Curtis Morrison has been a diplomatic, honest, opinionated (especially on his blog, Louisville Courant), direct, no-nonsense “cut to the chase” kind of guy since I’ve known him.  As an activist, Mr. Morrison well known as a person with substance and character.

Earlier this year, Mr. Morrison (D-Louisville) decided to run for the Office of Jefferson County Judge/Executive.  United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News™ had the pleasure of interviewing him.

UNITED WE STAND: Let’s get this out of the way immediately, what is your sexual orientation?

MORRISON: Gay.

UNITED WE STAND: Many conservatives believe that when gays are elected to political office, they only push LGBTI issues; what would you say to those conservatives?

MORRISON: I would disagree with that point of view. That’s like saying when straights are elected to political office, they only push straight issues.  At the end of the day, public servants must serve the public, and that means giving people a great community to call home, one in which their kids are educated, their streets are safe, and there’s an environment that promotes creativity and new businesses, while still respecting existing employers. Those issues are important to everyone.

UNITED WE STAND: How is the economy in Louisville, KY?

Mr. Morrison has been a public servant as an activist for years.

MORRISON: Louisville is struggling like most of the country but it could be worse. I heard today Nevada has 13% unemployment and we certainly don’t have it that bad. However, our fair fortune is dependent on a couple fragile large employers facing changes in their industries: General Electric, Ford and Humana. The latter has already announced plans to lay off 750 employees this year.

What’s disturbing about Louisville is even without the current recession, we’d be struggling because our city leaders haven’t planned well to bring us into this century. We still don’t have an expressway ring around our region (short by 1 bridge that would have to come through a ritzy east-end neighborhood of elites) and we don’t have even have a modern transportation, like mass transit or light rail, on the table. That’s embarrassing.

UNITED WE STAND: How do you feel about the current bridge projects in Louisville?

MORRISON: I feel it is a well-executed failure.  The elitist interests of the Riverfields lobbied to include a tunnel under the Drumanard Estate, and an unnecessary additional bridge downtown, to ensure the project would never get off the ground.  Now the project is so big, the only way to pay for it is with tolling existing bridges that are already paid for.  Tolling existing bridges is an idea that not only angers me, but most people in our community.  We have to start from scratch with new ideas.  I’m a big fan of 8664, and of Tyler Allen for having the courage and leadership to bring that idea to the table.

UNITED WE STAND: Do you like the new merged government?

Seal of the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government

MORRISON: It’s bittersweet. I’m a big fan of regional governing. Because decisions made in the old city of Louisville definitely affect not only the county but the region, and even the state.  However, a lot of the promises of our merged government have not been fulfilled.  African-Americans have less representation on our Metro Council.  We have more poverty, more homelessness.  I’d say we have more crime, but the city would argue.  I’m not sure if they’re unbiased in that debate though.  If anything merged government would promise a regional decision like the bridges project would be implemented with near perfection.  Well, that’s another failure, but I don’t blame the merger itself, but more the actors and their allegiances to old money.

UNITED WE STAND: Do you believe merged governments are generally are more or less effective than having multiple cities in the same county? Why?

MORRISON: Overall, I believe they are more effective for the collective.  However, I can understand how it might not always look that way when we just look at like “what’s in it for us?”  Merged government or regional government requires an acceptance by the community that what’s good for the entire community is what’s best.  That’s understandably difficult for many people to accept.

UNITED WE STAND CLARIFICATION: On November 7, 2000, voters in Louisville and Jefferson County approved a referendum  to merge into a consolidated city-county government named Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government (official long form) and Louisville Metro (official short form), which took effect January 6, 2003.   Consolidated, or “merged” city–county in the Commonwealth of Kentucky is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction with the city basically annexing the entire county.  After the annexation, it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation; and a county, which is an administrative division of the Commonwealth.  Therefore, it enjoys the powers of both types of entities, but is also subject to the duties and responsibilities of both.

UNITED WE STAND: Section 5 of the Commonwealth’s Constitution states: “the civil rights, privileges or capacities of no person shall be taken away, or in anywise diminished or enlarged, on account of his belief or disbelief of any religious tenet, dogma or teaching.”

