Live blogging the vote for 2012-296, human rights ordinance.

[Bridges]

Two hours here and two hours there could take ten years.

Make it 11 years.  Shouldn't expect any movement on it while Yarborough takes over the Rules Chair in a few weeks.  This was absolutely spineless of the committee to handle it the way they did.  You're absolutely right about wasting everyone's time, both sides...although one side will view it as a victory.  Just gutless. 

[Timkin]

Ashley ,, they will never willingly approve this bill .  Not to say it won't pass , but they are taking every measure they possibly can to stall it as much as humanly possible.  They want us to give up .  Fat chance.

Even though I have pretty high regard for a few of the members , collectively I wish we could have a panel of unbiased people on the Council who truly want to put the well-being of our people and the betterment of our City first.

[AshleyLauren]

Thanks, Bridges. Timkin, I agree with you it may pass (my own personal opinion goes the other way). However, what will be left of what Jones originally brought to the council? If it passes it will barely change the existing ordinance and that is why I am saying this is such a gutless act. Instead, of just voting and shutting it down. They so far have let this go on for almost two months. Toyed with emotions, hurt feelings, name called, divided portions of the city, and shown everyone's true colors. For what? The entertainment value? It's despicable.

Can someone explain to me what would need to happen for this to go to a city wide vote? Or at this point is that no longer an option?

[finehoe]

shown everyone's true colors.

I think that may be the most valuable result of the whole process.

[Jimmy]

It can get to a citywide vote in one of two ways. 

1) the Council can have it placed on the countywide ballot as a nonbinding straw poll.

2) a community group can gather signatures sufficient (kind of a lot) to have it placed on the ballot as, I think, a Charter Amendment.  But it may also come as a nonbinding straw poll as well.  Would have to review the code.

[Tacachale]

^The Council should not need a non-binding straw poll to do the simple job they were elected to do. If that were the case, why have a council at all? Unfortunately this got tied up in some unfortunate committees, but we should be able to pull it out. We had nearly half the council who were solid votes even before the language was softened; hopefully some of the fence-sitters will come over now.

I'll say it again, this would have been a lot easier if Mayor Brown had done what he promised in his campaign and stood up for the legislation.

[AshleyLauren]

It can get to a citywide vote in one of two ways. 

1) the Council can have it placed on the countywide ballot as a nonbinding straw poll.

2) a community group can gather signatures sufficient (kind of a lot) to have it placed on the ballot as, I think, a Charter Amendment.  But it may also come as a nonbinding straw poll as well.  Would have to review the code.

Thank, Jimmy.
Tacachale, can you list the names that were solid votes even before the language changed??

[vicupstate]

The city's leadership, or should I say lack thereof, has certainly been on display on this issue. 

And you wonder why Jax is 20 years behind most cities in Downtown/urban redevelopement.

[AshleyLauren]

Sodom and Gomorrah?? Really?? This pastor is saying that Sodomites (assuming he means the LGBT community) should be punished the same way. Yes, we all know the story and the lesson entailed. However, again! no one is saying lets have sex in the street, shoot up on the city bus, and carry a fifth to the CC meetings. The city of Jacksonville will not become a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah because people have equal rights.

I was unable to attend the meeting yesterday but you can see it in the speaker's faces and their eyes that the affect of this bill and the comments being made about their community is beginning to weigh on them. Weeks ago there was a pride in their voice and pep in their step. The passion is beginning to dissipate and you can see and hear the pain. I don't know how the CC members cant see the truth behind the need for equality amongst all.

[Timkin]

The city's leadership, or should I say lack thereof, has certainly been on display on this issue. 

And you wonder why Jax is 20 years behind most cities in Downtown/urban redevelopement.

It has never been in question for me , Vicup.   It is really sad that this sort of crap is what keeps what should be a world-class city, in the Mayberry  Days .

[AshleyLauren]

"In the Mayberry Days". Timkin you are rapidly becoming my favorite! Ha!

It seems as if the opposing side is running out of arguments. They keep offering the same argument over and over again. One commentator offers a ridiculous and confusing explanation about why members of the opposing side are worried about pedophilia. Another states the small business community is 100% against this, well this won't affect most of the small businesses anyways so that argument is pointless. The supporting side is using the same strong arguments over and over again as well but they are solid. Arguments no one seems to be attacking today.
Thus far not a single council member has said a word.

Gulliford explains time is coming to an end. There is one more speaker, he asks if the country had voted on Black equality and the beginning of their civil rights would it have passed? He assesses that the vote for such a thing today would even be close. That is why we vote for members of the community into positions of authority in order to make unbiased, non-religious decisions to better the community and that is there job. Their job is not to consider this bill based on their own personal religious beliefs.
The speaker states, that 1 in 11 pedophiles are gay. Doesn't cite information.

[copperfiend]

The city's leadership, or should I say lack thereof, has certainly been on display on this issue. 

And you wonder why Jax is 20 years behind most cities in Downtown/urban redevelopement.

It has never been in question for me , Vicup.   It is really sad that this sort of crap is what keeps what should be a world-class city, in the Mayberry  Days .

Sad but true. I'd even argue that we're more than 20 years behind.

[AshleyLauren]

Why is Daniels reading something about Canada's HRO?? Sweden?? London?? And why has Gulliford not interrupted her? We get three minutes but CC members can ramble for however long they please?

[AshleyLauren]

New thought if you cannot complete a simple sentence without losing your breath you may be too old to be in a chair on the CC meeting.


Meeting adjourned. Disappointing council member interaction today. Disappointing allotment of time for comments and there were zero questions.

Kim Daniels may have said it best today. "This is America."
Yes, ma'am. This is indeed America which is why it is our right and duty to uphold the Declaration of Indpendence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

[Steve_Lovett]

I suggest reviewing the attached link. It gives another perspective of some clergy's view of the issue, in this case the subject of gay marriage in Washington State.

This issue and the discussion surrounding it is the pinnacle of embarrassment for the city of Jacksonville.

http://www.pubtheo.com/page.asp?PID=1746