Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 16:41:46 -0500 (CDT) From: Kevyn Jacobs To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]" Subject: LAWRENCE J-W: SIMPLY EQUAL WINS BOOST FROM THE LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD APRIL 5, 1995 =============================== SIMPLY EQUAL WINS BOOST * THE COMMUNITY COALITION NOW HAS THE THREE VOTES IT NEEDS FOR PASSAGE OF A REVISED HUMAN RELATIONS ORDINANCE THAT WOULD INCLUDE PROTECTIONS FOR HOMOSEXUALS FROM DISCRIMINATION. BY MARK FAGAN JOURNAL-WORLD WRITER Lawrence is headed toward becoming the first city in Kansas with anti-discrimination protections for homosexuals, Lawrence voters decided Tuesday night. Although the issue wasn't included specifically on city ballots, results from the Lawrence City Commission election clearly spelled the end of organized opposition to including the words "sexual orientation" in the city's human relations ordinance. Of three commissioners elected Tuesday, two support adding protections for homosexuals to the ordinance, which currently affords identified minorities protections from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. And now the proposal's supporters finally have enough votes to get the new measure passed, possibly within the month. "It's going to get done! It's going to happen!" said Lynne Green, cochair of Simply Equal, the community coalition that proposed the ordinance change in November. She chatted hurriedly in between hugs from supporters at the Douglas County Courthouse. "Lawrence has spoken," she said. "I think that the electorate has said, very clearly, that they really believe in human relations - -and they believe in it for everyone." Co-chair Ben Zimmerman agreed: "Lawrence will not tolerate bigotry." But Lawrence will face intense controversy when commissioners formally reconsider the ordinance, Commissioner Bob Moody said. Public hearings will be opened soon, cutting back into a debate commissioners appeared to settle last month by choosing not to vote on the issue. "It's going to be divisive, period," said Moody, who opposes the proposal. "We've had enough divisive items, and it was my hope that we could get by without a public controversy. It looks like Lawrence thrives on Divisiveness. The job is to heal it Back together after that." Moody long has advocated Conducting a special election to gauge public support for the proposal, but Mayor Jo Andersen said that's exactly what Tuesday's election was: a referendum. Supporters John Nalbandian and Allen Levine won. Opponents Jo Barnes, Doug Compton and Carl E. Burkhead lost. The lone opponent to the ordinance change to win election was Bonnie Augustine. Andersen, who supports the change, wants to call a commission vote on the issue, possibly as soon as April 18. "It's always been my belief that people in this town are very interested in fairness and believe that discrimination is abhorrent," Andersen said. "This was a public referendum." Not quite, said the Rev. Leo Barbee Jr., pastor of Victory Bible Church. The gay community just did a better job getting out the vote. Most people in town still oppose the change, he said, and that could be revealed when commissioners discuss the ordinance in the coming weeks. "I'm not a prophet. I don't know what's going to happen," said Barbee, who's led opposition efforts since the change was proposed. "There's a lot of ifs. A lot can happen between now and then." Barbee has preached about making a difference at the ballot box --"If you don't vote, you don't have the right to say anything," he told members of various congregations--but that doesn't mean opposition will end, either "We'll keep praying," he said. 'That's all we can do. Hopefully, they'll change their minds." That's not likely, said Nalbandian, who has favored making the ordinance change since its proposal. Now he's ready to vote. "Once you commit yes or no, I don't think it's fair to go back," he said.