QUESTION: How you feel about that?
MORRISON: I think that’s awesome. I think Kentucky operates on it’s 5th version of a constitution, so I guess practice makes perfection.
QUESTION: Do you agree with separate of church and state?
MORRISON: Yes, very much so. I’m not a fan of the Representative Tom Riner’s crusade to make his Jesus the Director of Kentucky’s Homeland Security.  It’s not only expensive to defend, it’s distracting our state from important issues that we need to deal with, and it’s pretty embarrassing for Kentucky when we travel.  Do a search on YouTube for Kentucky Department of Homeland Security and there’s a comedian that actually basis his skit on this nonsense.

UNITED WE STAND: Do you believe the Commonwealth should have a law in place to protect gay and lesbian people from job, credit, accommodations, and housing discrimination?  Why?

Curtis Morrison is running for the Office of Jefferson County Judge/Executive.

MORRISON: Yes.  Specifically, I believe we should pass a statewide fairness amendment which would extend civil rights protections to Kentuckians based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

UNITED WE STAND: In November, Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer said that allowing Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program [which expired in 2007] was: “inhumane, shortsighted, and threatens individual and public health.”  Do you agree or disagree?  Why?

MORRISON: I agree with Palmer’s outrage at the underfunding for KADAP. A couple months ago I was talking to the director of Louisville’s Wing’s Clinic, and she said the waiting list was now way over 100 people and growing.  I don’t think the general public has forgotten what happens when people living with HIV/AIDS don’t get medical treatment.

UNITED WE STAND: What did you think about the protest and boycott Louisville’s Fairness Campaign organized against Woody’s Tavern in Louisville for ‘racist and sexist remarks?’

MORRISON: I am a firm believer that all oppression is wrong.  And that we must acknowledge there’s an intersectionality of oppression where marginalized people have to stand up for each other.  If we don’t stand up for other factions when they are wronged, we can’t expect them to stand up for us.

That being said, I believe that the last boycott of Woody’s went too far.  The primary grounds for the boycott was the owner’s use of the word “faggot.”  This is clearly hypocritical.  Monday nights at the Dock, a bar owned by the chair of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, is called “Rock and Roll Fag Night.”  I find that incredibly offensive, and I’ve emailed the bar, and complained to the Fairness Campaign.  But where’s the boycott against that bar?

UNITED WE STAND: What do you think about Senate President David L. Williams?

MORRISON: I try not to.

The Flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

UNITED WE STAND: What do you think about House Speak Greg Stumbo?

MORRISON: I’ve never met him but when he was attorney general, he decided domestic-partner benefits to state university employees was unconstitutional.   I don’t think he should be allowed to decide things, he’s not very good at it.  (previous story)

UNITED WE STAND: What do you think the Governor and lawmakers in Frankfort should do to get the Commonwealth out of its current economic crisis?

MORRISON: Make Kentucky a nicer place to live.  This will mean raising taxes to finance our future.  That’s going to take some real leadership and courage, and the good old boys in Frankfort are not equipped for that.

UNITED WE STAND: Do you support the Governor’s expanded gambling proposal to bring new revenue to the Commonwealth?

MORRISON: No. I’m against expanding gambling. I lived in Indiana and I saw the social consequences first hand when a casino come in.

UNITED WE STAND: Unlike some states, the heads of Kentucky’s highest levels of government [Cabinet Secretaries] are appointed by the Governor and are never questioned or scrutinized by lawmakers.  Do you feel like the Executive Branch of Kentucky’s Government has any oversight?

MORRISON: I think cabinet secretary appointments are necessary for an administration to be on the same page and get stuff done. I don’t propose more oversight, but more transparency.

UNITED WE STAND: Do you think public corruption is a problem in Kentucky?

MORRISON: Yes.

UNITED WE STAND: What scandals and public corruption charges come to mind when you think about public corruption in Kentucky?

MORRISON: Boptrot back in the early ’90’s.  That was pretty embarrassing for Kentucky.

UNITED WE STAND: Do you think public corruption is a problem in Louisville/Jefferson County?

MORRISON: Yes.

UNITED WE STAND: What scandals and public corruption charges come to mind when you think about public corruption in Louisville/Jefferson County?

MORRISON: One of our metro council members, Jim King, financed his daughter’s election campaign to become judge to the tune of $120,000.  Individual campaign contributions exceeding $1000 have been illegal since the 1970’s, yet he, and now the KREF, say that they broke the law “unknowingly.”

