Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
When put to a vote, residents of Houston voted overwhelmingly to repeal a controversial law that would have allowed transgendered persons to use women’s restrooms.
Chron.com is reporting on a ballot initiative that is being credited for bringing large numbers of voters to the polls on Tuesday. Known as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), it would have barred discrimination based on 15 categories, including race, gender, religion, ethnicity, veteran status, sexual orientation and gender identity. Violators of the law faced stiff penalties of up to $5,000.
Although existing laws already award many of these protections, the addition of gender identity is where most of the attention is being drawn in Houston because this would grant expanded access to public restrooms for transgendered persons.
Passage of the bill was also part of a larger scheme by Project One America, the brainchild of the gay activist group, the Human Rights Campaign, that openly seeks to expand gay and transgender rights in traditionally conservative Southern states, including Texas. The group committed a half-billion dollars as part of a campaign to get laws such as this one passed.
But the way the City Council went about introducing and then passing this bill was the epitome of what Americans despise about government and how it bows to the pressure of special interest groups rather than defend the rights of the majority.
It all began when Houston’s lesbian mayor, Annise Parker forced the law into effect earlier this year through the City Council. In response, a group of pastors put together a campaign to garner enough signatures to put the bill on the ballot in November. Parker retaliated by demanding that they turn over all sermons related to the bill. This request generated national outrage and Parker was forced to back down.
Meanwhile, the pastors managed to secure enough signatures which were eventually certified by the city secretary. But instead of honoring the process, the Council went ahead and enacted the bill anyway, which prompted legal action. The Texas Supreme Court eventually ruled that the Council had violated the city charter by refusing to accept the signatures and gave members 30 days to either repeal the ordinance or place it before voters on the November ballot.
They chose the latter and were resoundingly defeated by a margin of 61 vs. 39.
Supporters released a written statement Tuesday night: “We are disappointed with today’s outcome, but our work to secure nondiscrimination protections for all hard-working Houstonians will continue. No one should have to live with the specter of discrimination hanging over them. Everyone should have the freedom to work hard, earn a decent living and provide for themselves and their families.”
Opponents of the law expressed relief.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released a statement after the historic vote that read, “I want to thank the voters in the City of Houston for turning out in record numbers to defeat Houston Prop 1 – the bathroom ordinance. The voters clearly understand that this proposition was never about equality – that is already the law. It was about allowing men to enter women’s restrooms and locker rooms – defying common sense and common decency.”
Make no mistake, the defeat of this bill was a major setback for those groups in America who are intent on continuing their campaigns to dismantle the moral fiber of this nation.
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