Kindgo
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http://www.newsday.com/news/nationw...0911sep11.story
Vote on Miami-Dade Gay Rights Law
By TAL ABBADY
Associated Press Writer
September 11, 2002, 7:08 AM EDT
MIAMI -- Residents of Miami-Dade County appeared on their way to rejecting a bid by the Christian Coalition to overturn an ordinance protecting gay rights.
With 87 percent of precincts reporting, there were 145,971 votes against, or 53 percent, and 130,100 votes in favor, or 47 percent.
"All ethnic groups were on the same page today on this issue," said Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas. "There's no room for discrimination of any sort. We're a community of inclusion and we sent a very strong message today."
The ballot measure proposal would eliminate an amendment to the county's human rights ordinance that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, lending and public accommodations.
Corporations such as BellSouth and Carnival Cruise Lines contributed tens of thousands of dollars to preserve the ordinance, and 18 of the county's 32 mayors, including Penelas, expressed support. Democratic National Committee officials warned that repealing the ordinance could have hurt Miami's chances of hosting the party's 2004 convention.
A similar Miami ordinance was repealed in 1977 after a campaign led by Anita Bryant, a former beauty queen who became a conservative activist. A new law passed in 1998, after several other cities across the country approved other gay-rights measures.
Florida is one of 38 states that does not ban anti-gay discrimination.
According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, between 66,000 and 85,000 homosexuals live in Miami-Dade County.
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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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