When has that ever got anyone out of even a speeding ticket?

UNITED WE STAND: Following in the footsteps of many other states, legislation has been pre-filed reasserting Kentucky sovereignty (BR-50, and BR-54). What do you think about these pre-filed bills? Many have started calling us the “Divided States of America.” What are your thoughts?

MORRISON: I understand the passion behind the supporters of such bills, and I commend them for standing up for what they believe in, but my focus is on other issues.

UNITED WE STAND: Texas, Vermont, Michigan, California, and other states have Independence “movements” to leave the Union. Why do you think that is?  Do you believe the federal government (wish exists parallel to all the several states, on the same level) has grown too large and intrusive?

MORRISON: I can’t speak for those other states, but I don’t believe the federal government has grown too large.  There are lots of things the government needs to be doing that it’s not, like improving regional transportation and providing funding for ADAP.  Those things can’t happen with smaller government.

UNITED WE STAND FOLLOW-UP: The U.S. Congress gives money to AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, with each state contributing money to the program also.  In Kentucky, this program is administered (if it was funded, currently it is not) but he HIV/AIDS Branch of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Human Services.

UNITED WE STAND: What do you hope to accomplish if you are elected Judge/Executive of Jefferson County?

MORRISON: I’m going to speak out for those that don’t have a voice. I do this now and will continue to, but I believe this position will help me amplify that voice.

UNITED WE STAND: Does the Office of Jefferson County Judge/Executive have any political power since the merger (similar to Lexington)?

MORRISON: There are no powers or responsibilities in law, but I intend to set a precedent where this position is held by a citizen activist that is paying attention to what’s going on in metro government and speaks out about it.

UNITED WE STAND: Most Lexington citizens don’t know what a Judge/Executive is, what they do, or if they have one, so why run for the same office in Louisville?

Mr. Morrison has been a respected activist in and around Louisville for years.

MORRISON: Well, I have to admit, in my decision to run, I didn’t even consider what citizens in Lexington would think!  However, I’ll say this. I’ll be able to join the Kentucky County Judge Executive Association, and in that organization I’ll be able to lobby other CJ/E’s for regional issues, like statewide fairness and transportation, that will benefit all of Kentucky.

I was talking to Melanie J. Roberts, the County Judge/Executive of Bullitt County today at a public meeting about TARC route changes, and I realized how my voice nearly as effective as hers.  All I’d have to do is show up.  Embarrassingly, lot of our leaders don’t show up to do their jobs now.*

* United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News agrees with this statement.

UNITED WE STAND: How do you picture your working relationship with the Mayor of Louisville?

MORRISON: Depends on who it is.

UNITED WE STAND: If you’re elected, what should the citizens of Jefferson County expect from your office?

MORRISON: I’ll be honest and I won’t sell them down the river. And I won’t be an agent of the elite.

UNITED WE STAND: Any message or statement you would like to give our readers?

MORRISON: First, I want to thank you, Michael, for some really great questions.  Second, I want to say I’m not fund raising for this election.  My political communication plan is limited to a Facebook fanpage, and word-of mouth.  I’m relying a bit on my past involvement in our community, too.

This election in Louisville is very important because we will be deciding who our next mayor will be.  This is the first opportunity we’ve had In Louisville to do that in a long time.  I’m encouraging voters to find out as much as they can about that race and take it seriously instead of focusing on the CJ/E race.  Our mayor race, that’s crucially important.  As you may know, I stood on the stage behind Tyler Allen the day he announced his candidacy back in August.  With a field of over a dozen candidates, he’s still my choice.  Plus, I know with him as mayor, my job as CJ/E will be a bit easier, because he’ll be implementing some big ideas with short-term and long-term planning for our community.  That will be so refreshing!  I’ll have a lot harder time picking on that kind of leadership!

CAMPAIGN FACEBOOK PAGE:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Curtis-Morrison-for-Jefferson-County-JudgeExecutive/270631617002?ref=ts

MORRISON’S BLOG: Louisville Courant (also featured as one of United We Stand’s Blog Friends)
http://louisvillecourant.blogspot.com

© Copyright 2010 United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News™

Church members routinely demonstrate at the funerals of people with AIDS and most recently at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq.  As a result, the Westboro Baptist Church was order to pay $11 million dollars in 2007, and $5 million in a separate lawsuit from families who sued for mental anguish and invasion of privacy as a result of the protests.

The Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas owns, maintains, or is linked to godhatesfags.com, godhatesamerica.com, and godhatescanada.com.  The group maintains that God hates homosexuals above all other kinds of “sinners” and that homosexuality should be a capital crime.

NOTE: It is against the policy of United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News™ to link to these sites; doing so increases their search engine rankings.

In 2006, the Westboro Baptist Church was to visit Berea, KY to protest the funeral of Private First Class Theodore M. West of Kentucky.  The funeral service was held at the Berea Baptist Church.  Kentucky Equality Federation responded by working with other groups to hold a rally in support of Private First Class Theodore M. West’s service to the Commonwealth and the United States.  (previous story)

In 2007, the Kentucky Legislature passed a law to protect Kentuckians from the Westboro Baptist Church (“the Phelps clan”) during funerals; the ACLU however did not agree with the legislation, sued the Commonwealth, and ultimately the law was considered unconstitutional. (previous story)

In 2008, the IRS and the State of Kansas threatened to pull their tax-exempt status because “the church expresses the idea that nearly every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality – specifically society’s increasing tolerance and acceptance of the “Homosexual Agenda.”

This time however, the ACLU will have no recourse should the U.S. Supreme Court rule the protests are not covered under the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The high court agreed to consider whether the protesters’ message and picketing was protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, even though it was a private family funeral.

In appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, Snyder’s attorneys argue that a person attending a family member’s private funeral is entitled to state protection from unwanted communication, such as remarks or displays by picketers.  Attorneys for Phelps and the church said the appeal should be rejected.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments and then decide the case during its upcoming term that begins in October 2010.

General Cuccinelli sent a letter to all of Virginia’s public universities and colleges asking them to eliminate campus policies that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Earlier this month, His Excellency Bob McDonnell rolled back protections for gay and lesbians in Virginia government, thanks to a little-noticed change made by the new Republican Governor in an executive order. (previous story)

Both the Governor and the Attorney General have been praised by the American Family Association and other anti-gay groups.

General Cuccinelli, also a Republican who took office in January, wrote that only the General Assembly can extend legal protection to gay state employees,  The Washington Post reported on Friday.  However, a spokeswoman at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia said the state’s public colleges have historically had the autonomy to make policy decisions like this one.  The council makes recommendations to the governor and General Assembly on public-policy issues related to higher education.

In the letter, dated Thursday, General Cuccinelli wrote: “It is my advice that the law and public policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia prohibit a college or university from including ’sexual orientation,’ ‘gender identity,’ ‘gender expression,’ or like classification as a protected class within its nondiscrimination policy absent specific authorization from the General Assembly.”

More than 3,000 people have joined a Facebook page titled, “WE DON’T WANT DISCRIMINATION IN OUR STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES!” Nearly 900 people have joined another Facebook page started by activists at the College of William and Mary.

Some students contend General Cuccinelli released the letter late last week on purpose, because it caught many students leaving for break.

“I’ve never gotten so many e-mails from students wanting to do something,” said Brandon Carroll, 21, student government president at Virginia Tech. In his view, any erosion in gay rights at state universities is “going to make us lose top students. It’s going to make us lose top faculty.”

Students at Virginia Commonwealth University, one of the few not on break, planned a rally for noon Wednesday, with several hundred students committed. At Christopher Newport University, student Republican and Democratic leaders will discuss their next steps at a bipartisan meeting Friday.

Virginia’s ownership of public colleges and universities is unique; every public college has a different code outlining its relationship with the Commonwealth concerning governance. Because the codes are vague, the institutions are generally granted much autonomy, said Kirsten Nelson, the spokeswoman for the higher-education council. Only the governor and the General Assembly can change the codes, and “without changes, it is assumed that it is the will of the General Assembly that the institutions retain control of their governance,” Ms. Nelson wrote in an e-mail message to The Chronicle.

Democrats in the Virginia Senate denounced General Cuccinelli letter on Friday and called his actions “unconscionable” in a written statement.

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has suggested the state will not move against public colleges and universities that do not rescind anti-discrimination policies based on sexual orientation, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

The governor issued his statement after General Cuccinelli sent notice to the schools and he advised the schools should “take appropriate actions to bring their policies in conformance with the law and public policy of Virginia.”

