this will go on and on
Today brings an interesting twist to the Hillsborough County ban on acknowledging gay pride. As you know, gay pride displays were removed from the West Gate and John F. Germany libraries. Al Giraud filed a complaint about Hillsborough County with the City of Tampa, because John F. Germany is within Tampa boundaries. The City of Tampa has a human rights ordinance, protecting people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. It’s unknown if filing a complaint with one government can force the other to comply. Interesting.
Giraud, who is gay, also points out that Hillsborough County’s Human Relations Board “shall advocate for and take positive action to eliminate prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination.” Giraud wants HRB Chairman Thomas Britten to call a special meeting on the issue. By the way, Giraud is also a volunteer member of the HRB. Twists abound!
Meanwhile, Storms frames her discrimination in terms of equality, saying the county should not promote any individual group. She also doubts the county will feel any negative economic impact from her actions. This morning, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce came out with this wishy-washy statement: Diversity is Good. Way to take a stance, guys!!
As I suspected, this issue has energized the local and national gay community. In fact, Kathy Castor, the lone dissenting vote on the commission was on Google’s top ten gaining searches last week.
Since June 9, the Hillsborough County website has received over 1300 emails denouncing the BOCC’s decision and 100 supporting the stance. David Caton is trying to energize his homophobic supporters to congratulate the BOCC on the ordinance. If you haven’t done so already, I suggest you contact the county to let them know your feelings either way. Especially if you are a resident here.
In related news, Hillsborough County Commissioner Tom Scott announced plans to run for the Tampa City Council (I’ll have more on this later). Scott, a democrat, voted for the ban on gay pride.
Tags: diversity, hc bocc, tampa, Tampa vs Hillsborough
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June 23rd, 2005 at 1:35 pm
http://stoprondastorms.com/ is rallying behind this
And Castor may have just won her election bid by being progressive and open minded and winning national attention (and thus national campaign support).
June 24th, 2005 at 9:35 pm
Thomas Scott has betrayed his constituents in the City of Tampa. Ronda is at least playing to the rural and suburban conservatives, ignorant may they be. In Seminole Heights I predict much opposition to Scott.
June 25th, 2005 at 11:04 am
I must say that there is a difference between not supporting Gay Pride with public funds and being homophobic. Homophobia is the fear of homosexuals or homosexuality. I am not homophobic but I do have a problem with my tax money being used to pay for something I do not support. A bigger issue to me, however, is the book display at Westgate library. Westgate is my family’s library but I missed the display so my info on the matter is via local news reports. While my own children are well aware of homosexuality (and sex in general) as my BIL is gay and we enjoy spending time with him and his partner, there are some families who do not wish to explain homosexuality and/or sex to their small children. As a parent, I feel it is important to respect other parents’ choices on how to raise their own children. We should be careful not to impose our own views upon the lives of others and how one chooses to raise one’s children is a very personal choice. Shall we set up a display on breastfeeding? While I support breastfeeding-only, there are others who do not and I must honor their wishes - even though I find them in error. Freedom, now commonly known as tolerance, is a great idea but it must be practiced multilaterally and without bias else it becomes intolerance.
June 26th, 2005 at 3:18 pm
I am also a parent, and whenever any issues are brought up in front of my children, I use that opportunity to ask if they have any of their questions. I tell them my opinion on the subject, as well as an opposite viewpoint, so they can see things are not always black & white.
This includes subjects of same-sex relations, adult clubs, and breastfeeding, and I welcome such interesting subjects, as it encourages an interesting conversation with my children.
Your statement that “there are some families who do not wish to explain homosexuality and/or sex to their small children,” lead me to believe these families are not preparing their children to the realities of this world.
I have no problem in letting parents raise their kids in any way they desire. But to hide an issue or pretend it doesn’t exist denies other families their opportunities for discussion. Especially in a library, where thinking “outside the box” should be encouraged.