Councilor Fullilove begins to move NDO through the Council

At-Large City Councilor Janis Fullilove has started the process to pass a Non-Discrimination Ordinance through the Memphis City Council today.  The Personnel committee sent it to the full Council without recommendation because it had not yet heard from Mayor Wharton’s office on its position regarding the ordinance.

Councilor Fullilove explains why she is leading the fight to the CA:

“No one should be discriminated against based upon their color, their sexual orientation, not at all,” said Fullilove. “A number of states and businesses here in the Memphis area, including FedEx, put in place mechanisms that would prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation. No one should be discriminated against. Everyone should have the ability to work and take care of themselves and families.”

Councilman Edmund Ford Jr. added language that also protects individuals based on age, national origin and disability.

The ordinance would prevent the city from discrimination in hiring, promotion or demotion of employees based on sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. (Gender identity or expression refers to a person’s decision to live as a gender other than that with which they were born.)

This is one of the top twenty cities in population in the US, so we’re metropolitan to push this through with little opposition, right?  Wrong, sadly:

Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, said he was not “trying to be hateful or mean” but opposed the ordinance because he felt Christians who believe homosexuality is a choice could be discriminated against, or forced to hire gay people.

“We believe this ordinance against discrimination discriminates against people of faith,” said Gaines. “Would a Christian child care center be forced to hire a transvestite?”

We all saw THAT coming up Appling Road, didn’t we?  Well, the good Councilor reminded us that this would only apply to workers of the City of Memphis, not every business.

Jonathan Cole of the Tennessee Equality Project lobbied for passage of the ordinance:

Jonathan Cole, board chairman of the Tennessee Equality Project, said the ordinance should be approved and would put the city in the mainstream of municipal policies.

“An equality gap exists for employees who may be gay, lesbian or transgender,” said Cole. “Employees should be judged on their ability to do their job. We believe Memphis can do better.”

Question: why the hell is equality for ALL people even a question that should be debated?  This ordinance should be passed as quickly as possible, we need to send the message that NO discrimination will be tolerated in Memphis.  Period.

Tags: Equality, Non-Discrimination, non-discrimination ordinance