Challengers in the 2015 Council Races

[ChriswUfGator]

His stance on the HRO pissed off just about everybody under age 35 who lives in his district, and many of the older ones. If you can't honor this country's 250 year old commitment to the separation of church and state and are unable to avoid putting your personal religious beliefs over what your constituents want, then you don't deserve to hold public office. I think you're underestimating the number of people who are still hacked off over that.

Jim Love seems to lack honor by selling out the GLBT community.

he sacrificed the GLBT community on the altar of the First Baptist Church

As a member of the LGBT community, and a person who was very involved with 2012-296, I think you guys are beating up way too much on Jim Love here.  He was supportive of the bill.  He actually voted in favor of the substituted version.  His problems with 296 as drafted had nothing to do with the substance of the bill.  He didn't like that the bill removed references to the US Constitution from the various human rights ordinances.  Lawyers (or anyone) can and do quibble over whether such references belong in the city code, but he told us early on that, as a veteran, that the language made him uncomfortable.  Councilman Love didn't get a "shout out" at FBC during their victory lap.  He's not a hater.  He was and is a friend of the LGBT community as far as I'm concerned. 

I don't get it.  He voted the same way as other respected Councilmembers like Lori Boyer, John Crescimbeni, and Greg Anderson.  They voted for the substitute but against the original bill.  No one else seems to be taking the flak he's taking over that vote.  The only two profiles in courage on 12-296 belong to Warren Jones and Denise Lee as far as I'm concerned.

The challenger in the district 14 race, Jason Tetlak, has impressed me a great deal as I've seen him campaign.  But there's not much to distinguish these gentleman on the HRO issue.  As best as I can tell they're both in favor of a comprehensive amendment to the ordinance that adds sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of protected categories... which is exactly what the LGBT community and our allies is hoping to achieve in the HRO work.

To those of you quoted above, what did you see that I missed?

As I pointed out earlier in the thread, Lumb was the one who accepted the FBC shout out, not Love. Someone confused that, no doubt because the names are so similar, I corrected them. However, Love could have and should have voted for the un-watered down version of the HRO, rather than the compromise bill that was intended to (and did) fracture support and ensure that nothing passed. I presume he's sufficiently sophisticated to have seen what was occurring. And aside from religious beliefs, what reason does anyone ever really have on these HROs? It always boils down to that in the end.

[Badfinger]

apparently everyone was more sophisticated about politics Chris.  Except of course the supporters of the bill.

And Jimmy no one holds you responsible for the bill not passing.  You guys were just outmaneuvered and outwitted.  Welcome to the world of the Mobility Fee for us.

So there is no reason for you to carry water for these people by claiming that there was some illusory 'partial' success in order to make yourself (or anyone else for that matter) feel better about what happened.

But there have to be consequences for representing a very very gay district and voting against the best interests of your constituents, and I find it very odd that you would continue to provide cover for a person who participated in the HRO being defeated.

Love tried to play all sides simultaneously, as he has on several issues.  It backfired. Let it backfire and stop trying to put yourself in front of the paint bomb.

Looking at the map for District 14 I think that it is more appropriate to characterize it as "gayer than most others" instead of "very gay", that is most likely one of the reasons that Love tried to split the baby on the HRO.

http://www.coj.net/city-council/docs/district-14/2007district14map.aspx

[Jimmy]

There is no "federal HRO."  At least not respecting the LGBT community.  Congress has tried and failed to get the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) passed since the 90s with no success.  Last year the Senate passed a version but it has no hope of even getting a vote in the House until there's a new Speaker.

People clearly have their axes to grind on other issues (mobility fee, development, RAP issues) and that's part and parcel of politics.  But when it comes to the HRO vote, I'd prefer to stick to the facts and avoid misinformation.  It doesn't serve the LGBT community to muddy this water when it's very likely that Mr. Love will be in a position to vote again in favor of amending the HRO in the months or years to come.  My only interest here is in keeping the record straight on the HRO, if you'll pardon the pun.

I want whoever represents District 14 to be able to make the right decision to amend the HRO without all this unrelated baggage.  Whether that's Mr. Love, Ms. Dame, or Mr. Tetlak, or whoever is behind Door #4. 

[James Eddy]

I am so very glad this election is keeping the HRO front and center. I felt Jim Love did not stand up for the HRO. He did support the bill with no meat to it. Having talked to many in the different races I have learned  about them and how they feel about Jacksonville. In District 14 Jason Tatlak is in full support of HRO with gender identity and express as part of the bill. Please check him out. The HRO is a Jacksonville issue. We have candidates on both sided in favor.
I think this race will bring great change to this city. But check out the candidates and who is giving to them you be very surprised or maybe not.   It is also very nice to see Kimberly Daniels a preacher by trade doing so well she can lend $70,000 to herself. I thought that a church was suppose to give back not line the pockets of the preacher.

[jaxequality]

Jimmy, you've got a little brown on your nose, sweetie. If Jim Love isn't busy drafting a new bill right now he does not deserve a dime from the gay community, nor does he deserve to be reelected. He of all people should be a champion for including LGBTQ protections in the HRO, bottom line.

