Original_To:  BITNET%"libref-l@kentvm"
Original_cc:  OARCHIBEQUE
Approved-By:  "Leslie M. Haas" <LHAAS@KENTVM.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.libref-l
Date:         Mon, 23 Nov 1992 15:03:36 EDT
From:         "Orlando Archibeque, Auraria Library,
              303-556-3482" <OARCHIBEQUE@CUDENVER.BITNET>
Subject:      Colorado's gay rights vote

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
There has been some discussion on this list concerning the recent
vote in Colorado about gay rights.  While this issue is not
directly about library reference issues, I think it is appropriate
to discuss this issue in LIBREF-L, especially if an ALA-boycott of
Colorado is being considered/debated.

I thought it might be helpful to post (1) some background info on
Amendment 2, (2) some of the actual election results, and (3) some
of the more recent happenings concerning the vote.

1.   The wording of Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment
     initiated by petition:

     Ballot title: "An amendment to Article II of the Colorado
     Constitution to prohibit the state of Colorado and any of its
     political subdivisions from adopting or enforcing any law or
     policy which provides that homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual
     orientation, conduct, or relationships constitutes or entitles
     a person to claim any minority or protected status, quota
     preferences, or discrimination."

     (A YES vote is FOR the amendment; a NO vote is against the
     amendment.)

     According to the Legislative Council of the Colorado General
     Assembly, in its publication "An Analysis of 1992 Ballot
     Proposals," the amendment would

     - "prohibit the state, its branches or departments, or any of
     its agencies, political subdivisions, municipalities, and
     school districts from adopting or enforcing any law or policy
     that entitles any person to claim discrimination, protected
     status, minority status, or quota preferences based on
     homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, conduct,
     practices, or relationships; and

     - make all existing anti-discrimination ordinances, laws,
     regulations, and policies prohibiting discrimination based on
     an individual's homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation
     unenforceable and unconstitutional."


     Some relevant background (according to the Colorado
     Legislative Council publication listed above):

     "Three home rule cities -- Aspen, Boulder, and Denver -- have
     ordinances protecting individuals from job, housing, and
     public accommodations discrimination when that discrimination
     is based solely on sexual orientation.  None of the ordinances
     requires quotas, affirmative action, minority status or
     requires that employers or landlords seek out homosexual,
     lesbian, or bisexual employees or tenants.  These cities have
     determined that discrimination based on sexual orientation was
     a sufficient problem to warrant protections against
     discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and public
     accommodations."

     "In 1990, the Governor (Roy Romer) issued an executive order
     prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the
     hiring, promotion, and firing of classified and exempt state
     employees.  The order applies to executive departments and to
     state institutions of higher education."

     Impact of the amendment:

     "Passage of the amendment would make unenforceable and
     unconstitutional those ordinances which prohibit
     discrimination based on sexual orientation with regard to
     homosexual, lesbian, and bisexual persons.  Therefore, the
     portion of those ordinances prohibiting discrimination based
     on sexual orientation adopted by the city council or approved
     by the voters in the cities of Aspen, Boulder, and Denver
     would be rendered invalid."


2.   Election results:

     Amendment 2 passed in the statewide election:

     Yes:  811,479 or 53.4%
      No:  707,525 or 46.6%

     I don't have all the figures right now, but a majority of
     voters in the three home-rule cities that have sexual
     orientation rights laws (Denver, Boulder, Aspen) voted AGAINST
     the amendment.  Aspen residents voted 3-1 against Amendment 2.
     Boulder County residents voted 59.2% no, 37.2% yes.  City of
     Boulder residents voted 75% no, 25% yes.   Amendment 2 passed
     by large margins in El Paso County (Colorado Springs and
     environs) and in the eastern rural plains.


3.   Recent happenings:

     Elected officials in the three home-rule cities and other
     civil-rights and gay-rights groups have initiated (or are
     contemplating) lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of
     the passed amendment.

     The Atlanta City Council approved a measure to ban expenditure
     of city funds for travel to Colorado; other cities are
     considering similar measures.

     The U.S. Student Association has canceled plans to hold its
     January national conference at the University of Colorado.

     In Boulder, there is a group known as "B BOLD" (Boulder
     Businesses Opposed to Legalized Discrimination) that is
     distributing "hate-free zone" signs for businesses as holiday
     shopping increases.

     The Denver Post is reporting today (11/20/92) that "Some
     members of the American Library Association are planning a
     series of protests against Amendment 2 when they attend the
     association's national convention in Denver in January.  The
     imminence of the event made cancellation impossible.  But
     Peggy Sullivan, executive director of the 55,000-member
     library association, said she expects resolutions at the
     January meeting to cancel plans to hold the convention again
     in Denver in 1998."


If there is interest, I'll be happy to furnish further info as
events unfold.

Orlando Archibeque
Social Science Bibliographer
Auraria Library (serving the Community College of Denver,
Metropolitan State College of Denver, and the University of
Colorado at Denver)

internet:     oarchibeque@cudnvr.denver.colorado.edu
bitnet:       oarchibeque@cudenver
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU