[News] [FL, USA] Religious leaders ask Jacksonville mayor to back anti-discrimination bill
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Stephanie Stevens
May 8, 2012, 9:01:43 AM5/8/12
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Florida Times-Union, FL, USA
Religious leaders ask Jacksonville mayor to back anti-discrimination bill
Supporters say the issue is about fairness in jobs, housing and services.
Posted: May 7, 2012 - 7:12pm | Updated: May 8, 2012 - 7:49am
By Steve Patterson
A push to ban discrimination in Jacksonville based on sexual
orientation <http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-04-30/story/bill-banning-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-be-filed>
gained some faith-based support Monday as 25 religious leaders asked
Mayor Alvin Brown to back legislation being introduced this evening to
the City Council.
"It's about jobs, and it's about fairness, so I don't really see what
the issue is here," said Tara Trueblood, director of the University of
North Florida Interfaith Center.
Trueblood and others appealed to Brown in a letter supporting a bill
(2012-296) that would add the terms "sexual orientation, gender
identity or expression" to an existing list of reasons — race, age and
national origin among them — that cannot be used to refuse people jobs
or promotions, housing or access to public accommodations like hotels
and restaurants.
"We believe that it is inherently unfair to leave a segment of
Jacksonville's citizens open to being fired, denied housing, or denied
services in public venues based solely on the fact that they are gay,
lesbian, bisexual or transgender," the letter read.
Brown has not taken a stance on the bill. He said Friday he opposes
discrimination but needed to consider the bill's language first.
Business groups and former elected officials have championed the
legislation, filed by Councilman Warren Jones, saying it will help
companies recruit workers and grow.
Several signers of the new letter said attitudes about the bill could
be kept separate from personal reactions to homosexuality.
"People have different religious views on the subject, but this is
about fairness [being] afforded to all of us," said the Rev. David A.
Holladay, pastor of Riverside Baptist Church.
Holladay said his church includes members "who struggle with the issue
of being fired because they're gay or perceived as gay," and shouldn't
have to live with that worry.
He said he has spent two years dealing with a group, the Jacksonville
Committee for Equality, as part of his role of ministering to his
congregation.
Brown has been quiet about the bill, saying he opposes discrimination
but wanted to read what the council would be considering.
Monday evening, he released a statement that seemed to indicate he was
still thinking. It read: "I will fight discrimination in any form in
our city. And I will consider any effort that makes Jacksonville a
safer and better place for people to live and work."
© 2012 Jacksonville.com
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-05-07/story/religious-leaders-ask-jacksonville-mayor-back-anti-discrimination-bill
Religious leaders ask Jacksonville mayor to back anti-discrimination bill
Supporters say the issue is about fairness in jobs, housing and services.
Posted: May 7, 2012 - 7:12pm | Updated: May 8, 2012 - 7:49am
By Steve Patterson
A push to ban discrimination in Jacksonville based on sexual
orientation <http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-04-30/story/bill-banning-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-be-filed>
gained some faith-based support Monday as 25 religious leaders asked
Mayor Alvin Brown to back legislation being introduced this evening to
the City Council.
"It's about jobs, and it's about fairness, so I don't really see what
the issue is here," said Tara Trueblood, director of the University of
North Florida Interfaith Center.
Trueblood and others appealed to Brown in a letter supporting a bill
(2012-296) that would add the terms "sexual orientation, gender
identity or expression" to an existing list of reasons — race, age and
national origin among them — that cannot be used to refuse people jobs
or promotions, housing or access to public accommodations like hotels
and restaurants.
"We believe that it is inherently unfair to leave a segment of
Jacksonville's citizens open to being fired, denied housing, or denied
services in public venues based solely on the fact that they are gay,
lesbian, bisexual or transgender," the letter read.
Brown has not taken a stance on the bill. He said Friday he opposes
discrimination but needed to consider the bill's language first.
Business groups and former elected officials have championed the
legislation, filed by Councilman Warren Jones, saying it will help
companies recruit workers and grow.
Several signers of the new letter said attitudes about the bill could
be kept separate from personal reactions to homosexuality.
"People have different religious views on the subject, but this is
about fairness [being] afforded to all of us," said the Rev. David A.
Holladay, pastor of Riverside Baptist Church.
Holladay said his church includes members "who struggle with the issue
of being fired because they're gay or perceived as gay," and shouldn't
have to live with that worry.
He said he has spent two years dealing with a group, the Jacksonville
Committee for Equality, as part of his role of ministering to his
congregation.
Brown has been quiet about the bill, saying he opposes discrimination
but wanted to read what the council would be considering.
Monday evening, he released a statement that seemed to indicate he was
still thinking. It read: "I will fight discrimination in any form in
our city. And I will consider any effort that makes Jacksonville a
safer and better place for people to live and work."
© 2012 Jacksonville.com
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-05-07/story/religious-leaders-ask-jacksonville-mayor-back-anti-discrimination-bill
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