The Ordinance (San Antonio, Commerce, Anton: fit in, 2013, city hall)

[Chaka]

This is not about any one council person or any one group. Here are the facts about the ordinance.

Non-Discrimination Ordinance


In sum, it protects ALL citizens. That means it leaves in place all current protections for race, religion (a personal choice) - so no one can discriminate against those who have chosen Christianity if they have a city contract, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, and LGBT.

It does not affect public bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing facilities.

[Cuero]

That's just an advertisement.....Let's see the actual legal document that is being voted on.

[SAguy]

Originally Posted by Chaka

This is not about any one council person or any one group. Here are the facts about the ordinance.

Non-Discrimination Ordinance


In sum, it protects ALL citizens. That means it leaves in place all current protections for race, religion (a personal choice) - so no one can discriminate against those who have chosen Christianity if they have a city contract, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, and LGBT.

It does not affect public bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing facilities.

Thanks Chaka. People are so misinformed about this non-discrimination ordinance it's almost silly. SA is definitely not leading the way in any way shape or form, it's just doing what other major cities already have in place.

Moderator cut: Gez, leave the obscene or implied obscene language out...

[geargrinder70]

Again if you want to prove your point show the real document not a political ad which proves nothing.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by Chaka

This is not about any one council person or any one group. Here are the facts about the ordinance.

No, it is by:

© 2013 Vote Diego Bernal. Political Advertisement Paid for by Diego Bernal Campaign for San Antonio City Council District 1, Joe Bernal – Treasurer, PO Box 15677, San Antonio, TX 78212.

[L210]

I think this is the ordinance.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/FOCISpecial...+Ordinance.pdf

I got a chance to hear this employer go on and on about having to hire less qualified people just because they fit into a certain group as if Affirmative Action were in the ordinance. By the way, Affirmative Action is not a quota system, and it does not require that employers hire less qualified people. Anyway, the ordinance just bans discrimination based on the factors listed.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

No, it is by

i.e. the person who wrote the ordinance.


Here it is in full
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aji9fg5vep...%207.26.13.pdf

(note that changes are being made, at the request of some churches, so these are clarifications on behalf of Christians.)

[JuneOf48]

What's funny is that most of the ordinance has been on the books, in its present form, for quite a while. The main "new" items involve the inclusion of gender identity, sexual orientation, and veteran status.

The idea that Christians will be barred from office and persecuted because of this ordinance is just insane. That has not happened in the other major Texas cities that already have it. What's even stranger is that religious people feel that they can't be religious and serve their city or operate their business if the ordinance goes through, because they feel that practicing their religion will cause others to label them a "bigot."

But, if you read this--or even think about it--you'll see that discrimination based on religion has been prohibited for quite a while in this context. And, from what I know about a lot of religious people, they disagree with other religions all the time, often adding a moral component to their judgments. "Being Christian" means, for many people, that they think that Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism are "wrong"--i.e., they have different gods, or they don't accept the right individual as the one and true savior, or they suggest lifestyles that are unappealing or even disgusting and amoral to some Christians.

So why are people so worried about sexual orientation? Shouldn't they be more worried that their religious identity will mark them as having a "bias" against other religions--with which they disagree virulently, even more so then they disagree with a person's sexual orientation? (I know a lot of strict Christians who are much more worried about Islam destroying the world then gays destroying the world.)

In short, if you're worried that being a Christian will mean fewer rights under the ordinance because of your stance on homosexuality, why aren't you worried that your Christianity will lead to your persecution because of your stance on other religions in general???

Seriously, I just don't get this. It just seems to be a smokescreen to express one's disagreement with homosexuality rather than a fight to protect one's ability to be religious.

[Mom2Feebs]

Everything seems simple enough, but it almost never is.

[Bo]

District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules sent this message out about the NDO yesterday.

Dear Friends, neighbors and constituents:

You are probably aware that the City Council is considering a NDO (non-discrimination ordinance) being put forth by Mayor Julian Castro and Councilmembers Diego Bernal, Rey Saldana, Ray Lopez, and previous Councilmember Leticia Ozuna.

This has become a very divisive issue in our community. Unfortunately the discussion is being driven through the media in an emotional manner with little attention paid to the actual document in question.

Here are a few facts you should know:

This 20 page document has never been presented in any form to an official A or B session of City Council or to an appropriate Council Committee where it could be properly vetted.

As of today this ordinance has not been provided to the general public through any official city publication. It has not been posted to the city website, provided to the Office of the City Clerk, and is not been provided in the backup documentation on the posted agenda. (I hope this transparency issue will be corrected soon.)

While the details have yet to be discussed, it will affect local businesses via the public accommodations language and any company that wishes to do business with the city.

It will impact appointments to boards and commissions.

It will begin a process in which the city may investigate complaints involving various types of discrimination, and provide remedies to aggrieved parties.

Needless to say, this is a complex issue that must be scrutinized carefully to avoid unintended consequences.

If you have questions or concerns about this proposal I urge you to come to City Hall located at 114 W. Commerce; on Wednesday, August 28, at 2 pm to hear City Council discuss the issue, on the record, and in an open forum.

Thank you,

Carlton Soules