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News Release
For Immediate Release: June 30, 2009
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

Traditional Values Group Urges Allegheny County Council to Defeat Discriminatory Ordinance

(Pittsburgh) – Tomorrow evening the Allegheny County Council is poised to vote on a homosexual special rights ordinance which will discriminate against those with deeply held religious beliefs that homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism are wrong. It will also force all businesses with four or more employees to hire homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders. A so-called ‘religious exemption’ was added on June 18^th and voted out of committee at that time. Today the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide traditional values group, faxed each of the Allegheny County Council members outlining the ramifications to the county if Ordinance 4201-08 is passed.

“Those Council members who support this ordinance don’t realize the dangerous situations that will be created if they pass Ordinance 4201-08. How many grandfathers, husbands and fathers in Allegheny County want their granddaughters, wives and daughters forced to use the same public restroom as a man who thinks he is a woman. The June 18^th ‘religious exemption’ amendment was simply a feel good amendment and did nothing to make a disastrous bill good,” commented Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.

· A religious exemption will not prevent businesses from being forced to hire men who will come to work dressed as a woman.

· It will not prevent county pools from being forced to allow these same men who think they are women to use the women’s locker and shower facilities.

· The Boy Scouts would face discrimination if this ordinance passes because they ban open homosexual leaders and members. Under this ordinance this would be deemed discriminatory and the Scouts would be prevented from using government facilities. Currently Troop 350 uses the Castle Shannon Borough Building for their meetings. This would end if Councilwoman Joan Cleary continues her support of Ordinance 4201-08 and it passes.

· Day care centers would be forced to hire homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders. So the question children will have for their parents will be, “Why is that man wearing a dress?”

“One of the reasons the supporters of this ordinance is using to get it passed is that it will help the economy of Allegheny County. That same reason has been used before in other places, but it has made no difference. Erie County which has such an ordinance is facing a budget crisis as is Philadelphia which has had this type ordinance even longer. And apparently Pittsburgh’s homosexual special rights ordinance hasn’t helped them either as they have ongoing financial problems,” further commented Gramley.

The real purpose of this ordinance is to give special rights to homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders. This effort completely ignores the fact that civil rights protection has historically been extended in consideration of immutable or unchangeable characteristics, political powerlessness and the inability to earn a livable wage. Homosexuality is changeable, thousands of ex-gays attest to that, homosexuals are not politically powerless and they are able to make a decent wage. Ordinance 4201-08 is not necessary and the majority of people in Allegheny County do not support it.

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