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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 26, 2012 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />local GLBT folks as truly being a disenfranchised and discriminated against minority. <br />GLBT folks certainly minorities in number, but in no other way that other protected <br />minority truly are or have been. <br /> <br />Richard Urda, 3104 Springwood, South Bend, Indiana, read a letter from Bishop Kevin <br />C. Rhoades calling on the Council to reject the measure and cited concerns about the <br />indoctrination of children, which has happened in other localities. A copy of the letter is <br />on file in the Office of the City Clerk. <br /> <br />Jessica Williams, 2518 Oakland, (Apt. 209) Elkhart , Indiana, advised that she was a <br />student at ITT Tech in South Bend and in South Bend quite a bit. She urged the Council <br />to vote against this ordinance. She stated that she lived a homosexual lifestyle for more <br />than 10 years. In that time she was never ever denied employment or service in any <br />establishment, because of her lifestyle. As a matter of fact she experienced more <br />discrimination due to her weight and the color of her skin than anything else. During that <br />time in her life she was also a drug addict, which put her in the line of fire for great <br />discrimination which never happened. She stated that she stands before the Council <br />tonight to say whether we like it or not discrimination is happening and will continue to <br />happen. There are already laws and ordinances already put in place to assist with this. <br />When we decide to compromise our beliefs or give special treatment to certain <br />individuals that’s when we lose. We lose our integrity, our dignity, and our self-respect. <br />Being a homosexual is a choice, we are not born this way and just like choices we make <br />there may be consequences that come especially when we flaunt them and throw them in <br />other peoples faces. Lastly, we have the right to feel safe. We have the right to make <br />sure our children are safe, if we allow grown men or women, dressed like a man or <br />woman or a clown in the opposite restroom where her daughter or son is going to be that <br />doesn’t feel safe. She stated that she is not accusing anyone of anything however, grown <br />men and women; do not belong in opposite restrooms. If this passes we will be setting a <br />precedent of special treatment, then what is to stop the next group that asks. <br />Homosexuality is a choice, not a disease, or a disorder, or a birth defect. <br /> <br />Pastor Leonard Cook, 2626 Prairie St., Elkhart, Indiana, stated that he is the Pastor of <br />River of Life Church. He stated that he grew up on Grape Road and graduated from Clay <br />High School. He stated that at 16 years old he was a youth pastor and now he is 66 and <br />knows what he is doing. He stated that he worked for 35 years in a factory. He stated <br />that he is also a Housing Authority Commissioner of Elkhart. He stated that he has been <br />working with the Mayor and gave him a key to the City and still calls for counsel. He <br />stated that they just purchased the former Bayer facility and opened up a teen challenge, <br />the first one in Indiana and have a six month log in. He stated that there is so much <br />healing and deliverance at that is what he is going to give his testimonies for this. This is <br />the time of the season where the enemy is out to destroy the families and believes that <br />this rights movement will also bring destruction to families and even to people’s lives. <br />What we are really supposed to be doing is restoring the hearth of the Father through the <br />children and the children through the Father. There was a great blessing right now on <br />spiritual mothers and fathers. He stated that as a Pastor he has come tonight because they <br />have teams trained that have brought so much healing and deliverance to people involved <br />in homosexuality, dozen of them. God loves everybody, we love everybody, we show <br />them that they love them and care for them and we have gift and purpose classes and <br />when they found that out, they realize that they are on a very confused path. We want to <br />make sure that our laws line up with God’s laws. Every one of them that we have <br />brought healing and deliverance to have been hurt, they have been abused, they have <br />emotional problems and they are in bondage and so forth. In closing he read a testimony <br />by a man named Tony who wrote this just this year: It is a secret of spirit a hurtful one it <br />is a spirit that is ruining families and family values in which there is confusion to the kids <br />that are sometimes involved. It’s about using each other for personal satisfaction with no <br />commitment. A lot of people are involved they are just covering up their personal pain <br />from abuses as children. It is not the way you are born but it’s a choice that you make. <br />God delivered and set me free and have been married for 19 years and a father also and <br />have three children. He was searching for a true fathers love, but because of the abuse <br />that he went through without a good fatherly role mode in his life, but know realizes that <br />he is free and realize that God is the best father I could ask for and I am free. <br /> 21 <br /> <br />