Three Assembly hearings: A compilation

See you tonight! Please wear blue, & your Equality Works button.

I’ve still been too wiped out to do much of any productive thinking or blogging today.  But I was able to say a bit about the first two public hearings about Anchorage equal rights ordinance AO 2009-64, & so have other people.  And other people have also talked about last night’s (the third) public hearing too.  So I’m just gonna collect up some of the relevant stuff here, for your reading pleasure.

These are organized by which hearing (& the doings outside the library that they discuss, not necessarily the date they were posted or published.  As usual, however, I do give the date of publication or posting at the beginning of the item, & identify the source at the end.  Note that I’m not giving any precedence to stories by professional news media: I’m with Phil Munger on this, they’re so overextended & under-resourced that it’s clear full reporting is never going to get done without us bloggers.

I doubt this is comprehensive, but I’ll do my best, & add more to this list as I find it.  (Or write it, since I’ll be adding a few more posts to the coverage too.)

[Updated 6/19 to add more links.]

Anchorage won't discriminate (June 17 along 36th Avenue)

Prequel

• 6/4/09. “In Support of a Transgender-Inclusive Ordinance” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska). Anchorage pollster Ivan Moore suggests that gender identity be taken out of the ordinance: no way.
• 6/4/09. “We are all, or none” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). Another response to Ivan Moore; the Anchorage LGBT community & our allies say “We are all, or none.”
• 6/6/09. “City revises gay-rights proposal: Gays and lesbians lose some protections” by Don Hunter (Anchorage Daily News).Discusses the first S (substitution) version of the ordinance.
• 6/7/09. “Keeping the T in LGBT” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). Problems with the “bathroom language” in the subsitution version of the ordinance.
• 6/7/09. “PA Arts Sunday – June 7, 2009 – A Play for Eddie Burke” by Philip Munger (Progressive Alaska). A short play in one scene entitled “The Spirit of Elizabeth Peratrovich Confronts Rev. Jerry Prevo.”
• 6/8/09. “Sex is between the legs, Gender is between the ears” by April Rains (Bent Alaska).  A “modest proposal” essay in response to Ivan Moore’s suggestion that we take protections for transgender people out of the ordinance.
• 6/8/09. “Revised Ordinance Weakens the law and Endangers Transgender people” by Equality Works (Bent Alaska). Critique of the first substitution version of the ordinance.
• 6/8/09. “Attend the Public Hearing: Tuesday, June 9 at Loussac Library” by Equality Works (Bent Alaska). Info for ordinance supporters.
• 6/8/09. “Anchorage ex-Marine faces Work Discrimination for being Transgender” by Laura O’Lacy (Bent Alaska). Laura O’Lacy’s letter to the Anchorage Assembly describing the harassment and discrimination she has faced as a transgender woman trying to get a job in her field of training.
• 6/8/09. “Revised Ordinance Exempts Small Businesses, Religious Groups, and Bathrooms. Prevo still opposes it” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska). On the first substitute ordinance.
• 6/8/09. “Public Testimony on Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance” by Erick Cordero Giorgana (Think Alaska). A brief rundown of events leading up to testimony.
• 6/8/09. “It’s only natural…help protect our LGBT friends from discrimination in Anchorage” by Linda Kellen Biegel (Celtic Diva’s Blue Oasis). Gay penguin parents, & more.
• 6/9/09. “Speaking out against sexual descrimination in Anchorage and the story of my daughter” by Gryphen (Immoral Minority). Gryphen tells the story of his daughter’s coming out and the harm she suffered from antigay prejudice at her mother’s conservative church in Georgia. Luckily she has much more acceptance up here with her dad.
• 6/9/09. “LEGISLATING HATE: The Real Anti-Christ” by Shannyn Moore (Just a Girl from Homer). On Jerry Prevo of Anchorage Baptist Temple, Ron Hamman of the Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla, and other “not-so-Christ-like” voices of hate.
• 6/9/09. “My pastors are mightier than Prevo” by Amanda Coyne (Alaska Dispatch). On Rev. John Carey & Rev. Dianne O’Connell of Immanuel Presbyterian Church.
• 6/9/09. “Kelly’s Story: A Transgender Christian woman explains Gender Identity Disorder” by Kelly (Bent Alaska). Guest post by a Christian transwoman who lives part of the year in Anchorage.
• 6/9/09. “See you tonight” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). My prequel compilation of some of the other posts from our allies in support and solidarity as we headed into the first evening of testimony.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

