily life in my
> adopted home town of Moscow, Idaho.
>
> Please read the article below and respond to the question I have posted at
> its conclusion.
>
> Courtesy of today's (August 5, 2012) Spokesman-Review.
>
> ---------------
>
> Sandpoint is only Idaho city to ban discrimination based on sexual
> orientation or gender identity
> Chamber of Commerce President Kate McAlister wasn’t expecting it when a
> woman in her 60s walked up to her at a community event, hugged her and
> started crying. “She said, ‘I want you to know that because of what you
> did, for the first time in all our lives I can take my partner to a
> Christmas party without fear of being fired,’ ” McAlister recalled.
>
> This was after McAlister helped push through a citywide ordinance in
> Sandpoint barring discrimination in employment, housing or public
> accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In Idaho,
> it’s still legal to fire someone because they’re gay, or to evict them from
> their home or deny them service in a restaurant. But it’s no longer legal
> within the city limits of Sandpoint.
>
> “When it passed, there was a round of applause from the audience,” said
> Sandpoint Mayor Marsha Ogilvie, who added that she was surprised to learn
> that Sandpoint was the first Idaho city to enact such a law. Pocatello is
> now drafting a similar ordinance that its City Council could vote on this
> fall, and Boise is looking into an ordinance.
>
> “If tiny little Sandpoint can do this, anybody can do it,” McAlistersaid. “I’m not sure what’s stopping us.”
>
> Mormon church backed ordinances in Utah
> Idaho appears to be in the early stages of a process that’s already
> happened in neighboring states. In Oregon, a dozen cities and counties had
> passed local nondiscrimination ordinances regarding sexual orientation
> before a statewide nondiscrimination law was enacted in 2007. In
> Washington, local laws also were passed in a dozen cities and counties
> before a statewide law passed in 2006.
>
> Spokane’s local ordinance passed in 1999; Seattle’s passed in the 1970s.
>
> In Utah, 15 cities and counties have now enacted nondiscrimination
> ordinances for sexual orientation, including Salt Lake City and Salt Lake
> County, which did so with the strong support of the Mormon church, the
> state’s dominant religious organization.
>
> But Utah hasn’t yet passed a state law, despite repeated attempts in the
> Legislature. And in Washington, the process was a long one: A bill was
> introduced every year for 29 years before it finally passed.
>
> Doug Honig of the Washington ACLU said local ordinances can help pave the
> way for statewide nondiscrimination laws. “Certainly it builds momentum,”
> Honig said. “It gives parts of the state experience in having laws like
> that, and showing the rest of the state that these laws can work and be
> effective. It also builds a comfort level among legislators when you’vehad laws like this at local jurisdictions.”
>
> Jeana Frazzini, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, which pushed
> for that state’s law, said: “Most Americans don’t realize that in many
> places it is still legal to be fired, denied housing or thrown out of a
> business for being gay. While a statewide, or even a nationwide, policy
> would be great, passing local ordinances provides the opportunity to build
> grass-roots support and educate the public. It lays important groundwork
> with both the public and policymakers across a state.”
>
> Idaho lawmakers have rejected legislation each year for the past six years
> to add the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the state’s
> Human Rights Act, which now bans discrimination on the basis of race, sex,
> color, national origin, religion, age or disability. In many of those
> years, including this year, lawmakers refused to even allow the bill to be
> introduced.
>
> Advocates were stunned at the party-line vote against introducing the bill
> this year, after a statewide outpouring of support for it that included
> well-attended rallies, including one that drew more than a thousand people
> to the state Capitol.
>
> Five Idaho cities, including Boise, Moscow and Caldwell, already have
> personnel policies for their city employees prohibiting discrimination
> based on sexual orientation. But those policies don’t affect discrimination
> by other employers in the cities, or in housing or public accommodations,
> like restaurants and hotels.
>
> No complaints so far in Sandpoint
> In Sandpoint, the ordinance passed in December and took effect in
> January. So far, there have been no complaints under it.
>
> Under the ordinance, complaints go to a new three-member city Human
> Relations Commission, which will first seek to resolve them through
> mediation. “The ordinance is designed to push people toward mediation,
> which gets them to talk,” said City Attorney Scot Campbell, who drafted it.
> “To me, that’s the best way to resolve this.”
