Opposition at the Indiana State House
On February 2nd of 2016, the State of Indiana allowed Senate Bill 344, otherwise known as the gender- identity/sexual orientation anti-discrimination bill to die in committee due to massive opposition and its controversial nature.
If this bill had passed, not only would it provide special protections for a particular class of people, but it would also incriminate a separate class of people.
Many in the unprotected classes rose up in opposition because one class should not be favored above the others, and the bill was not written in such a way that would provide protections for every walk of life, but rather, a select few above the rest.
Shortly after the bill died in committee, a new agenda came forth. That new agenda was seen all over the country in numerous states, wherein the cities and counties began simultaneously pushing the same agenda that the states could not pass.
The purpose for the cities and counties passing the ordinances was very obvious. If the cities and counties of any state adopted the ordinances that the state could not pass, then the states would have to change their course if the agenda was pushed through at the lower ranks.
The problem? The agenda represents a miniscule number of citizens and an ideology pushed upon us from those in high positions that do not represent the majority of the people who are, themselves, the constituents of the counties and cities. And yet, they push the agenda anyway.
The Senate Bill simply was not an acceptable verbiage for not only the Christians who would be incriminated and demonized, but also for many of the LGBT representatives in the Hoosier community.
City Council Photo by Ary
Despite the tipping scales of opposition from the conservatives, those who supported the agenda, a small number in comparison (some of whom do not even reside in the city) swayed the vote of the Evansville City Council. But the agenda didn’t stop there.
Now, that self-same agenda is before the Board of Vanderburgh County Commissioners, and the question remains, “Will the Board of Vanderburgh County Commissioners represent their constituents, or will they represent an agenda that is passed down from above?
The following is posted in a previous article in the Vanderburgh Independent Press:
“Tuesday, March 21st, the Vanderburgh Board of County Commissioners will vote in regards to amending a civil rights ordinance which adds Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity to the protected class of citizens.
County Commissioners Cheryl Musgrave, Ben Shoulders, and Bruce Ungethiem voted on the previous reading on the ordinance amendment on February 28th, 2017. While Musgrave and Shoulders voted in favor of the amendment, Ungethiem was vocal in voting against.
Employment, religious institutions, and restroom-use are all addressed in the ordinance as well. “
The final vote on this amendment will be today in Room 301 of the Civic Center at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. at 3:00pm today.
Will the Board of Vanderburgh County Commissioners push through an ordinance that does not represent the majority of its constituents despite the fact that the state has allowed this bill to die? Or will the Board choose to represent the people?
Should the County Commissioners pass an ordinance that could potentially incriminate one group of people while granting special protections to another group of people?
If you think that this bill should not be passed, contact your County Commissioners at:
Cheryl Musgrave: cwmusgrave@vanderburghgov.org
Ben Shoulders: bshoulders@vanderburghgov.org
Bruce Ungethiem: bungethiem@vanderburghgov.org
Or call the Commissioners office at 812-435-5241.
Ary
