Mayor Hales Bans City-Funded Travel to Indiana in Light of New LGBT Law
Email to a friend
Permalink
Monday, March 30, 2015
GoLocalPDX News Team
Portland Mayor Charlie Hales will issue an order today to temporarily suspend any further city-funded travel to Indiana, in light of the passage of a new Indiana law that discriminates against LGBT residents.
The Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was signed into law by Governor Mike Pence last week.
"Gov. Mike Pence an the Indiana Legislature have to understand that such blatant discrimination against their own citizens cannot stand. We, as a country, have moved so far from those shameful practices of the past," Hales said. "It is regrettable that the great city of Indianapolis, led by its very effective mayor, Greg Ballard, is being dragged down by the reactionary efforts of the State Legislature and the governor."
On Wednesday, Portland City Council will consider a resolution that supports Hale's decision. The resolution also asks civic and business leaders throughout Portland to halt any travel to Indiana as well.
The city of Indiana already protects the rights of its LGBT residents, according to the mayor's office.
"Indiana isn't the first state to adopt this backward, discriminatory policy, but most states have sexual-orientation language in their civil rights statutes to protect LGBT residents," Hales said. "Indiana doesn't offer these same protections. All states have to realize that government-sponsored discrimination against LGBT residents in the United States of America has to stop."
Related Slideshow: What Portland Can Learn from Ferguson
Recent developments in Ferguson, Mo., where a white police officer was not indicted for shooting an unarmed black teen, have brought to light issues that provide a case in point for Portland, according to leaders in the city’s African American community.
Prev
Next
Charles McGee
President, Black Parent Initiative
Lesson #1: Address Systemic Racism
"Ferguson can happen anywhere. Right in Gresham, right in Portland, Oregon,” said Charles McGee, President and CEO of the Black Parent Initiative.
“We still have glaring inequities in Portland and need to mobilize as a community,” said McGee.
Prev
Next
David Walker
Writer, Filmmaker
Lesson #1: Address Systemic Racism
Walker argues the overarching issue is that law enforcement and officials in Ferguson, as in Portland, are unaware of the biases already ingrained in society.
“When you’re blinded by ignorance and racism, that’s a huge problem. Some people spend their lives thinking nothing is wrong,” Walker said.
Prev
Next
Lew Frederick
Representative, House District 43
Lesson #2: The Importance of Voting
Frederick points to voting as a way for Ferguson, and Portland, to move forward from issues of race inequality.
“It will be a matter for people to get out to vote,” Frederick said.
Prev
Next
Cameron Whitten
President, Know Your City
Lesson #3: Admit the Police System is Broken
Cameron Whitten, a former mayoral candidate and president of Know Your City, said the police system is broken, and has been for a long time. But the question of how to move forward remains.
“Be able to fully address what’s broken and how to fix that,” said Whitten. “Institutionally, Jim Crow has been around in policing, and generations have been trying to undo that,” he said.
Prev
Next
Promise King
Executive Director of the Oregon League of Minority Voters
Lesson #4: Protests Should be Strategic
King said discrimination becomes “normalized” in society’s systems and institutions, and that dismantling inequality demands examining those systems.
Protests, he said, are most effective when they call for people to direct their efforts toward changing those systems of injustice.
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Email to a friend
Permalink
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It