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  Ordinance supporters Arliss Sturgulewski, Vic Fischer, Jane Angvik, and Chuck O'Connell (in foreground) on the first night of ordinance testimony

  6/9/09. “Mat Su residents testifying in Anchorage?” by Erick Cordero Giorgana (Think Alaska). The first blog report I’m aware of that people had been bused in from the Mat-Su Borough to advocate that a government not their own testify against against its own citizens.

• 6/9/09. “Live from the City Assembly…” by Heather James (SOSAnchorage.net). Liveblog of the Assembly hearing from the person sitting right next to me.  I helped her spell the names right (except that I helped her spell Loren Leman’s name wrong).
• 6/9/09. “News from Assembly Meeting” by AKMuckraker & many many mudpuppies (The Mudflats). This post turned spontaneously into a liveblog by members of the Mudflats community watching the livestream of the hearing — a practice they also followed in the next two Assembly hearings.
• 6/9/09. “A long night (one of many?)” by Patrick Flynn (Patrick Flynn’s Blog). Assemblyman’s post from four hours into the five-hour meeting.
• 6/9/09. “June 9 public testimony at Anchorage Assembly” (photos) by Mel Green (Flickr photostream). 49 photos taken mostly inside the Loussac and Assembly chambers, with some supplementary photos courtesy Phil Munger of Progressive Alaska and AKMuckracker of the Mudflats.
• 6/9/09. “Emotional testimony on both sides gay rights amendment” by Jason Lamb (KTUU Channel 2 News).
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  Jeffrey Mittman of the AkCLU and Tiffany McClain and Mia Oxley of Equality Works

  6/9/09. “Hundreds air views on gay-rights ordinance — ONLINE: Followers max out streaming feed from meeting” by Don Hunter (Anchorage Daily News).

• 6/9/09. “A sea of red and then purple” by Amanda Coyne (Alaska Dispatch). Brief story on the night’s events.
• 6/9/09. “At the Anchorage Assembly Meeting on Civil Rights” by Philip Munger (Progressive Alaska). What was going on outside during testimony; the large number of kids bused in by fundamentalist churches, of which Phil took photos, influenced my decision to write my later “Billboards” post.
• 6/10/09. “Equal Rights in Anchorage. A Small Step on a Long Road” by AKMuckraker (The Mudflats). Like Phil Munger, AKMuckraker spent some time photographing the activism outside the Loussac; her observations about kids also informed my “Billboards” post.
• 6/10/09. “Photos from the Ordinance Hearing” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska).
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  How many of these ordinance opponents are Anchorage residents, and how many are not?

  6/10/09. “Last night’s anti-descrimination testimony in front of Anchorage Assembly full of emotional testimony and tears” by Gryphen (Immoral Minority). An overview of the night’s testimony.  Here’s also where you can read about the altercation between a blue-shirted ordinance supporter and drunken red-shirted opponent which led to the red-shirt striking the blue-shirt and being arrested.

• 6/10/09. “Eleven Hours in a Library; the City Assembly Meeting on Equal Rights Ordinance” by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). I think John wrote this in the middle of the night after getting home. His discussion of the “outsider” influence (Mat-Su people bused in) at the Assembly meeting influenced my decision to write a post about it later. Reposted at SOSAnchorage.net (the Prevo debunking site).
• 6/10/09. “Assembly report 1” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). A brief complilation of some of the other blog posts that have already reported on the hearing.
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  Crowded Assembly chambers on June 9

  6/10/09. “Social Justice in Anchorage” by Mags (Winston’s Mom). Account of a heterosexual married woman who felt compelled to testify that the “GLBT community get that same protection under the law that all the rest of us enjoy.”

