ATTEMPT TO REPEAL ANTIDISCRIMINATION LAW

Last year, the Gainesville, Florida city commission revised their antidiscrimination law to include protections for transgender people in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

A vigorous and fervent repeal effort was launched almost immediately. The opponents, our favorite right wing-nut fanatics, thought they saw their chance to repeal not only that addition to the antidiscrimination bill already in place, but to also eliminate the existing protections for all gays and lesbians.

The standard litany of lies that the so-called "religious" supporters always roll out when trying to scare the bejesus out of what they think is an ignorant and unknowing public was expanded this time by throwing in the imagery of "mixed sex" public bathrooms. That scare tactic was strong enough for them to garner the needed signatures to put Charter Amendment 1 on the ballot. That success, no doubt, bolstered their confidence and probably prompted rosy dreams about how they were going to, once and for all, stomp down those pesky little faggots.

Well, to their crushing chagrin, they awoke this morning to find that yesterday's vote not only deflated their hopes and dreams but did so in a very convincing manner. Charter Amendment 1 went down in flames by a vote of 42% to 58%!

It's reassuring to see that not all of the GLBT news coming out of Florida lately is negative.

Major kudos to all the rational, fair-minded people of Gainesville who voted down this measure so resoundingly. Thank you.