KY: 'Fairness' rules win bipartisan 19-6 vote [View All]

By Joseph Gerth
jgerth@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal


The Louisville Metro Council voted 19-6 last night to renew a civil-rights ordinance that includes protection from discrimination because of gender identity and sexual orientation.

A coalition of Democrats and Republicans approved the proposal, which supporters have called the "fairness ordinance," before an overflow crowd in the Metro Council chamber.

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Two council members said they probably would have voted against the ordinance had it not been for what have been described as "vulgar" mailings sent out by a group run by conservative activist Frank Simon.

"If I hadn't gotten that letter and those phone calls that were full of hatred and bigotry, I wouldn't have believed it existed in my hometown," Madonna Flood, D-24th, said before the meeting.

Cyril Allgeier, D-10th, who as a Louisville alderman voted against every "fairness amendment" that came up, also said he voted for it this time in protest of Simon's letter.

Dan Johnson, D-21st and the primary sponsor of the ordinance, noted that he had voted against "fairness" proposals in the past but that the campaign "by bigots and liars" against the ordinance proved his decision to support the measure now was the right thing to do.

The ordinance prohibits discrimination in hiring, accommodations and housing on the basis of sex, age, religion, race, ethnicity, physical disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

more:http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2004/12/10ky/A1-council1210m-8769.html