[Vision2020] Human rights, half a century later

Sun Jan 15 20:28:34 PST 2012

I should've made it clear that Fagan was opposing the extension of marriage rights to gays and lesbians in WA, not other "equal protection" rights.  I disagree with her.  But I want to reiterate that she can still be a decent person and believe as she does -- still,  I would expect her to be able to explain why she feels as she does, and I think that's reasonable.   That's what she owes her constituents, who can then decide if they want to retain her.  

I don't extend "bigot" to all people opposed to gay marriage, although I think it fits to those who would deny basic civil -- not "special" -- rights to housing, employment, etc., to gays, lesbians, and transgender people.  Fagan should be expected to articulate her reasons for opposing the issue, but I should've been more clear about what she would have to do to earn my "silly and bigoted" designation.  

Which means, I was wrong in not being as concerned about being right as I was in making my point.  

Keely
www.keely-prevailingwinds.com

From: kjajmix1 at msn.com
To: philosopher.joe at gmail.com; donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:15:41 -0800
CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Human rights, half a century later

I'm not sure I understand, Joe.  Doesn't Fagan deserve fair criticism for her concerns about civil rights -- specifically, the extension of civil rights to people currently lacking legal protection from discrimination -- from people who disagree with her?  That would seem to be part and partial of what people who run for office sign up for, and while good people can disagree on a lot of issues without vilifying those on the other side, some issues, like issues of denying others legal protection under the law, require more direct, even harsher, scrutiny.

To put it another way -- someone could vote for or against a school bond levy and be a good person.  But someone who is concerned that gays and lesbians might be granted equal protection under the law is someone who forfeits their right to a pass on the "decent person" designation.  Not that he or she can't still be decent in other areas of their lives, but they would appear to not possess the judgment and understanding of law and culture that I would want in a legislator.  That's the point I was making.

Keely
www.keely-prevailingwinds.com

From: philosopher.joe at gmail.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:00:28 -0800
To: donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Human rights, half a century later

Do you want to run for office? I won't run; just for joking that I'd run, folks took it as an invitation to rip me and drag my name through the mud. You want better folks to run? Treat the folks that do run better. Until that happens, and as long as the anti-government rhetoric persists, all you'll get is folks who are power hungry or liars leading false lives that look perfect.

On Jan 15, 2012, at 6:52 PM, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:

How is it possible, that Pullman, home of a major university, has an uneducated bigot, Rep. Susan Fagan, as a legislator? It seems so tragic that WSU cannot get an educated person to run and properly represent the interests of the people of Pullman as Moscow has done so well.  Donovan Arnold
        From:
 Moscow Cares <moscowcares at moscow.com>
 To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
 Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 6:16 AM
 Subject: [Vision2020] Human rights, half a century later

