News Release
For Immediate Release: October 25, 2011
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
Harrisburg Bankrupt –did special rights ordinance help other municipalities?
(Harrisburg) — “Economic prosperity” is promised by homosexual activists pushing municipalities to pass human relations ordinances which in essence are homosexual special rights ordinances. Local elected officials are told passage of these ordinances will draw the ‘best and brightest’ which is in itself a slap in the face of those who oppose these ordinances. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide traditional values group, has warned municipalities considering these ordinances that economic bliss is not on the horizon simply because they adopt special protections for homosexuals.
“Harrisburg was one of the first municipalities in Pennsylvania to pass one of those controversial so-called ‘anti-discrimination’ ordinances and it quite evidently has not helped them. Bankruptcy is not a pretty thing, but that’s where Harrisburg stands and the ordinance nor the ‘best and brightest’ promised to flood to the city have prevented its history of bad decisions,” noted Diane Gramley, President of the AFA of PA. Gramley, also noted that Harrisburg proceeded with the annual ‘gay pride’ festival along the river on July 30th with a welcome letter from Mayor Linda Thompson included in the program guide.
Most recently a Newtown Borough (Bucks County) resident pushing for passage of a special rights ordinance said, “Nothing markets the borough better than showing off that we are an open community that doesn’t discriminate.” Nice sounding words, but as the AFA of PA has repeatedly asked: Where’s the evidence of this being a successful marketing ploy?
Other PA cities which have passed these ordinances, but are facing a bleak economic picture include Scranton which has said it will only meet payroll, but not pay its other bills for the rest of the year, Erie which is hiring a poverty initiative project facilitator. The census found one in eight are living in poverty in Pittsburgh and Bethlehem has three years of red ink closing 2010 with a $7.2 million deficit Philadelphia, which because of its “anti-discrimination” ordinance has tried since 2003 to oust the Cradle of Liberty Scout Council from its headquarters, continues facing economic woes facing a $1 billion deficit . Allentown’s debt has been called unsustainable and the 2010 census has found Reading to be the city with over 65,000 residents which has the highest number living in poverty.
“As homosexual activists continue their push to get local municipalities to pass these special rights ordinances, their argument that it will produce economic prosperity has proven to be a very lame one. If anything these ordinances make those with deeply held religious beliefs that homosexuality is wrong hesitant to move into or open up a business in such areas because homosexual special rights always conflict with religious freedom. And we can’t forget that homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders combined make up less than 4 percent of the US population ; a minute, but very loud and demanding minority, ” Gramley concluded.
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