From: klf@druwa.ATT.COM (FranklinKL)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: Won't be in Colorado...
Keywords: Yo Gary, Wake Up!
Date: 16 Nov 92 19:52:07 GMT
Distribution: rec


In Message: <92318.135900U2EF5@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
U2EF5@wvnvm.wvnet.edu (Gary Edwards) posts:

>   As near as I can tell, the only thing that this ammendmant
>restricted was the ability of the gay community to give themselves
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>special status.  I don't believe that it is in any way discriminatory
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>against any group.  I also don't believe that your sexual orientation
>should give you any privleges over the general populations.
>************************************************************
>Gary J. Edwards            |  '82 V45 Sabre
>West Virginia University   |
>Morgantown, WV             |
>U2EF5@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU      |   (304)293-3422 ext. 401
>DoD#0615                   |
>

Have you read the text of Amendmant 2?  Since you are posting from
West Virginia, I would guess that you haven't and that what knowledge
you have of the amendment comes from the net.  Well Gary, your
presumption is WRONG.  Bear with me and I'll try and clarify.

Prior to Amendment 2, the City of Denver had in place an ordinance
making illegal discrimination in jobs and housing based on race, ethnic
background, religion, sex, age and sexual orientation.  As far
as the sexual orientation part went, that's ALL it said.  In other words,
a straight person working for a gay employer was protected just as
a gay person working for a straight employer was protected.  The
cities of Boulder and Aspen had similar laws on the books.

What Amendment 2 did was invalidate the sexual orientation provisions
of these ordinances when applied to GAY, LESBIAN or BISEXUAL people.
It did NOT invalidate the sexual orientation provision as applied
to people whose sexual orientation is heterosexual.  In other words,
if a straight employee is fired by a gay employer because of his/her
sexual orientation, in Denver, the employee can claim discrimination.
BUT, if a gay employee is fired because of his sexual orientation,
there is no recourse.  The Amendment specifically prohibits making
it illegal to discriminate against gays based upon their sexual
orientation, but makes NO mention of heterosexuals.  The Amendment
does NOT invalidate or prohibit legislation against discrimination
based on sexual orientation.  It SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS legislation
against discrimination based on a GAY, LESBIAN or BISEXUAL orientation.

Sure doesn't sound very American to me.

How anyone could interpret that as "the ability of the gay community to
give themselves special status".  The Denver ordinance, granting freedom
from discrimination based on sexual orientation, among the other things,
was approved overwhelmingly by the voters of Denver.  What Amendment 2
did was to SPECIFICALLY RESTRICT GAYS from protection under the
ordinance and to prevents any governmental agencies from passing
future ordinances extending protection to gay people based on their
sexual orientation.

Actually, if you think about it, the only "special status" involved here
is that gays have the "special status" of being denied the right to
protection from being discriminated against because  of their sexual
orientation.  If that's special status, I don't think many people would
want it.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of the issue.

*******  NOW AN EDITORIAL COMMENT **********

This is not the first (nor will it be the last, I'm afraid) uninformed
posting I've seen relative to the Colorado Amendment 2 issue.
While I think discussion of the issue is good, I implore people to
educate themselves with regard to an issue before giving opinions
or trying to interpret.  I realize that this goes completely against
the prevailing attitude on USENET, but I firmly believe that the old
adage still applies:

          IT'S BETTER TO BE STILL AND BE THOUGHT A FOOL
              THAN TO SPEAK AND REMOVE ALL DOUBT


--
Ken Franklin 	They say there's a heaven for people who wait
AMA     	And some say it's better but I say it ain't
GWRRA           I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
DoD #0126       The sinners are lots more fun, Y'know only the good die young