Ethics

The Right and Anti-Discrimination Laws

By Ed Brayton

The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that the city of Kalamazoo is considering an ordinance that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation:

A proposed Kalamazoo city ordinance aimed at protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals from discrimination will be introduced Monday before the City Commission.

"There is not one law on the federal level or state level that protects against discrimination for sexual orientation," said Terry Kuseske, head of the Kalamazoo Alliance for Equality's political action committee.

The proposed city ordinance, dubbed the "Equal Rights Ordinance," would protect against discrimination in the areas of housing, employment and public accommodations. The ordinance would apply to both the private and public sectors, although there would be some exemptions. Churches would be exempt and so would individuals who are seeking to rent out part of a residence in which they are living.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on November 23, 2008 (boomark / email).