• 6/10/09. “Writing like a fiend…” by Linda Kellen Biegel (Celtic Diva’s Blue Oasis). Recovering from testimony night, with a photo of Prevo.
• 6/10/09. “Coverage of Tuesday’s MOA Civil Rights Ordinance Hearing in Local Media” by Philip Munger (Progressive Alaska). Compilation of links to the best coverage.
• 6/10/09. “Outside influence” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). A reaction to non-Anchorageites being permitted to testify before the Assembly to influence our municipal government that they are not citizens of.
• 6/11/09. “City Assembly Meeting Transcripts: Volume 1” by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). John’s transcription of the testimony from the first ten witnesses. Reposted at SOSAnchorage.net.
• 6/11/09. “Assembly report 2: June 9 public testimony” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). My full account of Tuesday night’s Assembly meeting.
• 6/11/09. “Balancing rights” by Patrick Flynn (Patrick Flynn’s Blog). Assemblyman Flynn addresses balancing of rights between discrimination rights for LGBT people & Christianist claims about infringements on their right to practice their faith. (Note: he doesn’t use the term Christianist — that’s me).
• 6/12/09. “Billboards” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). On Prevo & co.’s use of children as billboards for their parents’ prejudices and hatreds.
• 6/13/09. “City Assembly Meeting Transcripts: Volume 2″ by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). John’s transcription of the testimony from the second ten witnesses. Reposted at SOSAnchorage.net.
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  Mrs. Alaska United States protesting against proposed Anchorage equal rights ordinance. Photo courtesy Philip Munger ( Progressive Alaska)

  6/13/09. “Saturday Alaska Progressive Blog Roundup – June 13, 2009” by Philip Munger (Progressive Alaska). Highlights some of the best commentary on the ordinance hearing.

• 6/14/09. “PA Arts Sunday – June 14, 2009 – Peter Dunlap-Shohl Pegs Prevo’s Phoniness” by Philip Munger (Progressive Alaska). Cartoon by Peter Dunlap-Shohl.
• 6/15/09. “The new Carrie Prejean?” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). Prevo & co.’s cynical ploy to use the newly-crowned Mrs. Alaska United States to bait the LGBT community.
• 6/15/09. “Palin Snubs PrideFest, Wasilla Fundies Protest Gays” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska). Mat-Su residents brought in to testify against equal rights for Anchorage LGBT people, Wasilla native Gov. Sarah Palin ignoring Pride, & President Barack Obama declaring June as LGBT Pride Month: these reminders of the state of affairs as we prepared for the second hearing.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

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  What I testified about: At Kinko's with a couple of the copies of the "Prima Facie" component of Identity Reports, which I later gave to members of the Assembly

  6/12/09. “Ordinance Hearing, Week 2” by Equality Works (Bent Alaska). Info for ordinance supporters for the second hearing.

• 6/15/09. “Gearing up for Round Two” by Heather James (SOSAnchorage.net). A compilation of links of commentary from the June 9 hearing & prequels to the June 16 hearing. Reposted (with some preferatory comments) on 6/16/09 by John Aronno at Alaska Commons.
• 6/16/09. “Gay rights ordinance gets 2nd Assembly hearing tonight” by Megan Holland (Anchorage Daily News).
• 6/16/09. “Hearings on Tues. & Wed., Buckley Brigade formed to Welcome and Protect” by Equality Works (Bent Alaska). Pre-hearing info for ordinance supporters.
• 6/16/09.  “2nd Hearing Today: Who Should Determine the Laws of Anchorage?” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska). E. Ross asks who should make Anchorage laws: the mayor & Assembly, with input from a variety of Anchorage residents; Wasilla residents who are being permitted to testify; or Jerry Prevo?
• 6/16/09. “ABT is a Political Action Committee…NOT a Church” by Shannyn Moore (Just a Girl from Homer). Prevo’s mobilization letter to his congregation at Anchorage Baptist Temple.
• 6/16/09. “Equal Rights Just Became Less Equal” by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). John comments on the new substitution ordinance drafted by Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander, which removes all protections from discrimination for gender identity/expression & removes private employment protections for sexual orientation.


