News Release
For Immediate Release: September 13, 2011
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
Why is Newtown Borough Rushing to Give Special Rights to Homosexuals?
(Philadelphia) — Newtown Borough in Bucks County seems to be on the fast track (with the encouragement of New Hope Borough) to pass a discriminatory “anti-discrimination” ordinance. The idea of such an ordinance was first brought up last month by Council President Julia Woldorf with the demand that the borough council vote to give the green light for the solicitor to write the borough’s “anti-discrimination” ordinance. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania ( AFA of PA), a statewide traditional values group, joins council members who were concerned about the big push to get the ordinance passed NOW. Because of that concern the AFA of PA faxed and emailed council a list of issues to consider. Discussion continues at tonight’s meeting.
“Council President Woldorf said she’s been looking into an ordinance for about a year yet just recently tossed the idea out to the full council. The AFA of PA is concerned about the negative impact these ordinances have on communities and individuals especially those with deeply held religious beliefs that homosexuality is wrong. But, as we pointed out in our communication with council members, these so-called ‘anti-discrimination ordinances have cost companies and small businesses money in litigation and fines,” noted Diane Gramley, President of the AFA of PA.
The email and fax to Newtown Borough pointed out these real world problems in other areas where such “Human Relations” ordinances have passed:
- The owner of a Christian photography business in New Mexico was fined $7,000 for refusing to film the commitment ceremony of a lesbian couple. (This was even after she referred them to another photographer.)
- Last fall a business in Indianapolis faced eviction from a city owned building because they refused to bake cookies for a homosexual group. It was only after intense public pressure was exerted that the Indianapolis city council back away from their original eviction plans.
- Just a look south into Philadelphia will see how these ordinances negatively impact the Boy Scouts. Since 2003 Philadelphia has been trying to evict the Cradle of Liberty Scout Counsel from the headquarters they built and have maintained since 1929. Why? Because the national policy is to prohibit open homosexuals from serving as leaders or members.
- A local Kmart in Philadelphia was forced to permit a man who thinks he is a woman to use the women’s fitting room to try on an outfit.
- Under Minnesota’s sexual orientation law, a transgendered person filed suit after West Publishing, a large publisher of legal materials, requested the man stop using the women’s restroom after female employees complained that the man, who dressed like a woman, used the women’s bathroom. After several years of litigation, the employer “won” the legal case, but in the end had to pay significant amounts of money to defend this against this claim.
“As we noted in our email to council members, ‘ To truly protect the borough, a ‘no’ vote is necessary when this ordinance is presented for consideration.’ Our hope is that common sense and the recognition that there is no need for this ordinance will prevail. These ordinance do more harm than good and are simply a way to use the force of law to demand that people accept homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism as normal,” Gramley concluded.
# # #
Loading ...