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South Bend, Indiana Postpones LGBT Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

An unfortunate update to Monday's story of the Bill 30-10, a measure that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in South Bend, Indiana’s fourth largest city. After a long and heated debate last night, Common Councilmember Oliver Davis, who sponsored the bill, was forced to indefinitely postpone the proposal, reports the South Bend Tribune.

After a two-hour public hearing before a standing-room-only crowd, the city's Common Council voted Monday night to table indefinitely a proposed ordinance extending employment discrimination protection to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. Council member Oliver Davis, one of the measure's three sponsors, sought the continuance when it became clear that he lacked the five votes needed for a majority on the nine-member council. The key holdout was council member Karen White, D-at large, who said the proposal's language was too vague to win her support. Asked after the meeting what specifically she found so vague, White pointed to concerns raised by the council's attorney, Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand.

And:

Anti-gay comments also came from council members Henry Davis, D-2nd, and the Rev. Timothy Rouse, D-at large. 'I have gays in my family but that doesn't mean I'm going to support legislation that condones their lifestyle' Rouse said. Henry Davis said he is a Christian who cannot separate his religious beliefs from his role as a council member. 'I'm not against people who are gay,' Henry Davis said. 'I love you. However, I don't love your behavior.'

But Oliver Davis said a council member, regardless of his own religious beliefs, must indeed factor in the community's diversity when passing laws that everyone must live by. Oliver Davis also seemed annoyed by the notion that the proposed ordinance is too vague. Its language exempting religious organizations, taken directly from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, is very clear, he said.

In 2006, a similar measure failed to pass the South Bend Common Council by one vote. Indiana is one of 30 states that lacks any employment protections for LGBT citizens. Indianapolis and Bloomington have passed ordinances protecting LGBT citizens locally.

The National Organization for Marriage diverted its hate tour from Indianapolis to South Bend to attend the meeting. More details on the meeting at the Tribune, including priceless quotes from a Christian counselor who advises people to pray away the gay...

South Bend, Indiana to Vote Tonight on LGBT Employment Protections

South Bend Common Councilmember Oliver Davis (D) has co-sponsored Bill 30-10, a measure that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in Indiana’s fourth largest city. Council members are expected to vote on the measure tonight and anti-gay activists are ramping up the anti-gay and anti-trans rhetoric, reports EDGE.

The Citizens for Community Values of Indian claimed in an e-blast "radical GLBT activists are back to try to push their agenda once again in the middle of summer when many families are on vacation." The message further encourages South Bend residents to pray and contact their council members and urge them to "lovingly oppose the special rights for homosexuals, bisexuals and transgendereds [sic], agenda." The e-mail goes on to contend the amendment’s passage would affirm "homosexual behavior," promote "pro-homosexual propaganda" and even lead to an invasion of "men in dresses" into women’s restrooms and same-sex couples into neighborhoods.

The Employment Fairness Amendment, sponsored by Democrat Councilmembers Oliver Davis, Ann Puzzello and Al "Buddy" Kirsits, has a deliberately shorter reach. The amendment pertains only to employment discrimination-avoiding issues of education or housing-and offers an exemption for faith-based entities, such as the University of Notre Dame, the city’s largest employer. Tricia Wainscott, executive director of the South Bend-based GLBT Resource Center of Michiana ... expects the vote will be close, even with Mayor Stephen Luecke’s support. 'Some of the council members have already made up their minds on this and feel the issue will be really expensive for small business owners forced to hire an attorney should they need to defend themselves if someone feels they are wrongly fired for being gay,' Wainscott told EDGE. 'But that’s a misconception. All this amendment does is give the city’s Human Rights Commission permission to investigate these cases. It’s been blown out of proportion.'"

The South Bend Tribune has published several letters supportive of Bill 30-10. Incidntally, the bathroom rhetoric mirrors similar campaigns to repeal anti-discrimination measures in Gainesville and Kalamazoo. Both campaigns were rejected by the voters.

In 2006, a similar measure failed to pass the South Bend Common Council by one vote. Indiana is one of 30 states that lacks any employment protections for LGBT citizens. Indianapolis and Bloomington have passed ordinances protecting LGBT citizens locally.