Three livebloggers all in a row: John Aronno (Alaska Commons), Heather James (SOSAnchorage.net), and Mel Green (Henkimaa)6/16/09. "Live Blog from the Assembly" by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). John & Heather & I were all sitting next to each other liveblogging awa

• 6/16/09. “A new day, a new version” by Patrick Flynn (Patrick Flynn’s Blog). A quickie rundown on the provisions of Debbie Ossiander’s substitution version of the ordinance. See comments for some discussion of the Mat-Su “let’s go make sure those Anchorage LGBTs continue to be discriminated against” outsider influence issue.
• 6/16/09. “Live Blogging Round Two…” by Heather James (SOSAnchorage.net). All the liveblogs are worth looking at for the different observations offered.
• 6/16/09. “Liveblogging Assembly meeting, June 16” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). My liveblog & live-Twitter of the hearing.
• 6/16/09. “Anchorage Assembly Meeting – Non-Discrimination Ordinance Testimony” by AKMuckraker & many many mudpuppies (The Mudflats). Liveblogging by members of the Mudflats community watching the livestream of the hearing. Thanks AKMuckraker for the link to my Twitter feed!
• 6/16/09. “June 16 public testimony, Anchorage Assembly” (photos) by Mel Green (Flickr photostream). Large set of 103 photos, both inside the Loussac and Assembly chambers, and outside.
• 6/17/09. “Anti-discrimination debate raises passions” by Megan Holland (Anchorage Daily News).
• 6/17/09. “The Second Anchorage Assembly Hearing” by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). After reading accounts like this, I’ve gotta say that John is fast-emerging as one of the most incisive local bloggers I know.
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  EQUALITY NOW: Outside on the Loussac lawn while testimony goes on in the Assembly chambers

  6/17/09. “Ordinance Hearing #2: Religious Rule has it’s Day in Court” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska). E. Ross observed (& photographed) the activist crowds outside & the overflow crowd watching testimony from the Wilda Marston Theatre.

• 6/17/09. “Anchorage Non-Discrimination Ordinance. (Photos)” by AKMuckraker (The Mudflats). Photos of events outside Tuesday night’s hearing.
• 6/17/09. “Last night at the Assembly meeting was emotionally draining and yet quite uplifting. Is that even possible?” by Gryphen (Immoral Minority). Includes text from Rev. Jerry Prevo’s mobilization email sent to ABT members. Gryphen reports he also interviewed Prevo, video forthcoming.
• 6/17/09. “Whining in the Assembly” (Fairview View). Reposted on SOSAnchorage.net.  Author thinks ordinance opponents are experiencing one of the first challenges to their calcified ways of thinking, & should get over it.
• 6/17/09. “Sex in the City” by Brendan Joel Kelley (Anchorage Press).  Observing activists on both sides of the issue, including the blue-sponsored lawn party going out outside Tuesday’s Assembly hearing.
• 6/17/09. “On gays and God” by Krestia DeGeorge (Anchorage Press). “The whole point of this exercise,” the author writes of Prevo’s mobilization letter to his congregation, “was reinforcing lines that keep some people in and others out, the lines that divide those who belong from those who don’t.” She goes on to desdribe how her own conservative religion upbringing kept her shielded from knowing people different from her — until an important friend came out to her, & her own beliefs about sexual orientation began to change.  An important piece.
• 6/18/09. “My daughter makes videos!” by Gryphen (Immoral Minority). Gryphen’s daughter made a YouTube video focusing particularly on the red-shirted Christianists waving preprinted signs outside the Loussac Tuesday night: definitely worth watching!  Gryphen also asks, as so many of us do, why Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander is permitting testimony from people who have been imported from outside the boundaries of the Municipality of Anchorage.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

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  Day Three: Red Sea Rising inside the Assembly chambers

  6/17/09. “Wednesday Meeting Information” by Heather James (SOSAnchorage.net). Pre-meeting info.

