THE SOUTH: still defined by hate and discrimination
Nashville made the South proud on April 5th when Metro Council passed an ordinance banning Metro contracts with businesses that lack anti-discrimination policies against LGBT people. Then the state of Tennessee shamed itself, or I should say the Tennessee House of Representatives shamed our state, by immediately voting for legislation to override all such ordinances throughout the state.
I’m always sickened when conservatives tout the value of local government, until a local government does something they perceive as contrary to their personal morality then it is okay for the state or federal government to supersede. Perhaps the ultimate act hypocrisy are the Republican voices claiming such anti-discrimination ordinances put undue economic burden on businesses. Whoa flashback – is it 1964? To quote House Republican Leader Gerald McCormick, “I don’t think it’s about sexual preference and those things. I think it’s about providing a consistent economic development atmosphere in all 95 counties of the state. It’s about economic development. It’s not about gay people.” CONGRADULATIONS Representative McCormick you’ve just added yourself to the segregationist column scorned by history! And YES a LGBT anti-discrimination bill is about gay people, but NO we are not so stupid as to not see through your coded language. As you are obviously pandering to the most conservative religious / ignoramus hate monger elements of your constituency why not just say “I HATE FAGS AND THEY WILL NEVER HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS IN TENNESSEE!” This would would have the same effect of what you actually said; namely, stoke hate in your voter base and condemn you to the cringe museum of moral history. Does no politician in Tennessee have access to a history book?
To those of you so anxious about Sharia – pass LGBT anti-discrimination laws and TN will never have Sharia law.
