Live Blogging from the CC meeting. Anti Discrimination Bill reading, Bomb Scare

[AshleyLauren]

"Welcome to the regular scheduled meeting..."

Happy Tuesday and Happy City Council Meeting!!
Despite my better sense, I am here. Now if there is another bomb threat I am stating now I will be leaving!

Almost a full house tonight. Random empty seats here and there but for the most part the chamber is full this evening. Several different groups of people this evening. More in attendance than just those in support of or against the anti-discrimination bill 2012-296. Joost opens correcting people's thoughts that there will be a vote on bill 2012-296 this evening, he declares the possibility that there will be a vote in two weeks depending on the Rules Committee and RCD/PHS committee meetings next week.

I will apologize ahead of time, the tv's are not lowered this evening; therefore, I cannot see the entire council's name plates (and i have not learned all of them) nor will I be able to see the speakers at the podium. I can say there are four council members absent tonight.

Could be a calm show tonight, but I will update you if anything interesting, educational or inspiring takes place!!

[AshleyLauren]

Prior to the meeting today, a group of ex-mayors and City Council presidents formed outside of the council chambers to formally support the legislation banning discrimination in the LGTB community.
Here are some youtube videos going up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uxmDYAoQvM&feature=youtu.be&a
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od-i3VG41eY&feature=youtu.be&a


Kim Daniels makes a presentation honoring Jacksonville native, Tim Tebow. Congratulating him on achieving success and his continuous philanthropic efforts. Kim Daniels states this this hits close to her heart as she has two sons that have super bowl rings (really?). She does throw in there that when her house was broken into at the last council meeting two weeks ago one of the rings were stolen.
"24 year old football player from Jacksonville, FL is bringing passion back. What is most exciting to us as a city is that we get to claim him. We know he is a Jacksonville guy."

Stephen Joost makes a presentation honoring The Bolles School Bulldog football team for winning the state 4A class championship. This is their 11th state title, 9 of them since 1989, led by Corky Rogers. Joost graduated from Bolles and states, he plays golf with Mr. Rogers. Crescembeni also went to Bolles and played football for a couple years, regretfully he was never asked to attend a CC meeting as his team never won a State title.

Fun Fact: Tim Tebow did not choose to go to Bolles which adds some irony to these presentations.

[AshleyLauren]

2012-290 is a bill that gives $1,456,871 to the Wallace Foundation to develop after school programs. Not for the after school programs but to figure out the best way to create in school and after school programs. Council seemed torn on the bill yet it was passed. Joost, Yarborough and Crescembeni amongst those against using this money. Crescembeni states, "I think there are better ways to spend our money since our budget is already so tight." Crescembeni, I will say it for you. It just got tighter.

Meredith Stevenson: First speaker this evening. She believes the passing of bill 2012-296 will allow pedophiles to use public restrooms and alter the safety of young girls and boys. "Are you willing to open that door for crimes like pedophilia to take place by passing this bill?"
I must say, I am slightly confused how we got on pedophilia already. Perhaps, I am wrong and this meeting will be nothing but calm.
Alan Stevenson: Assumed husband of Meredith. Going back to the confrontation between Ms. Mead and Don Redman last Tuesday. He asks, "How would this ordinance have stopped any of those 30 something acts of discrimination?"

Stated, nearly 95% of all large cities in America have already passed this bill.

Woman takes the stand in honor of a young boy that was killed by an unchained dog. Asks the council to implement a tethering ordinance, so that adequate dog care is forced and less children are bitten or possibly killed by an unchained dog. Crescembeni states he will personally follow up with it.

Paul Zinc: Founder of Providence School. States people have moved across the country to live here based on our moral/traditional values this community represents. Therefore 2012-296 will have a negative economic impact on our city. Zinc believes traditional communities attract traditional families. 

[TheCat]

Ashley, did I just read it's a request for 1.5 million to the wallace foundation just to figure out the best way to create after school programs?!   

[AshleyLauren]

Tonya Hilcox: Another woman saying, she is worried about the safety of our children and young people. Worried about the impact the free expression of the LGBT community will have on the community. She is worried that children will be victims of pedophilia if this bill is passed.
I'm sorry but straight men and women can be pedophiles as well, right?

Dentist from the beach claims the passing of this bill will affect insurance rates and malpractice law-suits will soar. Joost comments that if this is true then there should be empirical evidence showing Jacksonville to have the lowest insurance rates and amount of law-suits in the state, assuming it is true we are the last big city in Florida to pass this bill.

(Side note: People should really be declared sane before being allowed to speak at these things.)

A bio-chemically alter man takes the stand. Revealing herself to be a man that chose to alter his body to be a woman. Points out there is nothing wrong with the gender expression she is doing. Implores people to remember this is about gender expression not sexual expression. This bill does not allow genitalia to walk the streets of Jacksonville legally but allows a person to choose which gender they affiliate with.

