From allen@serval.net.wsu.edu Mon Mar 15 15:29:13 1993

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HOUSE APPROVES GAY ANTI-DISCRIMINATION BILL

by Lynda V. Mapes
staff writer

OLYMPIA - The House of Representatives passed legislation Friday
that guarantees civil rights protection for homosexuals.

The bill drew criticism from religious and social conservatives,
who say it condones and promotes a homosexual life-style.

HB 1443, passed on a 57-41 vote, now goes to the Senate, where it is 
expected to face tougher sledding.

It's a bitter battle, in which promoters are painted as 
anti-Christian and anti-family, and opponents as gay bashers.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Cal Anderson, D-Seattle, argued it is
needed because homosexuals are discriminated against. The bill
expands the existing state civil rights law to protect gays
and lesbians.

The law already prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
sex, religion, marital status, or national origin.

The bill "is not about whether homosexuality is good or bad,
or morally right or wrong, or about whether homosexuality is
a matter of choice, or about special rights for gays and lesbians,"
said Anderson, the Legislature's only openly-gay member. "It
is about equal rights for all people."

The bill "will not erase fear and hatred by itself," Anderson
said. "But it sends a clear message that we will not tolerate
discrimination."

Rep. George Orr, D-Spokane, said the bill is needed because 
minorities are too often the victims of violence. "In Spokane,
there is a river called Hangman's Creek," he said. "That's
because they used to hang Indians there. A hundred years ago,
that was socially acceptable. All of us are a minority at one
time or another. If the majority always ruled, about 99 percent
of us wouldn't be here today."

But opponents, including Rep. Steve Fuhrman, R-Kettle Falls, 
argued the bill protects an act -- homosexual sex -- that some,
including himself, believe is morally wrong.

"This goes against the law of nature and law of nature's God
and it's wrong." Fuhrman said. "That's something that has been
shown in history, and it should not be in the civil rights law."

Rep. Larry Sheahan, R-Rosalia, told members they should vote
against the bill because it would force parents to hire homosexual
babysitters to watch their children. It would also "use the 
coercive force of government to force people to associate with
people whose behavior they think offensive," he said.

Rep. Mike Padden, R-Spokane, told his colleagues they should 
vote against the bill because homosexuality is forbidden by
the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The divisive issue of gay rights may yet wind up in voter's
laps, no matter what the Legislature does.

A fledging citizen's group in Vancouver has announced a 
campaign to put a measure on the ballot that would prohibit
civil rights protections for homosexuals. Similar groups are
organizion petition drives in Oregon and Idaho.

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