News Release
For Immediate Release: November 17, 2011
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.437.5355 or 1.814.271.9078
Will Whitemarsh Township Answer the Questions and Look at the Damning Evidence?
(Harrisburg) — Today the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA) emailed and faxed the Board of Supervisors concerning the public hearing about the so-called ‘anti-discrimination’ ordinance that was held tonight. The question is do the Township Supervisors have enough courage to honestly answer the questions and take a close look at the evidence presented outlining the dangers of passing the ordinance which will give special protections to homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders simply because of the sexual activity in which they engage and who they think they are.
” The proposed ordinance has nothing to do with civil rights and everything to do with special rights. Historically civil rights protections have been extended to classes of people who have immutable or unchangeable characteristics, have political powerlessness and a long history of discrimination. None of those criteria apply to homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders,” noted Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
The Board of Supervisors were presented with the following questions:
1.) How can you tell if someone is homosexual or bisexual?
2.) Where are the real stories of discrimination against homosexuals, bisexuals or transgenders? (Not stories from ten years ago or that someone heard a comment in a restaurant or on the street. Disparaging comments and name calling can be addressed under the Commonwealth’s harassment laws. All citizens of Pennsylvania have equal protection under the law.)
3.) If there have been no complaints, why is this ordinance necessary?
4.) What does the real battle for civil rights look like? African Americans were fighting for the right to vote, to sit anywhere on the bus they wanted, eat at any restaurant or drink from any water fountain they wanted. Homosexuals, bisexuals have not experienced such discrimination.
5.) Promised economic boom — how? It hasn’t happened in Philadelphia, York, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Erie, Allentown, Scranton or anyplace else, why do you think the result here will be any different? However, an economic boom has happened in Carlisle (Cumberland County) where they resisted an effort to pass the type ordinance you are considering!
The following examples of the negative impact such ordinances have had on businesses were presented:
- Homosexual activists in Philadelphia continue trying to force the Boy Scouts out of the headquarters they built and have maintained since 1929. Last month a Swarthmore (Delaware County) homosexual group asked Wallingford-Swarthmore School District to stop renting the school to the Boy Scouts because the Scouts prohibit homosexual leaders and members. Swarthmore passed a special rights ordinance in 2006.
- In Philadelphia a K Mart employee hesitated to allow a man to use the women’s fitting room to try on an outfit. The result? All the employees had to go through sensitivity training to better ‘understand’ transgenders!
- Currently in Des Moines, Iowa a women who runs a small bakery out of her home is receiving hateful emails and may face charges for refusing to bake a “wedding” cake for two lesbians. In 2007 Iowa passed an anti-discrimination law which included “sexual orientation.”
- Christian photographers (small business owners in New Mexico) have been fined $7000 for not wanting to photograph a homosexual ‘commitment’ ceremony.
- In Indianapolis a bakery (small business) faced eviction because they refused to fill an order for rainbow cookies placed by a homosexual organization. A great public outcry prevented the eviction from city owned property.
- Under Minnesota’s sexual orientation law, a transgendered person filed suit after West Publishing requested the man, who dressed as a woman, stop using the women’s restroom after female employees complained. After several years of litigation and a huge expenditure of resources, the employer “won” the legal case.
“These same questions and examples have been presented to other elected officials in southeastern Pennsylvania. Will the Whitemarsh Township Supervisors be honest about the dangers posed to their township or will they give into pressure from homosexual activists and make the wrong decision?” questioned Gramley.
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