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Ordinance Hearing #6 on Tuesday, July 21
Submitted by E. Ross on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 – 1:19 AM5 Comments
We need YOU at the public hearing on Tuesday to show Assembly members that people in our town want lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Alaskans to be protected from discrimination. If you haven’t already testified, now is the time to sign up. Don’t let opponents of equality have the last word!
The hearings are at Loussac Library (36th & Denali) in the Assembly Chambers on the 1st Floor. The meetings run from 5-11 p.m, but the Assembly does other business first and gets to the equal rights ordinance around 6 or later.
Wear blue—the color of peace and unity—and your Equality Works button.
Beware false information
At the last hearing on July 7, one of the security guards told people dressed in blue that the ordinance had already gone to a public vote and there was no reason for us to be there. This is false – the Assembly has not voted on the ordinance yet and is allowing more people to sign up and give testimony. As a security guard on duty at the Assembly meeting, it was unprofessional of him to give false information on the ordinance and try to limit our freedom of speech at a public hearing. Do not be deceived by wrong information about the ordinance and hearings, even if it comes from a library or Assembly employee.
Words of encouragement from our allies
Our allies on Alaska Commons and the pro-ordinance site SOS Anchorage.NET have written thoughtful and inspiring new posts for this hearing. Heather explains why she, a straight woman, is fighting for the rights of her friends and the community of Anchorage. She describes how she became involved in gay issues, and why she is involved this time:
I and they know that this ordinance won’t make hatred and discrimination go away, but it will give them somewhere to turn when they are harassed because of who they are. I will stand and fight with them, and with you, to make this community the place that it should be.He [Jerry Prevo] has built his career out of hatred, and I am not willing to let him win this time. He is a pitiable man and a bully, but he does not dictate the behavior of the Anchorage community.
John reports on the hearings and why the ordinance is important for the future of Alaska:
I’ve heard and learned a staggering amount during these hearings. Some words have left me in absolute awe of the intelligence, bravery, and perseverance on display. Other words are harder to drink away.For now, the fate of Ordinance 64 rests with the Assembly. We need to keep showing up, and keep reminding the Assembly that we won’t go away.Hate, in no way, results in the betterment of a society. And we are foolish if we pretend that Anchorage is somehow immune.
Visit their blogs to read the posts, plus transcripts from the hearings and guest posts by Tonei Glavinic. They will live-blog today’s hearing, as will other local bloggers. Bent Alaska will add updates from the hearing on the Facebook wall and below this post.
If you are in Anchorage, please join us at the equal rights ordinance hearing, Tuesday at Loussac Library. Wear blue!
Tags: Anchorage equal rights ordinance AO-64 (2009), Equality Works
