04-27-09 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 27, 2009 COMMENTS REGARDING THE GLBT AMENDMENT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE Carl Hardy – 1519 Marigold Way, South Bend, Indiana, asked the Common Council to consider amending the Human Rights Ordinance to include language for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons. Robin Black – IUSB, stated that she is a student as well as an employee at Indiana University at South Bend. She stated that she has worked with Council Member Karen White who is Vice-Chancellor at IUSB on numerous occasions and finds her to be a very fair individual. However, she stated that she cannot believe that Council Member White voted to defeat the amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance in 2006. She encouraged the Council to consider amending the human rights ordinance to include language for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons. Courtney Helman – St. Mary’ College stated that an environment in which GLBT people cannot report discrimination only furthers intolerance. She cited the recent suicide of Carl Walker-Hoover of Massachusetts, who repeatedly was taunted by classmates who claimed he was gay. She stated that Walker’s mother reported the ongoing harassment to school administrators. Rebecca Gipson, 3929 Irish Hills Apt. 3A, stated that she is representing IUSB’s Family Student Union. Ms. Gipson stated that fifty years ago five of the nine Council representatives would not have been here and thirty years before that four other’s would have been gone as well. It is 2009 and it is time for South Bend and all of the communities within the United States to begin to judge people solely on their merit and not just on the color of their skin, their gender, their sexual orientation or anything other than has to do with their job performance. Elizabeth Mooney – IUSB, stated that she teaches sex research at the Kinzie Institute at IUSB. Ms. Mooney stated that she was before this Council three years ago explaining that sexual orientation is not something that anyone chooses we are all born with a sexual orientation. She stated that she is embarrassed that South Bend has not included sexual orientation in its non-discrimination policies. She stated that because of the genome studies that people come out of their mother’s uterus with a sexual orientation. It is not something that anybody chooses, it is not a preference, its there. She stated that we don’t choose to be blue eyed, or to be left handed or right handed, and don’t choose our sexual orientation. It is time that everyone grow up, it’s 2009, let’s get it together, get it on the agenda, let’s past it and put it to rest so three years from now, she doesn’t have to come and tell everyone again. Caitlin Worm – 107 S. Williams, North Liberty, Indiana, stated that she is the President of the College Democrats at IUSB and Chairperson of the Northern Indiana College Democrats and it’s a consortium of all the local universities. She stated that they have done a lot over the past few years in the community and are looking to do more. She stated that candidates that they have worked for are in favor of human rights. She stated that there is no way that she would ever work on a campaign for anyone that wasn’t a supporter of human rights. She commended and thanked Tom LaFountain because that was one of the issues that was asked by the College Democrats and he responded that absolutely he would extend the Human Rights Ordinance to include Sexual Orientation. She also thanked Ann Puzzello for her prior support for this amendment and Al “Buddy” Kirsits too. She urged the Council to consider amending the human rights ordinance to include language for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons. She pleaded the Council to provide equal protection under the law for all residents regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. She also stated that by supporting such actions it represents main street Hoosier values of fairness and equality. She quoted Bishop Darcy “Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and with dignity, everyone should enjoy the same basic human rights.” This is a basic human rights and it is something that is not chosen. She stated that people are being discriminated against by people who just think that someone is homosexual and that isn’t the case at all. She noted that they could be fired and that would be perfectly legal. She used Councilmember Dieter as an example on the 11