[Jimmy]

Until we have a Mayor who's not at best indifferent and at worst hostile to the concept, and commitments from many, many Councilmembers to reconsider their vote, it would be foolish for anyone (including Jim Love) to file a new HRO bill.  A second defeat would be a body blow to our cause.  The bill we want failed not 9-10, but 2-17.  That's a tall hill to climb, but there are signs of progress along the way.  I just want the Coalition for Equality to be able to work with whoever is the Councilmember for District 14 when the time comes to make another push, whether that's before or after the elections next spring. 

[Stephen]

No Lumb !  No Love ! No LumbLove !

[Jimmy]

I'm with you on no Lumb, for reasons that should be obvious.

I hope that race attracts a serious challenger who can win county-wide.

[NotNow]

Jimmy,

Sorry that I am so uninformed, but could you explain to me the difference between the original version and the "watered down" version of this bill?

[ChriswUfGator]

Until we have a Mayor who's not at best indifferent and at worst hostile to the concept, and commitments from many, many Councilmembers to reconsider their vote, it would be foolish for anyone (including Jim Love) to file a new HRO bill.  A second defeat would be a body blow to our cause.  The bill we want failed not 9-10, but 2-17.  That's a tall hill to climb, but there are signs of progress along the way.  I just want the Coalition for Equality to be able to work with whoever is the Councilmember for District 14 when the time comes to make another push, whether that's before or after the elections next spring. 

What's right is rarely expedient. None of what you've posted in this post really has anything to do with the need to file a new bill, every year, "just because." Time and history are on your side, and the worst thing you can do is try to play politics with people whose positions you neither respect nor agree with. At least let's be intellectually honest about all of this. Pandering weakens you, not them, leave the political expediency consideration out of it and just keep doing what's right. Eventually you will prevail.

[Dog Walker]

Filing a new bill every year even if it was defeated would smoke out the hypocrites and weak spined.  It  would keep the issue in front of the voters and emphasize the importance of the HRO.  Having it defeated again and again would make the voters aware of the games the council people play to keep from being responsible for their votes.

[vicupstate]

The GOP U.S. House has introduced legislation about 50 times (literally) to repeal Obamacare since they took back the majority.

I don't think it has accomplished a damn thing for either party.  Everybody knows Democrats support it by in large and Republicans don't.  It is all political theater/grandstanding that hasn't changed anyone's mind or moved either side toward the other. 

Politics, which is what this is no matter how noble the cause, it about picking your battles, including the timing of those battles.  Biding your time until your troops are refreshed, and the circumstances have evolved (hopefully to your favor) is  all part of the process of getting to ultimate victory.           

[jaxequality]

Until we have a Mayor who's not at best indifferent and at worst hostile to the concept, and commitments from many, many Councilmembers to reconsider their vote, it would be foolish for anyone (including Jim Love) to file a new HRO bill.  A second defeat would be a body blow to our cause.  The bill we want failed not 9-10, but 2-17.  That's a tall hill to climb, but there are signs of progress along the way.  I just want the Coalition for Equality to be able to work with whoever is the Councilmember for District 14 when the time comes to make another push, whether that's before or after the elections next spring.

It was foolish of you not to have sued the pants off of Clay Yarborough, but I don't think you are really all that big of a fighter. Alvin Brown is as equally stupid as most of the council for not lacing this issue up right out of the gate. I'm guessing it would have been long forgotten by now, and could have really put Jacksonville on another "level". If he or the Jacksonville Democratic Party had any sense they'd stop what they are doing right now and get this issue taken care of. The way I see it, Jim Overton now has the same advantage Alvin enjoyed last go around. It will be interesting watching the fight again come election time, that's for sure.

[jaxequality]

The GOP U.S. House has introduced legislation about 50 times (literally) to repeal Obamacare since they took back the majority.

I don't think it has accomplished a damn thing for either party.  Everybody knows Democrats support it by in large and Republicans don't.  It is all political theater/grandstanding that hasn't changed anyone's mind or moved either side toward the other. 

Politics, which is what this is no matter how noble the cause, it about picking your battles, including the timing of those battles.  Biding your time until your troops are refreshed, and the circumstances have evolved (hopefully to your favor) is  all part of the process of getting to ultimate victory.   

This is a civil rights issue, something always worth fighting for.     

[ChriswUfGator]

The GOP U.S. House has introduced legislation about 50 times (literally) to repeal Obamacare since they took back the majority.

I don't think it has accomplished a damn thing for either party.  Everybody knows Democrats support it by in large and Republicans don't.  It is all political theater/grandstanding that hasn't changed anyone's mind or moved either side toward the other. 

Politics, which is what this is no matter how noble the cause, it about picking your battles, including the timing of those battles.  Biding your time until your troops are refreshed, and the circumstances have evolved (hopefully to your favor) is  all part of the process of getting to ultimate victory.           

Bad advice.

This isn't politics, it's civil rights.