>
> If that’s not successful, the commission can turn the complaint over to
> Campbell for possible prosecution; violations are misdemeanors. The
> ordinance specifically prohibits private lawsuits over the complaints,
> meaning business owners couldn’t be sued for damages.
>
> “We just want to fix what was going on, make changes,” Campbell said.
>
> He noted that the ordinance doesn’t just apply to gays and lesbians;
> everyone has a sexual orientation, and it forbids discrimination based on
> that.
>
> “It just helps make people aware,” he said. “That’s the way I explain it.”
>
> Sandpoint’s ordinance followed a similar move on another issue: textingwhile driving. The state had long debated laws to ban the practice but
> hadn’t successfully passed one. So Sandpoint passed its own ban.
>
> “We were one of the first cities to eliminate and outlaw texting while
> driving,” Ogilvie said. “The Legislature had been dragging their feet. It
> was ridiculous.”
>
> She also launched a multijurisdictional resolution with other cities
> against texting while driving and sent that to the Legislature. “Now it’s
> against the law, which is great. And we were a front-runner in that
> regard,” she said.
>
> Ogilvie called her city’s actions “an example of speaking loudly and
> being a squeaky wheel.”
>
> ‘Do what we can, where we are’
> In Pocatello, the city’s Human Relations Advisory Committee has been
> collecting stories from local residents who have experienced discrimination
> over their sexual orientation or gender identity. “People are very
> reluctant to have their name attached to it at all, because they could lose
> their job or housing,” said Susan Matsuura, chair of the committee. “So
> we’ve been collecting those anonymously.”
>
> A dozen stories have come in so far. Among them was the experience of a
> same-sex couple who had been happily living in a rented apartment when some
> repairs were needed, and the landlord learned that the two men shared a
> bedroom. They were evicted.
>
> Another resident told of silently and uncomfortably enduring offensive
> anti-gay jokes at work, for fear of the consequences of revealing that he
> was gay. “He needed the job very, very badly,” Matsuura said. “They didn’t
> understand why he didn’t laugh.”
>
> She said several personal stories, including stories of evictions and
> firings, were shared at a January rally in Pocatello in favor of the “Add
> the Words” campaign for a state law. When lawmakers didn’t act, her
> committee brought the proposal for a local ordinance to the City Council,
> and the mayor asked the city attorney to draft an ordinance.
>
> “I just feel if the state is unwilling to act, the Legislature won’t get
> off their tail and do it, the best I can hope for is to try and do
> something locally,” Matsuura said.
>
> Boise Mayor David Bieter said after the state failed to act, “the
> question was: Can we? Should we?” He said several City Council members
> raised the issue, and he asked the city attorney to begin researching it.
> “It’s uncharted waters for us,” he said. “Our job is to look out for the
> well-being of Boise, and that’s what we do.”
>
> Former Sandpoint City Councilman John Reuter, who first proposed Sandpoint’s
> ordinance, said, “Here was the thinking in my mind: When it comes to civil
> rights, all of us need to do what we can where we are.”
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> Courtesy of the minutes of the December 21, 2011 session of the Sandpoint,
> Idaho City Council at:
>
>
> <http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/councilmin.asp?WPC=COSPublic&CMD=MinutesDetail&ID=450><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/councilmin.asp?WPC=COSPublic&CMD=MinutesDetail&ID=450><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/councilmin.asp?WPC=COSPublic&CMD=MinutesDetail&ID=450><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/councilmin.asp?WPC=COSPublic&CMD=MinutesDetail&ID=450><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/councilmin.asp?WPC=COSPublic&>
> http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/councilmin.asp?WPC=COSPublic&CMD=
> MinutesDetail&ID=450
>
> ---------------
>
> L. ORDINANCE AND SUMMARY NO. 1261 – DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED
>
> Councilman Reuter noted that no one has testified against the proposed
> ordinance. He was saddened that there is a clear need for such an
> ordinance based on experiences in the community. The ordinance is
> important because it simultaneously protects those persons from frivolous
> complaints, creates a review process and tries to solve problems by
> addressing discrimination without a punitive impact. He noted that the
> Mayor, City Attorney and himself reviewed and revised the exception
> language after recommendations from the Administrative Committee. It was a
> priority to make sure the ordinance doesn’t go beyond the First Amendment.
