Live Blogging City Council. main issue: bill 2012-296, human rights bill

[RiversideLoki]

Jimmy keepin' it classy.

[Lucasjj]

Well spoken Jimmy!

[AshleyLauren]

Nice Job, Jimmy!! you are right. Your home town can surprise you and it has been inspiring to be here tonight.

[Tamara-B]

This gay, female minister has voiced what I have been thinking. This isn't about religion or who we sleep with. This is about living up to our constitution.

[RiversideLoki]

I love Pastor Valerie, She's always been a good neighbor. The parishioners of the church have been super nice. They recently had an issue with someone in the area calling city code enforcement to keep the workers working on Lee HS from parking in the church's lot. The other day they went around door to door to plea to the people in the area to allow them to park. Otherwise they would be parking on-street and clogging the street.

[AshleyLauren]

I believe Kim Daniels is playing devil's advocate, again. I want to know who was she asking about. Amendments to whose rights? The churches? I am not sure she actually posed the question correctly. Any ideas, Arash??

[AshleyLauren]

Maybe....wait for it...we might have...Yes, we do. A man in opposition is afraid that this will open the door to more liberal acts of legislation and to more liberal ways of thinking. "Your going to open a door you might have difficulty changing later on. Not saying amendments shouldn't be made at all, but I ask you to vote in opposition of this bill."

[Tamara-B]

Though I respect those that have expressed their religious beliefs, there has to be more explanation beyond religion. Clearly Kim Daniels identifies as a Christian, but do we know if the rest of the council is? Perhaps some don't believe in religion or God and need more convincing?

[joshuataylor]

Breaking News
Kimberly Daniels has just beaten her current high score in Minesweeper, and will be retiring to her chambers for a private celebration

[Tamara-B]

This man challenged the council to take a look back and remember their childhood years. Getting teased because you're the short kid or you cannot throw a baseball very well. Is discrimination that much different? If we look at this ordinance through a child's eyes....

[RiversideLoki]

Breaking News
Kimberly Daniels has just beaten her current high score in Minesweeper, and will be retiring to her chambers for a private celebration

[duvaldude08]

I dont know what Koo Koo been Kim Daniels fell off of, but she hit her head a few to many times! This bitch is crazy, there is no other way to put it. 

You know what... Jacksonville is being shaken at the core and I love it. Its time for the city to change. That bill should have been revised 20 years ago. Audrey Moran said it best so I hope Mr. Brown is listening.

[Lucasjj]

What the hell did that camel and tent line mean?

[TheCat]

a speaker said something like "I'm black. I'm straight. And, gays make cities awesome!"

Kim is speaking...I don't know how to interpret. In her own way she's been entirely strategic tonight about the points she wants to make. Strategic but not good at implementing her strategy.
The points she wants to make:
1) sexual orientation should be specifically defined and not left open to interpretation.
2) Potential problems with the legal definition of gender vs. the stated gender of the individual
3) there should be a religious exception (there is)

The way she asks a question; however, is mmediately awkward. Her questions are muddled and as you're trying really really hard to discern what she is saying you suddenly hear something like "sex with animals," and your like "what the f*&%?!" I'm trying to stop swearing and Kim provokes me.  She attempts to frame her questions in such away as to coax an answer,
"do you like cookies, yes or no?"
"it depends on the cookie..."
"yes or no"
"no...?"

She has only chosen people that are the most charismatic to question. My assumption, she thinks if she can get the charismatic to agree to a badly articulated point she is making she will be able to make a case for modifying the bill. It has not worked...I think, mainly, because she is hard to comprehend. A better speaker may be required for Kim to make her points and ask her questions. 

An interesting speaker has come up to the podium. he says he wants to provide another perspective. He says he believes in Jesus and believes that Jesus loves all people and he loves all people, and that includes all of the people that are represented in this bill. He does not believe that there should be special protections given to people who have a specific kind of lifestyle. 

A few speakers later. A man who sits on the board of an organization that helps people who do not want to be gay. He supports this bill. He has been fired for living a gay lifestyle.

[RiversideLoki]

FSCJ faculty supports the bill. Sent the union rep. Good on em. If you know any FSCJ professors, you know that they're incredibly progressive. Despite Don Green's efforts.