Dozens of people
in Olympia, Wash., made emotional arguments during
a public hearing on a gay civil rights bill, with some
insisting the measure was a long-overdue change to the
state's antidiscrimination laws and others contending
it only creates special status for one group of people.
Some opponents argued Tuesday that the measure
would put an undue burden on business; others said it
would create confusion for the state's children. One
woman simply read from the Bible until the committee
chairwoman cut her off.
Supporters told the house state government
operations and accountability committee hearing that
all people deserve protection from discrimination in
housing and jobs. "It is not about quotas, and it is not
about affirmative action...it is not about marriage,"
said Democratic state representative Ed Murray of
Seattle, who has sponsored the bill for 11 years. "It
is about citizens of this state who work hard and pay
their taxes. They ask simply to be treated fairly."
The measure would add sexual orientation and
gender expression or identity to a state law that
already bans discrimination in housing, employment,
and insurance based on race, gender, age, disability,
religion, marital status, and other factors.
A Seattle attorney opposed to the measure said
the bill was seen by some as an effort to impose one
set of moral principles on others. "This is not the
same as the efforts in the civil rights era to stamp out
discrimination against race and other historically protected
groups," Steve O'Ban said. "This is a behavior-based classification."
The bill has been introduced and rejected
annually for nearly 30 years in the Washington State
legislature. The state house last year passed the bill
61-37, with six Republicans joining 55 Democrats in
favor. But it lost by one vote in the senate, where
two Democrats, Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam and Tim Sheldon
of Potlatch, joined 23 Republicans in defeating the
bill. The measure is believed to have a better chance of
passage this year because Republican senator Bill
Finkbeiner of Kirkland announced last week that he
would switch his vote to yes.
Tuesday's hearing came a day after a local
pastor threatened a nationwide boycott of Microsoft
Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., and other businesses that
have come out in support of the measure, saying the
companies have underestimated the power of religious
consumers. The Reverend Ken Hutcherson, pastor of
Antioch Bible Church in the east Seattle suburb of
Redmond, which is also home to Microsoft, said he would
officially make the call for the boycott Thursday on a
national conservative talk radio show, Focus on the
Family. "We're tired of sitting around thinking
that morals can be ignored in our country," he said Monday.
Marilyn Cass, with the Catholic Parents Support
Group, testified that 20 years ago she received a note
from her oldest son telling her he was gay. She said
that while several religious groups oppose the measure, her
faith "compels me to advocate for fairness." "For those
individuals and groups who see the gay and lesbian members
of our communities as a threat, look again and see the
constellation of parents, grandparents, brothers and
sisters and friends who stand behind them," she said.
"You also judge and discriminate against us."
Last week several companies, including
Microsoft, Boeing Co., Hewlett-Packard, and Nike Inc.,
signed a letter urging passage of the bill.
Microsoft's support comes a year after it was denounced for
quietly dropping support for it. The only company
represented at Tuesday's hearing was Hewlett-Packard,
who had an official briefly testify in support of the measure.
Committee chairwoman Kathy Haigh said the bill
was expected to pass out of committee quickly and
could be on the house floor as early as this week.
(AP)