>
> City Clerk Maree Peck read the proposed ordinance by title only.
> Councilman Reuter moved that the proposed ordinance titled “An ordinance
> of the City of Sandpoint, a municipal corporation of the State of Idaho,
> amending Sandpoint City Code Title 5, Chapter 2, to create a new section
> providing for the creation of the city of Sandpoint Human Relations
> Review Board and prohibiting discriminatory acts in housing, employment and
> public accommodations based upon sexual orientation or gender
> identity/expression; providing that a violation of this section shall be a
> misdemeanor with penalties pursuant to Idaho Code Section 18-113; providing
> exemptions; providing for severability; and providing for publication and
> an effective date” pass its first reading by title only and that the
> summary be approved. Councilwoman Logan seconded the motion.
>
> Councilwoman Brunner thanked Councilman Reuter for his work on the
> ordinance. Councilwoman Logan concurred and thanked City Attorney Scot
> Campbell for his work on the ordinance, as well. Councilman Reuterappreciated community support and thanked Scot Campbell for drafting an
> ordinance that was specific to our City. He stated this ordinance is a
> great continuation of Sandpoint’s legacy of standing up for human rights.
> Scot Campbell explained to Councilwoman Ogilvie that the SandpointPolice Department will be involved in the investigation process.
>
> Councilwoman Ogilvie read from a statement from a lesbian friend who
> raised concern that it would be a sad commentary that our kind, loving and
> beautiful City felt that they needed to make Sandpoint a beacon and
> magnet just to make a political statement. Scot Campbell noted he found
> all across the nation where several cities and states have adopted similar
> ordinances, but this particular ordinance is unique to Sandpoint and the
> State of Idaho. There has been some controversy with and support for
> similar ordinances across the nation. Councilman Reuter pointed out that
> sexual orientation covers a wide class for everyone. Mr. Campbell added we
> all have gender identity and gender expression.
>
> A roll call vote of the Council resulted as follows:
>
> Councilman Snedden Absent
> Councilwoman Ogilvie Yes
> Councilwoman Logan Yes
> Councilman Reuter Yes
> Councilman Schuck Yes
> Councilwoman Brunner Yes
>
> The motion passed unanimously by Council present, the proposed ordinance
> passed its first reading by title only, and the summary was approved.
>
> Councilwoman Logan moved that the rules requiring three separate readings,
> once in the ordinance’s entirety, be suspended and that the ordinance pass
> its second and third readings under suspension of the rules. Councilman
> Reuter seconded the motion.
>
> A roll call vote of Council resulted as follows:
>
> Councilwoman Brunner Yes
> Councilwoman Ogilvie Yes
> Councilwoman Logan Yes
> Councilman Reuter Yes
> Councilman Snedden Absent
> Councilman Schuck Yes
>
> The motion passed unanimously by Council present, the rules requiring
> three separate readings, once in the ordinance’s entirety, were suspended,
> and the proposed ordinance passed its second and third readings under
> suspension of the rules. The ordinance was considered read, passed and
> adopted, and the summary was approved. The ordinance is Number 1261.
>
> ---------------
>
> Sandpoint Ordinance 1261 - Discrimination Prohibited
>
>
> <http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/PDFs/Ordinances/1261%20-%20Discrimination%20Prohibited.pdf><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/PDFs/Ordinances/1261%20-%20Discrimination%20Prohibited.pdf><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/PDFs/Ordinances/1261%20-%20Discrimination%20Prohibited.pdf><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/PDFs/Ordinances/1261%20-%20Discrimination%20Prohibited.pdf><http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/PDFs/Ordinances/1261%20-%20Discrimination%20Prohibited.pdf>
> http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/PDFs/Ordinances/1261%20-%20Discrimination%20Prohibited.pdf
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> How much longer must the people of Moscow wait for its city council to
> adopt equality as a characteristic of Moscow, my adopted home town, in
> print in the form of an ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual
> orientation or gender identification?
>
> How about it Mayor Chaney, Councilman Steed, Councilman Krauss,
> Councilwoman Scott, Councilman Brown, Councilman Carscallen, and
> Councilman Lamar?
>
> Or will that be ignored . . . too?
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "If not us, who?
> If not now, when?"
>
> - Unknown
>
>
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--
Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
art.deco.studios at gmail.com
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