While Governor McDonnell’s Office called General Cuccinelli advice “consistent with all prior opinions from the office of the attorney general over the last 25 years on the subject,” spokesman J. Tucker Martin added, “The governor will appoint board members based solely on their ability and on their strong commitment to educational excellence in Virginia. The governor expects that no Virginia college or University, or any other state agency, will engage in discrimination of any kind.”

State college and university board members are appointed by the Governor.

The issue of gay protections has been a hot topic at the Virginia Statehouse since Republican Governor Bob McDonnell assumed office.

Lawmakers attempted to restore the protections with three slightly-varied measures, but members of a Republican-controlled House of Delegates subcommittee killed the bills. Last month, Democratic senators, with the aid of one Republican, Senator Fred Quayle, approved a bill that would have protected gay state employees from discrimination, but the bill was quashed in the House of Delegates.

All of Virginia’s leading schools provide such protections.

Equality Virginia, the state’s largest gay advocate, called on public schools to ignore General Cuccinelli’s letter.

“They call it legal advice for a reason,” Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, general counsel for the group, said in a statement. “I urge the university boards to get a second opinion before they take action that will adversely affect their ability to attract and retain the best and the brightest students.”

The ban, established during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, prevents men who have engaged in sex with other men from giving blood. The U.S. senators sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg urging her to lift the restriction.

However, many states criminalize gay men donating blood, so even if the FDA lifted the ban, gay males in those states could still be prosecuted by the state.

“We live in a very different country than we did in 1983,” said the letter to the FDA Commissioner, which is posted on the Web site of U.S. Senator John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts. “Today, the high-risk behaviors associated with HIV contraction are more fully understood, and dramatic technological improvements have been made in HIV detection.”

The lawmakers stressed that the science has changed dramatically since the ban was established in 1983 at the advent of the HIV-AIDS crisis. Today donated blood must undergo two different, highly accurate tests that make the risk of tainted blood entering the blood supply virtually zero, they said.

The senators said that while hospitals and emergency rooms are in urgent need of blood products, “healthy blood donors are turned away every day due to an antiquated policy and our blood supply is not necessarily any safer for it.”

The letter also cited a report by the American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers and the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) calling the ban “medically and scientifically unwarranted.”

The FDA, in a statement, said that “while FDA appreciates concerns about perceived discrimination, our decision to maintain the deferral policy is based on current science.”  It said that while some groups favor relaxing restrictions, others, “such as those representing the hemophilia community, support continuation of the current policy.”

People with hemophilia, a bleeding disorder, require periodic transfusions and in the past, before screening techniques were improved to ensure blood was HIV-free, were among those most at risk of contracting the virus.

As a matter of history, the U.S. Supreme Court never gets too far ahead of public opinion, or ahead of the laws in the majority of the states.

In their ongoing fight, traditional marriage supporters rallied to either get Congress, which has absolute authority over the District to overturn the measure, or to have it placed on a city-wide ballot. Congress, during its 30-day review period, did not act to overturn it.  (previous story)

At least 50 same-sex couples lined up to apply for marriage licenses when city offices opened Wednesday as the unions became legal in the District.  At the same time, Catholic Charities stopped healthcare coverage. (previous story)

Cheering erupted from the crowd when the first couple signed in at the city’s marriage bureau inside the Moultrie courthouse, just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Because of a mandatory waiting period of three business days, however, couples won’t actually be able to marry in the District of Columbia until Tuesday.

The District of Columbia will be the sixth place in the world’s oldest federation [the United States of America] same-sex couples can legally wed, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts led the fight with the the states of Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire and Vermont following years later.

As of January 1, 2009, thirty states have constitutional amendments explicitly barring the recognition of same-sex marriage, defining civil marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman. More than forty states explicitly restrict marriage to two persons of the opposite sex, including some of those that have created legal recognition for same-sex unions under a name other than “marriage”, e.g., civil unions and domestic partnerships.

In the District of Columbia today, the marriage bureau changed its license applications so they are gender-neutral, asking for the name of each “spouse” rather than the “bride” and “groom.” And at civil marriage ceremonies to be performed in the courthouse, a booklet for the official performing the marriage now reads, “I now pronounce you legally married” instead of “I now pronounce you man and wife.”