• 6/17/09. “Gay rights measure’s changes criticized by both sides” by Megan Holland (Anchorage Daily News).
• 6/17/09. “Gay Rights – A Fathers Testimony” by Emperor Bob (Emperor’s Rants and Observations). Straight talk from the father of a lesbian daughter (& some straight kids as well).
• 6/17/09.  “Personal is Political. And vice versa” by Daniella Marie (Mouthy Maries Speak Up). Straight talk from the straight sister of a lesbian (& another of Emperor Bob’s kids).
• 6/17/09. “Assembly Hearings, Day Three” by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). Liveblog of the hearing up through about 8:29 PM.
• 6/17/09. “Anchorage Public Testimony on Non-Discrimination Ordinance – Chapter III” by AKMuckraker & many many mudpuppies (The Mudflats). Liveblogging by members of the Mudflats community watching the livestream of the hearing.
• 6/17/09. “The Daily Tweets, 2009-06-17” by Mel Green (Henkimaa). Automatically-generated list of my tweets, several of which refer to events at the Loussac.
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  Jerry Prevo at the ABT picnic on the Loussac lawn

  6/17/09. “June 17 public testimony at the Anchorage Assembly” (photos) by Mel Green (Flickr photostream). Large set of 142 photos taken at the Loussac Library both outside and inside the Assembly chambers.

• 6/18/09. “Day Three, Red Sea Rising” by John Aronno (Alaska Commons). Must-read analysis of Day 3 of testimony.  This was the day that Jerry Prevo canceled Anchorage Baptist Temple’s church service so that ABT members could “overwhelm” the Assembly.  Most (though not all) testimony was from Assembly opponents who are part of  Prevo & co.’s fillibuster effort. John writes:  “I was there from the beginning of the meeting at 4pm, and left shortly after nine-thirty. The “voices of the people” are not sending any new messages that need to be put on record. The “voices of the people” are now a loop. These talking points were repeated all night long, often sprinkling old wounds with the salt of homosexuality being an abomination, perverse, a lifestyle choice, a deviant behaviorism.” Reposted at SOSAnchorage.net.
• 

  But there was plenty of Pride along 36th Avenue too

  6/18/09. “Anchorage Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Rally: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four“ by Janson Jones (Floridana Alaskiana 2.5).  A series of four posts of photos chronicling activists on both sides of the issue outside the Loussac Library on Wednesday night as testimony was heard inside.  I love the comment on part one in reaction to a sign that said “I was born Asian. You choose to be gay” — commenter Poietes (a name that I as a poet love!) replies, “Well, I was born Asian, and I choose not to be stupid, uninformed, closed-minded, and bigoted.”  Meanwhile, I’ve added this blog to my Google Reader for all the fine photos from Alaska, Florida, Oklahoma, & elsewhere.  Well-met, Janson!

• 6/18/09. “More reflections on Day Three” by Heather James (SOSAnchorage.net). Brief compilation of other posts on Day 3 testimony.
• 6/18/09. “Photos from Ordinance Hearing #3” by E. Ross (Bent Alaska).
• 6/18/09. “Our view: No exemptions —City’s equal rights law should not leave any group out” (editorial) (Anchorage Daily News).  ADN comes down strongly in favor of Matt Claman’s substitution version of the ordinance, but likes Debbie Ossiander’s provision for the Equal Rights Commission to track & report on LGBT discrimination cases now.
• 6/19/09. “Honk if You’re Straight” Civil Rights Ordinance Video” by Shannyn Moore (Just a Girl from Homer). “There are many loving Christians in Anchorage who support the ordinance to give equal rights to our GLBT brothers and sisters,” Shannyn writes,  “yet the Xians are the ones marching. If you have any doubts our community suffers from discrimination against our GLBT community, just watch this.” Images of the Christianists from all three public hearings & associated protest, to the music of Amy Ray.

Yes on 64 along 36th Ave.