Friday, May 19, 2006

No Special Rights Folks Fuel The Flames of Bigotry More At S.B. Hearing

The No Special Rights folks were out in full force at the South Bend Common Council's third public hearing on its proposed human rights ordinance to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. According to the South Bend Tribune's Jamie Loo, their biggest sympathizer, the group passed out stickers which read, "Protect Our Children," the obvious implication being that all gay people are child molesters. And that was just the beginning.

The former TV news anchor Jay Dunlap was sure the adoption of the ordinance would lead to the legalization of gay marriages. Because of gay marriages in Massachusetts, Dunlap complained that Catholic Charities could no longer run their adoption branch there because the church discriminates against gay parents. "I ask you to consider carefully what some of the unintended consequences of passing this ordinance could be.”

A family counselor warned that it was all about advancing the homosexual agenda. “Whatever ground is given to the homosexual lobby, that ground will simply be the staging area for further destructive activism,” Nathan "Bud" Steadman said. “The very fabric of American society must not change from morality-based law to immoral license.”

Another man pointed out the fact that gay people were prohibited from donating blood to the Red Cross as a justification for legalized discrimination against them. “Gays and bisexuals are not allowed to participate in something as honorable and noble and lifesaving because of chosen activities, not because of some other immutable quality,” he said.

As emotional as the debate became during Indianapolis' HRO, the Christian right opposition was relatively tame compared to the hate and venom these No Special Rights folks are stirring up in South Bend. The full council plans to take a vote on the ordinance's adoption on June 26.

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