As of right now the issue is tabled indefinitely, but the discussion over the committee’s decision isn’t.

“Even groups who are not affected by domestic partnership benefits, what they like to work in a workplace where there is equal treatment for all and fair treatment for all,” says Western Kentucky University Associate History Professor, Dr. Patricia Minter. Also an “employee benefits” committee member, Dr. Minter doesn’t think that’s happening.

The issue was first brought up last year after resolutions were passed by the Student Government Association and University Senate.

“A lot of students I talked to especially people that have been reaching out to me about this issue have been really interested in seeing domestic partnership benefits happen,” says Student Government Association President, Kevin Smiley.

So, Western Kentucky University Associate History Professor, Dr. Patricia Minter says when the committee recommended the university not take that step, it set them back, considering nearly 50% of all universities are on board. Especially when competing for hiring the best staff against schools like University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, who already have “domestic partner ” benefit packages themselves.

“You wouldn’t take a job if you knew your partner wouldn’t be able to have benefits,” says Dr. Minter.

“Its a definite competitive issue about whether you can attract the best faculty,” adds Smiley.

Minter and Smiley both say the measure goes a long way to leveling the playing field for not only heterosexual couples but also gay and lesbian employees on campus.

Both also believe the issue will see the light of day again soon.

“I think its gonna happen. Its just a matter of getting all the people in the right place at the right time to make it happen,” notes Smiley.

Tony Glisson of WKU’s Human Resources says some of the reason for voting down the recommendation had to do with extra cost concerns. Also, the fact that such a small number of employees would actually be participating kept the recommendation from being approved.

However, even if Western Kentucky University’s Employee Benefit Committee approved the measure to extend domestic-partner benefits, it would still be subject to final approval from the Board of Regents (the Board members are appointed by the Governor).

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier. The university currently has nearly 20,000 students.

Copyright 2010 Gray Television, Inc., Reported by: Reporter: Ryan Dearbone
Copyright 2010 United We Stand Media, LLC., Reported by: Tony Begley

One major point of contention: Once gays and lesbians are allowed to marry, the Archdiocese—which employs hundreds of locals through Catholic Charities—will be required to provide health benefits to same-sex spouses, an act which it says would fly in the face of the Catholic church’s teachings on homosexuality.

The solution? No spousal benefits for anybody.  If you and your spouse are already enrolled in Catholic Charities health coverage, your spouse will be grandfathered in.  Starting tomorrow, however, new employees (or newly married employees) will not be allowed to add spouses to the plan.

The District has been eager to appease organized religion, but has been unwavering on marriage equality legislation. The District has made many proposals to the Archdiocese, all rejected.  The Archdiocese has been threatening to remove social services, healthcare, and other services since The District proposed same-sex marriage.  (previous story)

Catholic Charities President and CEO Edward Orzechowski sent out a memo to staffers informing them of the change to the healthcare coverage, which will go into effect tomorrow:

I am writing to you to inform you of an important change to our group health care benefit plan that will take effect on March 2, 2010 due to a change in the law of the District of Columbia. It is important to note that the existing health coverage of current employees will not be affected by the change. New employees and current employees requesting revisions in benefit coverage will be affected by this change.

Catholic Charities will continue to honor the health plan coverage that current employees have as of March 1, 2010. As of March 2, a new plan will be in effect that will cover new employees and requests for benefit changes by current employees. The new plan will provide the same level of coverage for employees and their dependents that you now have, with one exception: spouses not in the plan as of March 1, will not be eligible for coverage in the future. If your spouse currently has coverage in our Plan, he/she may continue to be covered by the health benefit plan, even if you later add a dependent or decide to change your option level (e.g., change from low option to high option). Please see the attached formal Plan Amendment.

We sincerely regret that we have to make this change, but it is necessary to allow Catholic Charities to continue to provide essential services to the clients we serve in partnership with the District of Columbia while remaining consistent with the tenets of our religious faith.

A summary of the Plan modification has been mailed to you at your home address. If you have any questions on this matter, please e-mail your Human Resources manager or, if you do not have access to email, call. Please remember, this change does not impact your current coverage in any way.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter, and let me again express my appreciation for your support and patience over these past months as we have worked hard to arrive at a decision that allows us to continue to serve others in a manner that is consistent with our religious beliefs.

