From: jackies@fc.hp.com (Jackie Sheddy X6958)
Subject: My letter to the editor  Re: CO2
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 12:14:41 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.3 PL6]



I got pretty pissed when  Amendment 2 passed here in Colorado.  I got so
mad, in fact,  that I wrote a letter to the  editor of our local  paper.
For your entertainment I decided to post it here.

Here it is:



November 3, 1992 was election day.  Voters turned out in record numbers.
More  people  voted  this year  than in 1972.  For the first  time in my
life,  I had to wait  in line  for a  voting  booth.  We  elected  a new
President into the White House.  We elected new members to Congress.  We
elected new members to the Senate.  And Colorado  became the first state
in the union (since the  ratification of the 14th Amendment) to legalize
discrimination.  That's  right folks,  Colorado  Amendment 2 = Legalized
Discrimination.

Colorado for Family Values (CFV) has just pulled the slickest anti-Civil
Rights   campaign  in  American   history.  They  told  you  lies.  They
pretended  to  be so  outraged  about  the  "special  rights"  that  the
"Homosexual Community" was pushing for that they got their hidden agenda
passed.  Buried in the rhetoric of "no minority or protected  status and
quota   preferences",   was  a  line   that   said  "no   calim  of  ...
discrimination."  This  amendment  left  nothing  to chance.  CFV worded
their hatred carefully,  specifically stating  "homosexual,  lesbian and
bisexual   persons",  notice  it  doesn't  say  anything  about  "sexual
orientation".  This not only hurts the  homosexual  population,  but the
heterosexual population, too.

You ask yourself how.  Suppose your landlord (or employer)  doesn't like
you.  Straight, gay, bisexual it doesn't  matter.  He (or she) now has a
legal way to evict (or fire) you with no legal  recourse to you.  All he
(or she) has to do is say, "I don't want any queers  living (or working)
here, you're evicted (or fired)!"  What legal recourse do you have?  You
could take your landlord (or employer) to court for slander.

Good  luck.  It could  take you  months  just to get a court  date.  You
better  have a good  lawyer,  too.  And I hope you have a hefty  savings
account,  you'll  need it.  The  burden  of  proof  is on you,  not your
landlord (or employer).  Try to prove you are not gay or bisexual.

I know, I know, you've heard it all before.  And it just couldn't happen
to you.  After all, you are a  God-fearing  supporter  of  Amendment  2.
Well, folks, it's time to wake up and smeel the coffee.

There are  implications  here thtat many people  obviously  didn't think
about.  We just can't let "those  people" have "special"  rights.  After
all, it IS a choice,  isn't it?  (And how old were YOU when you knew YOU
were  heterosexual?  Or have you always  known?  What makes you think it
is any different for gays, lesbians and bisexuals?)

Go back and read the 14th  Amendment to the United States  Constitution.
It says "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall  abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any
State  deprive  any person of life,  liberty or  property,  without  due
processof law; *NOR DENY TO ANY PERSON WITHIN ITS JUSIDICTION  THE EQUAL
PROTECTION OF THE LAWS*."  [emphasis mine] It doesn't say anything about
"except if they are 'homosexual, lesbian or bisexual'."

Don't think for a minute that CFV and the religious right will stop with
the gays.  The Christian  Coalition (who is really in control there) has
a "hit list."  The big question is, when they are through with the gays,
who's next?  Divorced  people?  Single  women?  Single  mothers?  Anyone
who doesn't  interpret  the Bible the same way they do?  Are we going to
guess of just wait  complacently to see who the next target is?  You can
rest assured knowing that your right to choose [insert anything here] is
among their targets.

Now that Colorado has passed a legalized discrimination  amendment, what
companies  that might have been  looking to move into  Colorado  are now
going to pass it up?  (Some people outside the state are referring to it
as  KKKolorful  KKKolorado.)  How many people are going to boycott goods
made in Colorado?  What about  conventions?  (Several  have already been
cancelled.)  And don't forget ski season.  Colorado is a tourist  state,
so don't think for a minute that we don't need anyone else.

My question is, where were the "special rights" on the ballot?


Jackie Sheddy
Fort Collins


Peace,

Jackie
jackies@hpxxx.fc.hp.com
Hate is NOT a Family Value!!

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