Emperor's Rants and Observations

Facts About Sexual Orientation

It is the policy of the government of the United States to provide equal opportunity in federal employment for all persons, to prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age, sexual orientation or status as a parent, and to promote the full realization of equal employment opportunity through a continuing affirmative program in each executive department and agency. This policy of equal opportunity applies to and must be an integral part of every aspect of personnel policy and practice in the employment, development, advancement, and treatment of civilian employees of the federal government, to the extent permitted by law.

That is the standard we should be trying to emulate and live up to. Not backing away from because we have a mayor in Sullivan that is clearly a bigot and has been unduly influenced by Political Activist Jerry Prevo and his cult of mindless zombies.

Here is what Mr. Sullivan had to say for his veto statement.

On August 11, 2009, the Anchorage Assembly passed AO2009-64(S-2) as amended. I
have reviewed the ordinance, heard the Assembly justifications for and against it, and understand the sentiments expressed during the many hours of public testimony. Since the passage, I have received nearly 2,500 additional communications from Anchorage residents. I thank all of those who took the time to participate in the process.

My review shows that there is clearly a lack of quantifiable evidence necessitating this ordinance. My review also shows that the vast majority of those who communicated their position on the ordinance are in opposition.

As elected officials, we are charged with reflecting the will of the community in our decisions, particularly in the absence of compelling data that would supersede that will.

Therefore, I hereby veto AO2009-64(S-2) as amended.

Note: The mayor’s office does not plan to conduct individual media requests today. Questions will be referred back to the statement.

No quantifiable evidence? How about the hatred and vitriol that opponents of the ordinance spewed hour after hour, day after day of testimony? How about going so far as to bus in people from the Valley to testify? How about the obviously orchestrated tactics approved by the Assembly Chair to allow Prevo to manipulate and abuse the system. You don’t think these people wouldn’t refuse to hire, rent to or give credit to people simply based on their sexual orientation?

Do you think the federal government would have such protections for their employees if there wasn’t a reason to protect people from discrimination by bigots against sexual orientation? He didn’t find any evidence because he didn’t look and doesn’t care. That’s just his excuse for the inexcusable.

Being an elected official isn’t about being popular. It isn’t about appeasing people, like religious fanatics. There was no argument presented against the ordinance that wasn’t rooted in Christian dogma. Last I heard we hadn’t official converted to a theocracy, although it appears Prevo effectively controls the Administration and Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander. Read the “An Open Letter To Anchorage Assembly Chairwoman, Debbie Ossiander.” For an example of the lies and pressures brought from the ignorant and narrow minded Christian Right. The fact is that it is the governments responsibility to not simply do what is popular, but what is right. Permitting discrimination isn’t right.

Then to add insult to injury, Mr. Sullivan just issues that short written message and refuses to face the people he is sworn to serve to defend his position, or even to answer questions from the press. The man is a gutless worm, that has no respect or compassion for anyone other than those that line his pockets with campaign donations and deliver votes from their pulpit.

However, this is good news for business owners and landlords. Now they are free to discriminate against everybody they don’t like, for whatever reason. All they have to do is say it’s because of their sexual orientation. Doesn’t matter if they are straight or not, whether it’s true or not, they just have to say that’s what they believe.

I encourage business owners and landlords to use this opportunity to rid yourselves of people that you have wanted to, but were afraid to because of the laws against discrimination. See what those people don’t understand is that sexual orientation includes heterosexuals. So you can now be fired, refused to be hired, refused a promotion, refused to be rented to, refuse to be loaned to, for being straight. Our own mayor has effectively said that discrimination based on sexual orientation is fine.

How many heterosexuals will have to be adversely affected before Sullivan and the assembly will feel the pressure to do the right thing. We’ve got three weeks. How many people can we get fired or evicted in that amount of time?

How many people can we get into the Prevo Cult to stand up and call Prevo and all of his followers bigots and unworthy to follow Christ. How many people can we get to show up to picket and write down license numbers of those that attend the cult meetings to see if their employers or landlords want to make them an example of how sexual orientation discrimination feels.

I sent an email testimony to the assembly members during the testimony period. I posted the letter here. Of the four that voted against the ordinance, Coffey, Starr, Birch and Ossiander, only Ossiander replied. She only replied in response to my criticism of allowing outside agitators to abuse the system. I’m debating whether I should post those email exchanges which in my opinion shows that Ossiander was acting in collusion with Prevo to delay the vote by allowing people to continue to sign up to speak after the original hearing and permitting people outside of Anchorage to testify

Here are the email addresses.

Send to entire Assembly. wwmas@muni.org Probably the best way to get to them all.

Assembly Members that voted against the ordinance. Make sure Ossiander brings the override to a vote, even if the numbers don’t change. I want to be there when they vote and look me in the eye when they say my daughter is less human, less deserving, less worthy of protection from bigots. We especially need to target Ossiander.
Debbie Ossiander ossiander@gci.net
Bill Starr starrwe@muni.org
Dan Coffey dancoffey@gci.net
Chris Birch chrisbirch@gci.net

Assembly Members that voted for the ordinance. Thank them for their prior support and ask for their continued support by forcing an override vote.

Elvi Gray-Jackson gray-jacksone@muni.org
Sheila Selkregg sheilaselkregg@alaska.com
Mike Gutierrez gutierrezm@muni.org
Jennifer Johnston jjohnston@gci.net
Patrick Flynn flynnpp@muni.org
Matt Clayman mattclaman@gmail.com
Harriet Drummond harrietdrummond@alaska.com

Share any responses you get below. I’ll be adding more information about upcoming protests and other activities to bring pressure to bare on the assembly to override the veto.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 at 3:26 am and is filed under Anchorage, Politics, sexual orientation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.