But what if you’re gay?

That still depends on where you live. It’s a lesson learned the hard way by one woman who’s speaking out after what she calls a hurtful decision.

“I think it’s discrimination,” Rayetta Darby said.

Darby is gay. She and her partner, Erika Johnson, have been together for two years. They were looking forward to sharing an apartment together when they hit an unexpected roadblock with their potential landlord.

“I said, ‘Is it the gay thing?’ and I got a response that, ‘Yeah, I guess I have a problem with that,’ ” Darby said.

We talked to the landlord in question, and he adamantly denied that claim. He said the reason he didn’t rent to Darby and Johnson had nothing to do with them being gay. But, while investigating that issue, we learned that West Virginia has no law preventing a landlord from turning down a potential tenant simply because he or she is gay.

In fact, 30 states have no such law, including Ohio and Kentucky. In Kentucky, the Kentucky Equality Federation, Equality Northern Kentucky, the Louisville Fairness Campaign and others (click on Organizations at the top of our home page for a listing of all Kentucky LGBTI advocacy organizations listed with us) have been fighting to get statewide non-discrimination equality laws passed for years, but the Kentucky Senate has never allowed the bill to pass their chamber.

While there’s no state protection for discrimination based on sexual orientation in West Virginia, Charleston does have protection within the city limits similar to those in the Kentucky cities such as Covington, Lexington, and Louisville.

“It’s terrible. It’s terrible we even need such a law,” said Bill Dotson, executive director of Huntington Housing Authority.

The Federal Fair Housing Act also has no protection for those who are gay. Dotson says while there are no laws preventing discrimination, it’s absolutely the wrong thing to do.

“You can only prevent people from renting if they have a bad payment history or if they they’re bad neighbors or don’t take care of their property,” Dotson said. “If a landlord refuses to rent to them for any reason other than those, it’s heavily frowned upon.”

But, the fact that there’s no law preventing such behavior in West Virginia is deeply disturbing to Darby.

“It hurts. It hurts,” she said.

Reported by: WHAS – Carrie Cline, Reporter

In a horrific show of force, and a major blow the the National Organization for Marriage, the New Hampshire House of Representatives killed two measures that would have overturned the state’s new gay marriage law.  The House voted 210-109 to kill HB 1590. The bill would have simply repealed the same-sex “marriage” law that passed in June and came into effect January 1 of this year.

But it wasn’t over, the House then shot down CACR 28, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have given New Hampshire citizens the opportunity to approve or reject same-sex “marriage” on the November ballot. The amendment stated: “The State shall only recognize as marriage, whether in name or effect, the union of one man and one woman.”

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch signed a same-sex marriage bill into law early June despite his opposition to gay marriage.

Marriage between gay couples is legal in five states so far. Massachusetts and Connecticut were the first ones to pass legislation, while Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire all enacted similar measures this year. Maine, however, overturned its law in a November referendum. (previous story)

The District of Columbia earlier this month passed its own bill, which takes effect after a required 30-day review by the U.S. Congress.

Around the same time in the state of New York, senators voted to defeat a similar bill despite the full support of Governor David Paterson. (previous story)

Laws permitting gay marriage was also defeated this year in New Jersey in January.  New Jersey lawmakers blamed the entire Democratic Party for weakness and lack of leadership. (previous story)

His Excellency (official addressing per the constitution) Bob McDonnell rolled back protections for gay and lesbians in Virginia government, thanks to a little-noticed change made by the new Republican Governor in an executive order:

By virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor, I hereby declare that it is the firm and unwavering policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to assure equal opportunity in all facets of state government.

……….

This Executive Order supersedes and rescinds Executive Order Number One (2006), Equal Opportunity, issued by Governor Timothy M. Kaine on January 14, 2006. This Executive Order shall become effective upon its signing and shall remain in full force and effect until amended or rescinded by further executive order.

Given under my hand and under the Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia this 5th day of February 2010.

His new order, which includes all previously protected categories including race, sex, religion and age – but not the previously protected category of sexual orientation – is also supported by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

Virgina Governor McDonnell’s office sent along ta memo from his chief of staff that they have suggested to reporters prevents any and all discrimination.

This is nearly identical to what happened in Kentucky (previous story).