This post is specifically for people who live in Ohio. I urge you to research Ohio House Bill 176 and contact your Representative with your opinion.
The bill would change state law to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected class statuses, like nationality, gender, handicap, etc.
While many ramifications of the bill are unfortunate, there is one that particularly concerns me. Part of the bill would require the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to create educational programs for all public schools to eliminate prejudice based on the covered classes, which would include gender identity and sexual orientation. No, I do not think that prejudice is good, and I do want it to be eliminated, but I would rather take care of that in my home. I do not trust in the school's ability to eliminate prejudice without crossing the line in the other direction.
I do not want my children to go to school to learn that homosexuality is normal or innate and that a girl can decide she is a boy.
It is not the place of schools and teachers to spend time on subject matter like that. Let teachers teach math, English, science, etc. And let parents teach their own children what they believe.
Will I teach my children to be mean or unkind toward those with specific sexual orientation or gender identity? No, I will not. I will teach my children to love and be kind to everyone. Does loving someone mean to enable him or her in unhealthy practices? No, it does not. I will do my best to teach my children that being kind to someone is based on every person's divine worth and not on personal choices they have made.
Homosexuality is not normal. It is a choice people make. I do not deny them the right to make that choice, but I will do all that I can to stop the government from taking the choice away frpm my children be indoctrinating them falsely.
Please contact your representatives and tell them if you think they should vote yes or no on Ohio House Bill 176.
Where I live, my representative is Joe Uecker. His e-mail address is district66@ohr.state.oh.us.
You can find out who yours is on this site: http://www.house.state.oh.us. The necessary contact information can be found on that site as well.
If you aren't sure what to write (and are against HB 176 passing), here is a form letter you can use, if you agree with what it says. I got the letter from this website (click) that you can also use to contact your Representative if you want to e-mail him/her through the site.
The dangerous ramifications of H.B. 176, the so-called "Equal Housing and Employment Act," are a grave concern to me. I write today to ask you to vote NO on this dangerous bill, and want you to know that I consider your NO vote on this bill to be one of the most critical votes of your political career.
“Sexual orientation” and “gender identity” do not qualify as protected classes under our Ohio Civil Rights law. They do not meet any of the criteria stipulated by our courts to qualify for protected class status.
Addition of these classes will strip from Ohio business and property owners the right to make decisions based on their deeply-held religious beliefs, which constitutes"interference with the rights of conscience," a violation of our state constitution.
Further, adding these classes will result in discrimination against all citizens who do not identify themselves as belonging to one of these classes.
The provision of this law that requires the OCRC to work with the Department of Education to prepare programs for all public school students is egregiously harmful. The intent of such programs would be to normalize sexual behaviors and gender roles, contrary to the deeply held religious views that many parents have instilled in their children. Students who believe that homosexual behaviors are wrong would be forced to remain silent or risk being ostracized, penalized, and/or bullied.
Please represent our values by voting NO on this unnecessary, harmful, and discriminatory bill and do everything within your power to see that it is not passed into law.
If you are not an Ohio resident, then please stay informed of what your state is voting on, so you can make sure your voice is heard.
The bill would change state law to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected class statuses, like nationality, gender, handicap, etc.
While many ramifications of the bill are unfortunate, there is one that particularly concerns me. Part of the bill would require the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to create educational programs for all public schools to eliminate prejudice based on the covered classes, which would include gender identity and sexual orientation. No, I do not think that prejudice is good, and I do want it to be eliminated, but I would rather take care of that in my home. I do not trust in the school's ability to eliminate prejudice without crossing the line in the other direction.
I do not want my children to go to school to learn that homosexuality is normal or innate and that a girl can decide she is a boy.
It is not the place of schools and teachers to spend time on subject matter like that. Let teachers teach math, English, science, etc. And let parents teach their own children what they believe.
Will I teach my children to be mean or unkind toward those with specific sexual orientation or gender identity? No, I will not. I will teach my children to love and be kind to everyone. Does loving someone mean to enable him or her in unhealthy practices? No, it does not. I will do my best to teach my children that being kind to someone is based on every person's divine worth and not on personal choices they have made.
Homosexuality is not normal. It is a choice people make. I do not deny them the right to make that choice, but I will do all that I can to stop the government from taking the choice away frpm my children be indoctrinating them falsely.
Please contact your representatives and tell them if you think they should vote yes or no on Ohio House Bill 176.
Where I live, my representative is Joe Uecker. His e-mail address is district66@ohr.state.oh.us.
You can find out who yours is on this site: http://www.house.state.oh.us. The necessary contact information can be found on that site as well.
If you aren't sure what to write (and are against HB 176 passing), here is a form letter you can use, if you agree with what it says. I got the letter from this website (click) that you can also use to contact your Representative if you want to e-mail him/her through the site.
The dangerous ramifications of H.B. 176, the so-called "Equal Housing and Employment Act," are a grave concern to me. I write today to ask you to vote NO on this dangerous bill, and want you to know that I consider your NO vote on this bill to be one of the most critical votes of your political career.
“Sexual orientation” and “gender identity” do not qualify as protected classes under our Ohio Civil Rights law. They do not meet any of the criteria stipulated by our courts to qualify for protected class status.
Addition of these classes will strip from Ohio business and property owners the right to make decisions based on their deeply-held religious beliefs, which constitutes"interference with the rights of conscience," a violation of our state constitution.
Further, adding these classes will result in discrimination against all citizens who do not identify themselves as belonging to one of these classes.
The provision of this law that requires the OCRC to work with the Department of Education to prepare programs for all public school students is egregiously harmful. The intent of such programs would be to normalize sexual behaviors and gender roles, contrary to the deeply held religious views that many parents have instilled in their children. Students who believe that homosexual behaviors are wrong would be forced to remain silent or risk being ostracized, penalized, and/or bullied.
Please represent our values by voting NO on this unnecessary, harmful, and discriminatory bill and do everything within your power to see that it is not passed into law.
If you are not an Ohio resident, then please stay informed of what your state is voting on, so you can make sure your voice is heard.
Woah I can't believe you know all of this stuff. I totally have no clue what is going on. I didn't even know there was an election. LOL Thanks for keeping us informed and I am totally on your side:)
ReplyDeleteThis is what I was afraid of... slowly but surely it is moving out of California and we will all have to decide where we stand on this issue.
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