[AshleyLauren]

Ashley, did I just read it's a request for 1.5 million to the wallace foundation just to figure out the best way to create after school programs?!   

TheCat, yes. The answer as to what it does was not clear. Crescembeni made it sound as if that money will be used to employ 2 full time workers and several part time workers for several years to research and create adequate after school programs to be implemented in the city in the future. Not 1.5 million dollars to be used right now for after school programs. Weird, right? Joost, Yarborough, Crescembeni and Lumb were against it but it passed.

[AshleyLauren]

Don Redman asks a man how he can explain that he was born a homosexual and born a Christian based on the Bible.  Gauntlets are thrown and interpretation varies. The woman behind me just said, "I didn't know they fought about the Bible at a CC meeting. I didn't know they were allowed to fight at all." Kim Daniels takes Redman's defense arguing also with the man (I'm sorry I don't know how to spell your name, Swatsky? Swatvy?) about Romans chapter 1. Argument ends with speaker and Daniels stating they loved each other.

Beth Heath: The idea of taking away rights from one group to give them to another is unconstitutional. Tells the council they are wrong if they think Duval County voters elected them to change one word of the constitution or the HRO.

(It is becoming alarmingly aware that government classes in high school and undergraduate classes are not doing an adequate job of teaching the people how our government works.)

Finally!!!! Someone points out there is no correlation between the LGBT community and pedophilia! And that she hopes she can guarantee there is no one in this room that think pedophilia is an acceptable act.

A lot of the room has cleared out. The majority of what I can see are wearing white shirts, indicating the individuals support of the bill as asked by the Jacksonville Committee for Equality.

[Timkin]

How is a Council Member allowed to use the bible in an argument of human rights?

Redman's questioning sounds like it should be at some place other than Council. 

Bottom line ( as I stated before ) Redman and Daniels in particular are going to fight this bill tooth and toenail and are just displaying total ignorance.  This is NOT CHURCH!  It is about a bill in City Council about a certain group of human's rights, and the bible or references there in should have ZERO ZILCH NOTHING NADA to do with proceedings in Council. If these two people cannot get this through their heads , they have no place in Council. Period.

[movedsouth]

"Don Redman asks a man how he can explain that he was born a homosexual and born a Christian based on the Bible. "

pretty easy answer: "God created mankind in his own image" (Genesis 1:27)"

[AshleyLauren]

A little reverse psychology, " the supporting sides argument is one of emotion and good intentions. They use words like "equality" and "fairness" which make it hard to fight against this amendment." Lawyer, Mr Cannon points out that this bill will not stop or allow legal action to be taken for most of the types of discrimination that have been shared at the meetings. Asks the council to take a look at the wording being considered and throw it out and start over.

So, in an attempt to not be redundant and repeat the things already said tonight or that have been said in the last month is becoming a tedious task. The same arguments are being thrown around, the same questions are being asked. We are at a stand still, a grid lock if you may. Both sides appear annoyed, angry and insulted and the Council appears border-line condescending towards everyone as most keep leaving the room and many have not asked a single question, Crescembeni, Daniels, and Redman seem to be the three that are the most decided and yet they are asking all of the questions. A valiant attempt to trip someone up and sway the rest of the group to their side.

[movedsouth]

fwiw... if you are reading the news, there appears to be more of a correlation between priests and pedophilia then pretty much anything and pedophilia.

[AshleyLauren]

fwiw... if you are reading the news, there appears to be more of a correlation between priests and pedophilia then pretty much anything and pedophilia.

Thank you!!!! Ugh! It's so frustrating!

[RexMontana]

Is the live blog still going on?

[AshleyLauren]

A male 4th grade teacher takes the stand, recants the story of a letter his principal received stating, he was acting gay at a target. Speaker states, I dont see how, perhaps I squealed over a Liza Minnelli CD.
Subsequently following this letter the man was made to "come out" to his school. Imagine being made to explain your sexual orientation to an auditorium of children.

A man takes the stand, He states God is warning us. Like in New Orleans there was a gay pride parade days before Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster to ever shake America. And now in Duval County the beginning of hurricane season welcomed us with TS Beryl the same week all this talk began, and it has not stopped raining since. 'This is our warning.'

[AshleyLauren]

Is the live blog still going on?

Yes, I am still here. If you read a couple of posts above. I am attempting to avoid repeating the things that have been said over and over again in the last couple of weeks. And as at the CC meetings there is time for public comment a lot of the comments are redundant, rambling or ranting or things that we have covered several times which is why this particular strand does not have as many comments. In short, I am trying not to bore!