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Author
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Topic: Gay-rights issue
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
You know guys i am certainly against licensing (sp) of sin. THe article states:
quote:
A conservative Christian group is playing hardball politics over Orlando's gay-rights proposal, privately threatening to trash a City Council member's reputation if he doesn't abstain from voting on the initiative.
Council member Phil Diamond last week received a letter from David Caton, head of the Tampa-based Florida Family Association.
Unless Diamond declares a conflict of interest on the anti-discrimination law, Caton wrote, the group will publicly accuse him of breaking the law and file a state ethics complaint against him. Caton even included a copy of a news release he promised to send to the media unless the council member agreed.
Oh church, what ever happened to changing things by prayer??????????????????????????
Fasting???????????????????????????
Now we are a vigilanty group?
i dont see this as the right method, my flesh does, but the spirit inside me groans..
THe world sees that action as a threat, as no different than themselves...
Any means is no way to justify the end...
just my opinion..
i have read many stories of Charles Muller, Bunyan, Finney, Spurgeon, and so on, how they changed things...
Paul spoke out to Rome because God sent him and why? To tell Cesar that his policies were wrong? NO
TO tell Ceaser that the "Roman Bath" Houses were wrong? NO..To "witness" YaHWeH and the Gospel of Yahshua [Jesus] thats why!
What have we become when we hold ppl hostage, when we set out to "bribe" them with "trashing" their reputation??? It s the world folks their reputation is "wordly" , sinful.
Now i would suppose if the "group" were to fast, pray, weep and beesech the Lord, the man might even be saved, but by any means the gospel would get out....
im i off base here folks, have i fallen and hurt my noggin??
If God leads for the man to be exposed for what "he" is, then why hold his "reputation" hostage to get what you want??? That is truly NOT God! They are saying that if "he" does what the "group" wants then they will not expose his "Evil Deeds", (compromise to say the least) and the world all around the country will see that as playing "dirty pool" (an old term)....
What think YE????
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
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posted
web page
Gay-rights issue draws threat
By Mark Schlueb
A conservative Christian group is playing hardball politics over Orlando's gay-rights proposal, privately threatening to trash a City Council member's reputation if he doesn't abstain from voting on the initiative.
Council member Phil Diamond last week received a letter from David Caton, head of the Tampa-based Florida Family Association.
Unless Diamond declares a conflict of interest on the anti-discrimination law, Caton wrote, the group will publicly accuse him of breaking the law and file a state ethics complaint against him. Caton even included a copy of a news release he promised to send to the media unless the council member agreed.
"I couldn't believe it," Diamond, who has expressed preliminary support for the ordinance, said Wednesday. "At the very least it's inappropriate, and at worst it's an attempt at political blackmail."
The city's proposal would add "sexual orientation" to the list of groups protected by the city's anti-discrimination ordinance, joining classes such as race, age and gender.
If the City Council approves, gays and lesbians could not be refused employment, housing or service in restaurants and hotels because of their sexual orientation.
The firm where Diamond works, Carlton Fields, specializes in 35 areas of law, including labor issues.
If the city outlaws discrimination against gays, a fired worker or a company that's been hit with a complaint could hire Diamond's firm.
"Phil Diamond's firm stands to gain from this, and he's a shareholder," Caton said. "Is Carlton Fields going to say they're not going to take these cases?"
Law forbids some votes
State law forbids elected officials from voting on legislation from which they would profit.
In 1991, a Hillsborough County commissioner abstained from voting on a similar anti-discrimination ordinance because his law firm specialized in labor cases. Then-Commissioner Ed Turanchik later voted in favor of a watered-down version that covered housing and public accommodations but not the workplace.
'Far too . . . speculative'
After receiving Caton's letter, Diamond asked the City Attorney's Office to review the issue before the city holds a workshop on the issue Sept. 9. In a written opinion, Chief Assistant City Attorney Jean Roush-Burnett told Diamond there is no conflict of interest.
"Any gain or loss to you or the firm resulting from the passage of the Sexual Orientation Ordinance would be far too indirect, speculative and remote to be said to inure to your special gain," Roush-Burnett wrote.
If there is no conflict of interest, Diamond cannot withhold his vote, according to Florida law.
Diamond said much of the City Council's business, under unusual circumstances, could somehow benefit his law firm.
Drawing the lines
"Does that mean I could never vote to approve a community center or a sidewalk because somebody might some day injure themselves in the community center or on the sidewalk and then ask my firm to represent them?" Diamond said.
It's unclear how critical Diamond's vote will be.
Some council members -- including Mayor Glenda Hood -- have not yet taken a public position on the proposal. Although Diamond has said he opposes discrimination, he said he wants to review the legal language of the ordinance before making up his mind.
"It would be convenient and expedient to abstain on this, but it wouldn't be right," Diamond said. "Obviously, I'm going to displease a significant number of people no matter which way I vote, but I'm elected to make tough decisions and that's what my constituents expect of me."
The Florida Family Association's threat comes as Central Florida churches mount a letter-writing campaign to persuade city officials to defeat the proposal. More than 6,500 letters, cards and e-mails have arrived at City Hall, most of them copies of the same form letter opposing the ordinance.
Fighting similar measures
Caton said his group has been involved in the letter-writing campaign. He also has fought against similar measures in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County, Alachua County and elsewhere.
The group has recently provided funding and advice to activists in Miami-Dade County who have gathered enough petition signatures to force a Sept. 10 vote on the repeal of a gay-rights law there.
Mark Schlueb can be reached at mschlueb@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5417.
Copyright 2002 Orlando Sentinel
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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