Courtesy of the weekend edition (January 14-15, 2012) of the Moscow-Pullman DailyNews with special thanks to Kelli Hadley and Joann Muneta.
------------------------------Human rights, half a century laterBy Kelli Hadley Daily News staff writerAlmost 50 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech, northern Idaho - a region known for its history of white supremacist activities - human rights groups have to work particularly hard to showcase the area's support for civil rights of all kinds."We're 85 miles from Couer d'Alene, but our reputation still isn't great
 in saying 'north Idaho,' " said Joann Muneta, chair of the Latah County Human Rights Task Force. "It's like: What's Idaho about? Potatoes and racism. I think, and hope, we've come a long way in erasing that, although there's still a lot of kooks out there."Muneta said the task force formed in 1988 in response to neo-Nazi movements north of Moscow. The idea, she said, was to educate people on the importance of human rights and to respond to
 threats that pop up on the Palouse every once in awhile."Unfortunately, I think we never reach our end goals of total respect for all people," Muneta said. "I think on the whole our community is very welcoming and respectful, but we hear about problems that Native Americans, Latinos and even African Americans have in the community."One area of the task force's focus is on gay rights, especially in Idaho legislation."That's the only group it's still legal to discriminate against in the state," Muneta said. "There's no legislation in Idaho saying that you can't fire someone just because they're gay or transgender."To change that, a statewide effort called "Add the Words" has supporters sending sticky notes to lawmakers throughout Idaho and posting them on walls
 and doors of the Statehouse in Boise during the legislative session. Jim Huggins, GetEQUAL Idaho state lead, said this is the sixth year a bill adding the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to Idaho's human rights law has been presented, but it has never made it to the floor during the legislative session.In Moscow, the campaign will be at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 28 at the 1912 Center. Organized by Huggins, the event will
 have sample letters for people to write to representatives around the state and speakers on the topic. They'll also be taking video to create YouTube presentations. Afterward, Huggins said, there will be individual rallies around town to collect sticky notes and signatures for a petition."There are several states where it's still legal to discriminate, but many states and cities have passed human rights acts to prevent it," Huggins
 said. "On the federal level, the employee discrimination act has been upheld several times, and we hope to get that passed so it covers all states."Ken Faunce, chairperson of the Moscow Human Rights Commission, said Moscow has an anti-discrimination policy that includes fairness for all sexual orientations, but the commission is helping in the effort to add the words "gender identity" to the policy as well."We attempted years ago to get gender identity on there and they voted it down. They felt it wasn't needed," Faunce said. "There are new members on the City Council now, so we're hoping ... maybe they'll feel differently."In the statewide campaign to add the words, Faunce said it's critical to talk to local representatives and make the districts' wants known."Our local representatives support it, but we have to keep pushing and making sure they know it's important to a lot of people around here," Faunce said.Huggins said he can think of a few specific incidences in which people were turned away from jobs for their sexual orientation or gender identity."A lot of times it's 'I'm not able to get the job in the first place,' " Huggins said. "There's also just a fear of not being able to be yourself. For gender identity, it is sometimes hard for people to get a job if they're trying to make that transition."Adding the words into the Idaho anti-discrimination law will better benefit every area of the state, Huggins said. On the Palouse, the legislation has received a "high level of support," he said."It will provide an environment where people will feel safe to move here," Huggins said. "It will increase the amount of qualified individuals to work for companies, and they'll feel secure knowing their choices will not be an issue for discrimination."Across the borderOn the other side of the state line, Washington's legislators don't seem far from legalizing gay marriage.On Friday, The Associated Press reported that a measure to legalize same sex marriages in the state was only two votes away from having enough support to pass.Washington's current domestic partnership laws grant almost all state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples."That's great, that's much more progressive than Idaho, but then we're one of the most conservative states in the country," Huggins said.Idaho does not extend any benefits or specific rights to domestic partnerships.The Washington 9th District legislators - Rep. Susan Fagan, R-Pullman, Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, and Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville - have all said they would vote against the bill."This bill is of great concern to many, and we're hearing from folks on both sides of the issue," Fagan said. "I will vote against the bill, but if the same-sex marriage bill is passed by the Legislature and governor, we must insist that it go to a vote of the people."Growth on the PalouseThe fact the Palouse has grown in its human rights efforts is a notable feat, Muneta
 said."When we first started out, we were like the only group on it," she said. "It's a movement that's grown in the last decade or so. That makes a big difference in providing the kind of atmosphere where minorities feel welcome."One example is the recently formed Northwest Coalition for Human Rights, which was done in response to an annual UI conference called "Finding the Center" and part of the UI Office of Human Rights, Access, and Inclusion. Kristin Carlson, coordinator for NWCHR, said the group will likely meet biannually, after having the first meeting in November, which was well attended."Our attendance was really promising, we had people from Spokane, some people from Lewiston, Sandpoint, Couer d'Alene," Carlson said. "It demonstrated that people were interested in being better connected so we can share information and resources."Carlson said the group plans to discuss everything from violence, to health care, to environmental concerns."We're trying to be open to a lot of different groups," Carlson said. "The idea is that we're more likely to keep up with work like this if we're accountable, and the desire to do that was definitely expressed."Pullman used to have its own human rights commission, though City Supervisor John Sherman said it disbanded for lack of issues to work toward. At the first NWCHR meeting, Whitman County Commissioner Pat O'Neill and Pullman City Councilor Nathan Weller both expressed interest in getting it started again."I think what's important is that these groups don't just fall out when there isn't anything going on," Weller said. "It's kind of a shame that it ebbs and flows when there's only problems. It should really be a part of our usual activities at the city and in the community."For information on the "Add the Words" campaign, go to:http://www.addthewords.orgKelli Hadley can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 234, or by email to khadley at dnews.com.
------------------------------
Rally in support of Senate Bill 1033 (January 29, 2011)http://www.MoscowCares.com/MoscowHumanRights/SB1033_SupportRally_012911.htm Seeya later, Moscow.
Tom HansenSpokane, Washington
"If not us, who?If not now, when?"
- Unknown
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 =======================================================
 List services made available by First Step Internet,
 serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
               http://www.fsr.net
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
=======================================================
=======================================================
 List services made available by First Step Internet,
 serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
               http://www.fsr.net
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
======================================================= 		 	   		  

=======================================================
 List services made available by First Step Internet,
 serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
               http://www.fsr.net
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
======================================================= 		 	   		  
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