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03-26-12 Common Council Meeting Minutes
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03-26-12 Common Council Meeting Minutes
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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 26, 2012 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />want to because were not open. She stated that her other kids who are not gay are <br />successful and live in Cincinnati, Dallas and Austin. The taxes they pay and their <br />community involvement would be an asset to South Bend, but that is never going to <br />happen if we are not progressive. That is just the mindset of young people. She stated <br />that her older brother spent his career bringing major businesses into major cities on the <br />west coast. He looks at this issue as a major stumbling block to economic progress in <br />South Bend. He says that Cities are seen as lacking the ability to unify and be <br />progressive by perspective businesses when they are stuck on issues like this. This vote <br />has been a stumbling block for South Bend. She said she was sitting at her desk on <br />Friday, having told nothing about any of this and overheard one of her co-workers in <br />another office say “what is going on, all we hear about in the news is this GLBT issue <br />before the Common Council.” She said she got up and explained that the Council is <br />going to vote on adding this amendment to Human Rights bill. The reply she got was <br />“why can’t people just get over it and move on.” That is what they are asking, get over it <br />and move on. Allow them to be protected like the Council and she are protected. They <br />also need to be protected. She reiterated that the City is definitely losing people who <br />could do a world of good here. The more progressive the people are here the more <br />business is going to want come here. Businesses aren’t going to look at South Bend if <br />you don’t have progress and stuck on little issues like this one. She urged the Council to <br />pass this bill. <br /> <br />Marianne Chalstrom, 6103 S. Bridgeton Lane, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is an <br />ordained member of the United Methodist Church, her last position was District <br />Superintendent in Kosciusko, Marshall and Whitely Counties. She stated that her <br />husband is a retired member of federal employees. She said that they live in South Bend <br />by choice, they are retirees, they could go to Tucson, Phoenix, or Orlando, but they are in <br />South Bend. Thank God we missed the snow this year. She stated that she is here today <br />because she stands in solidarity with the GLBT Community and affirm Bill 9-12. She <br />stated 30 years ago she had a hard time getting a job because of her gender. So she gets it <br />about job discrimination. She stated that her husband and her want to live in South Bend <br />because they like it, they like the cultural advantages, they don’t mind shoveling snow, <br />but they want to live in a community that Councilmember Ferlic described as diverse, <br />modern, welcoming city. She stated that she has lived overseas in two other continents; <br />she has lived in many other states. She said she rejects the idea of South Bend <br />succumbing to a climate of fear. She urged the Council’s unanimous support of Bill 9- <br />12, that underscores the need for justice and fairness for all citizens in this community. <br />She believes this is the civil rights issue of our day for this generation and looks forward <br />to seeing us in this generation in South Bend on the right side of history on this issue. <br /> <br />Martha Carrol, 638 E. Ewing, Pastor, South Side Christian Church Disciples of Christ. <br />She stated that as a pastor it is important for her to take the time to listen to people. She <br />stated that over and over she has heard people struggle to do the right thing, to make the <br />right decision, to act with integrity. In this spirit, she expresses to the opposition that his <br />description of gay and lesbian people as promiscuous and immoral and did not described <br />the members of the church she serves. She stated that they recently celebrated the <br />anniversary of a couple, two women, who had been together for 38 years now. He <br />responded well that is the exception. Another couple, two men, who have been together <br />for 22 years, they met at Notre Dame as students. Another woman in her church, jokes <br />that her lesbian sister who has been with her partner for 44 years has a marriage that has <br />outlasted her heterosexual one. This is no an exception in the world in which she lives. <br />It’s the norm. She stated that it is important to know two things: One is that others can <br />despise us, talk about us, ridicule use, blame us, and accuse us of behavior that is <br />immoral, perverted or whatever words they choose to use, such language is abusive, <br />demeaning, insulting and slanderous. But know this much of what is said with little <br />thought for the harm that it causes are the same things her father use to describe black <br />people when she was growing up. Prejudice is prejudice and the arguments are the same, <br />only the target changes. For instances that old bathroom fear, we heard that back in the <br />late 70’s and early 80’s during the campaign to pass the equal rights amendment. But <br />even further back when she was a child growing up in Louisiana people were horrified at <br />the idea of blacks and whites’ using the same bathroom, isn’t that amazing and doesn’t <br />that show incredible ignorance about people. Failure to pass this bill gives credence to all <br /> 15 <br /> <br />
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