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REGULAR MEETING JULY, 10, 2006
<br />words that were used tonight to focus on this situation one is fairness and the other is
<br />justice. That’s what we are after is fairness and justice for the people who are
<br />discriminated against because of their lifestyle. Mr. Kelly stated that he is not condoning
<br />the lifestyle at all, it is just saying that discrimination exists in our community and people
<br />are being discriminated against in various ways and we are just giving them some
<br />recourse which they do not have presently. The referral of the brain drain in our City, we
<br />have been talking about that topic for some time. We are loosing good intelligent people
<br />from the community, not necessarily just GLBT types, because of the way that they are
<br />treated in South Bend. Mr. Kelly stated that by passing this amendment to the ordinance
<br />we can curb the brain drain. Sexually transmitted diseases were brought up, it’s a terrible
<br />thing, but sexually transmitted diseases affect heterosexual as well as homosexuals. He
<br />stated that to him, he doesn’t believe that homosexuality is a matter of choice, he stated
<br />that there have been arguments about that all evening long, but anyone who would
<br />choose the homosexual lifestyle in our homophobic society has got to be out in left field
<br />somewhere, he just does not believe that it is a matter of choice. Mr. Kelly stated that is
<br />his personal view, he is not a clinical psychologist, he cannot speak on a professional
<br />basis, but it just doesn’t seem right to him that anyone would choose that lifestyle given
<br />the kind of problems that exist in the Community.
<br />Councilmember Pfeifer stated that she would leave it up to Councilmembers, if they
<br />would like to ask questions of City Attorney Chuck Leone, or Human Rights
<br />Commission Executive Director Lonnie Douglas about any of the issues that were raised.
<br />Councilmember Pfeifer stated that what she wanted to say in summary, is that, our form
<br />of government in the United States, we do have a separation of church and state. That is
<br />the way that our government is, we protect the minority, from the Tierney of the
<br />Majority. That is the way that our government is. This ordinance has nothing at all to do
<br />with behavior being protected, it’s about protecting people, human beings that’s what it is
<br />about. The behavior was mentioned over and over again, what people do sexually, this
<br />ordinance has nothing to do with what people do sexually. This is about protecting
<br />people. The very fact that young people are confused and undecided about their
<br />orientation is even more reason that they need to be protected from discrimination while
<br />they are sorting things out. A couple of weeks ago, a southern Indiana man who put
<br />together the black holocaust museum in Milwaukee, died. He died at the age of 80
<br />because sixty years ago when he was being lynched, in Southern Indiana, for a crime he
<br />did not commit, somebody stepped forward and said he is innocent. Tonight, we have the
<br />opportunity to step forward and say that these people being mistreated is inappropriate
<br />and unacceptable in our community. In the areas of education, public accommodations,
<br />housing and employment, that is what we are talking about. We have the chance to step
<br />forward to protect people who cannot step forward and protect themselves. She
<br />challenged each and everyone to think about human beings, about individuals, that you
<br />care about. Remember the times that people stepped forward for you. Now it is your
<br />chance to return the favor. She asked the Council to vote with them tonight.
<br />Councilmember Puzzello stated that she believes strongly in equality and freedom. The
<br />freedom of opportunity under the law for everyone. She also thinks that she owes respect
<br />to everyone who does the best they can with the gifts given to them. That includes
<br />helping to achieve equality for all people, and not accepting fear or making judgments
<br />against those who are different from her. She thinks that we all have to fight against this
<br />human tendency to make judgments. We have to fight that all of our lives, all of us!
<br />Tonight, we are not talking about marriage, and we are not talking about trying to change
<br />people’s religious convictions, a person who has the money to rent or buy a home, or has
<br />the education or training to hold a job, should under freedom of opportunity be allowed to
<br />do so. We cannot lovingly deny anyone this right. This is discrimination and certainly
<br />has nothing to do with love. When speaking of discrimination against anyone, it is often
<br />mentioned that when it comes to employment, we want to hire the best employee
<br />possible. Well, she wants the best employees in her City and the best neighbors in her
<br />neighborhood. Please give all law abiding citizens a equal playing field.
<br />Councilmember Varner thanked everyone for their participation tonight. 850 e-mails,
<br />numerous phone calls, volumes of information, most of which read and highlighted and
<br />conducted on a high level a very professional level and a very respectful level, and
<br />however this turns out tonight, he hopes that everyone walks away with the
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